Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

[DaKahuna]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I admit that it is a change but I think before I do anything drastic that I will leave it as is for now and see if it grows on me.

[velderia]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I love it. The previous template didn't really match with the original site and this version exceeded my expectations. Lovely job.

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I absolutely love all the work that Neil does each year... this time 'round is no exception. However, I am getting too old in some ways and therefore opted (as some others did) to change back to the "traditional" style in my forum viewing.

On things like communication, messaging, etc. that I interact with every day, i crave absolute consistency. The one thing I could certainly support would be shifts in color and hue on this theme (if all elements kept their current contrast... darker areas stay darker, small gray lines remain small lines of some light shade, etc) and perhaps bordering artwork like the caution stripes across the top. That way, the actual page views would look the same to these old eyes but i'd still get some of the new dazzle.

Great work on the main site, too, Neil!

[TheCotMan]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I've found 5 users that switched back to the old theme.
For these 5 users, you may need to log out and log back in again if you find it is broken.
I needed to re-label it and give it a new StyleID (14) so new users would get the new styleid.

If you encounter any problems, please let me know.

The new name for the old style is "Defcon Legacy" and it has a different styleid.

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I've found 5 users that switched back to the old theme.
For these 5 users, you may need to log out and log back in again if you find it is broken.

works fine for me. it's a pity that i don't get to see the finished product of Neil's efforts... but my brain goes into super-freakout mode when certain aspects of my life start to appear different than before. almost every new version of Google (or any popular web site that i frequent) resulted in my pulling out my hair and lamenting the change, simply because it was a change.

although i do get the benefit of seeing the new artwork for a second when i first access the forums, since i don't save any cookies or other history in my browser and always have to login when opening the forums. ah well... small victories.

[TheCotMan]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

works fine for me. it's a pity that i don't get to see the finished product of Neil's efforts... but my brain goes into super-freakout mode when certain aspects of my life start to appear different than before. almost every new version of Google (or any popular web site that i frequent) resulted in my pulling out my hair and lamenting the change, simply because it was a change.

I understand that. I still might disable the old theme eventually. This will happen only if I verify that disabling the old theme still allows people that had selected it to keep it. Then people will be stuck with what they have, and we'll move forward with that.
Expect this decision after 3 or 4 weeks.

although i do get the benefit of seeing the new artwork for a second when i first access the forums, since i don't save any cookies or other history in my browser and always have to login when opening the forums. ah well... small victories.

Also, the "Switch to less secure http? click here. (smart people will not click here) (LOCK)" image change will remain "new" across versions (new and old) because of how I implemented it. (The new images for this are from Neil, but the method for detecting and serving the appropriate image is my work.)

[Samurai Drifter]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

To be perfectly honest, I'm not much of a fan. Not that I don't think it's well done, but this skin seems somehow... less intellectual, or professional, or something. Too showy.

Note- switch back to the old style worked without a hitch.

[theprez98]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I permanently changed back to the old theme, too.

[0x58]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I have been trying the new theme out for a few days, figured i'd at least give it a shot, and there are just certain things I don't like about it.

Abuse of dashed borders is one of them. Especially borders that in Safari (Mac OS X) don't properly close on the right side, and thus the post seems to be hanging in an sort of box with no side.

I don't mind the white, but all the little dots/dashes on the screen just provide an irritation, which makes it very hard for me to focus on the actual text.

Don't mind me though, the theme looks awesome, but back I go.

[Greyhatter]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

Oh now look what I went and started! D'oh!
http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/doh.jpg

[xor]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I'm still using an aging CRT on my desktop, I imagine that this looks really great on an LCD however. It has a very techy etchy feel to it, and I like it. Though I did have to turn my brightness and contrast all the way up to make it readable.

Web designers often have some of the newest and best screen technology and often forget that many of us still use old CRT's.

I know what you are thinking:

Why xor, a CRT(trying not to laugh) how retro. I have an old Viewsonic 22in PF815, and it works. In fact I wish it would just die giving me the excuse to get rid of the 30lb 3ft x 3ft x 3ft space heater on my desk. But the cats like to sleep on it and I just don't have the heart.

I have a whole rant about dark web sites that use all 256 shades of black in an attempt to be cool, and Gothic and how they make me feel like listening to the Smiths and committing suicide(just kidding).

I am the son And the heir Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar I am the son
and heir Of nothing in particular You shut your mouth How can you say I go ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRtYNPRXkYU

We shouldn't forget Joy Division, Sisters of Mercy(saw'um in a club!!! awesome) and Echo and the Bunny Men either :-)
Hey, I was kicked in the chest by the lead singer of Suicidal Tendencies, but that's another story.
xor

[shrdlu]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I still might disable the old theme eventually. This will happen only if I verify that disabling the old theme still allows people that had selected it to keep it. Then people will be stuck with what they have, and we'll move forward with that.
Expect this decision after 3 or 4 weeks.

I'm trying to make sure I understand this statement. I think you are saying that people who've already chosen to go back to the cleaner, simpler "Legacy" style will get to keep it, but that new people will not be able to choose it. Does it mean simply that the choice of styles will go away, and whatever is there, will stay, or does it mean that there will be a choice of styles, but that the legacy choice will no longer be offered?

[TheCotMan]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

I'm trying to make sure I understand this statement. I think you are saying that people who've already chosen to go back to the cleaner, simpler "Legacy" style will get to keep it, but that new people will not be able to choose it. Does it mean simply that the choice of styles will go away, and whatever is there, will stay, or does it mean that there will be a choice of styles, but that the legacy choice will no longer be offered?

People that have chosen Legacy in their UserCP (not with *just* the pull down menu at the lower left on the front page) will get to keep it, and then eventually nobody else would be able to choose legacy.

For each style we include as available, we face manual updates requiring revert of changes, comparison of differences with the old code, then manual re-application of custom edits. It is a time consuming process, which is why we don't support multiple styles all of the time.

There might come a time when people will not longer be able to choose between the Legacy and the Main. That hasn't been determined. It will depends on the work involved to keep two styles up-to-date vs. one every time there is a software update. (i have around 15 things on my to-do list, and still haven't finished them. Adding updates to multiple styles/themes/skins is something I would prefer to avoid.

[bascule]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

Looks like it's been toned down. That's definitely an improvement.

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Defcon forums have a new style that matches dc16 theme...

Looks like it's been toned down. That's definitely an improvement.

i see two "new" options now... Main and Converge. Both appear to be the same thing and both appear to be what Neil designed with no changes, at least for me.

If there are still some edits happening, maybe I'd be able to read the new style soon. Really it comes down to about two points for me:

1. the "dotted" borders around anything should be solid. they make my brain freakout.

2. the text everywhere is in a serif font (possibly Bookman or Garamond or some derivative) and for my money, text on a monitor is infinitely easier to read in sans-serif style. serifed fonts make my eyes go all nutty.

aside from that, however, i really love the new theme and wish i could be using it all of the time. maybe if there was some way in the user's control panel that they could specify things like font face and font color on the pages, the rest would be a piece of cake. i'm guessing that'd be way too much work, however.