A New Year and a New Look!
- Pete Eeles
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 6815
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:10 pm
- Location: Thatcham, Berkshire
- Contact:
A New Year and a New Look!
UKB has a new look, designed to make the website feel less cluttered, more appealing and, most importantly, easier to maintain. This last point is particularly important; I want the website to live long after I've gone and that will only happen if it's well-structured, well-documented and has a rich suite of tests included. Which it now is (although I need to complete the documentation). The new structure will also allow the website to be brought into a framework (such as Wordpress) at a later date if that would make sense.
And so, the reason I've been so quiet over the last several weeks is because UKB has been rewritten from the ground up (pretty much). The main change is with respect to the home page, which was just awful; the new look is much "cleaner".
So where have all the elements of the old home page gone to? Well ...
- The latest updates (statistics, recent posts, recent images etc.) are on a separate page under the "Home" menu - which will take you to http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/latest_updates.php.
- The advertising is in the scrolling banner
- The sponsorship is in the scrolling banner
- The affiliation with BC is in the scrolling banner
Given the scale of the change, I'm sure there will be some gremlins so please let me know if you come across anything that is broken or doesn't seem right. Just post a reply to this thread so that everyone is aware of the bugs that have been identified to date.
Cheers,
- Pete
And so, the reason I've been so quiet over the last several weeks is because UKB has been rewritten from the ground up (pretty much). The main change is with respect to the home page, which was just awful; the new look is much "cleaner".
So where have all the elements of the old home page gone to? Well ...
- The latest updates (statistics, recent posts, recent images etc.) are on a separate page under the "Home" menu - which will take you to http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/latest_updates.php.
- The advertising is in the scrolling banner
- The sponsorship is in the scrolling banner
- The affiliation with BC is in the scrolling banner
Given the scale of the change, I'm sure there will be some gremlins so please let me know if you come across anything that is broken or doesn't seem right. Just post a reply to this thread so that everyone is aware of the bugs that have been identified to date.
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Looking good, after the initial 'shock horror' when it seemed as though the 'recent posts' column had disappeared
Anything that makes a website easier to manage is a good thing in my view.
Mike
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Mike
- Pete Eeles
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 6815
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:10 pm
- Location: Thatcham, Berkshire
- Contact:
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Indeed! I suspect that most regulars will bookmark http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/latest_updates.php. I'll add the news items too shortly, so that it contains absolutely all updated items.MikeOxon wrote:Looking good, after the initial 'shock horror' when it seemed as though the 'recent posts' column had disappeared
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
- Neil Hulme
- Posts: 3599
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:27 pm
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Wow! That looks much better and more "C21st". Thanks to you and anyone else involved in the revamp.
BWs, Neil
BWs, Neil
- Vince Massimo
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 1858
- Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2008 7:36 pm
- Location: Crawley, Sussex
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Well done Pete
I can't imagine the amount of work needed to sort this out. Glad to know that the site is being future proofed.
I am still testing the new layout and will come back with any issues.
Vince
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I can't imagine the amount of work needed to sort this out. Glad to know that the site is being future proofed.
I am still testing the new layout and will come back with any issues.
Vince
- Lee Hurrell
- Stock Contributor
- Posts: 2423
- Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 7:33 pm
- Location: Hampshire
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Love the new look, good work all involved!
The white background really makes a difference. It all looks much more modern and clean.
Best wishes,
Lee
The white background really makes a difference. It all looks much more modern and clean.
Best wishes,
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
- Padfield
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Re: A New Year and a New Look!
I was about to send an e-mail asking if you were sick, Pete, as you have been so quiet. Now I see why! I agree with the others that this is a great new look, and functional too. It would be wonderful to think UKButterflies will still be going in 2116 - and if it is, it will be all thanks to your foresight now.
Guy
Guy
Guy's Butterflies: https://www.guypadfield.com
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
I too had a few moments of confusion where my mind subconsciously erred towards the possibility that the site might have been 'hacked', but common sense soon took over and I agree that the new presentation is an improvement on the old.
Thanks again for your sterling work, Pete. I doubt if any site in any country provides such comprehensive information about a nation's butterfly species as this one does and you should be proud of the effort you've put in over this last decade (if you aren't then WE are immensely proud on your behalf!)
Thanks again for your sterling work, Pete. I doubt if any site in any country provides such comprehensive information about a nation's butterfly species as this one does and you should be proud of the effort you've put in over this last decade (if you aren't then WE are immensely proud on your behalf!)
-
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- Location: Hampshire
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Great work PeteNeil Hulme wrote:Wow! That looks much better and more "C21st". Thanks to you and anyone else involved in the revamp.
BWs, Neil
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
- Pete Eeles
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 6815
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:10 pm
- Location: Thatcham, Berkshire
- Contact:
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Thanks all! It's good to get positive feedback since I was quite worried at the scale of the changes and how they'd be received!
Cheers,
- Pete
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
In my opinion, the purpose of a website like this is to impart and share information and not to provide some sort of 'cabaret show'
The clear uncluttered look of the new design is entirely 'fit for purpose' I am sure that the most important changes are 'behind the scenes' and I know, from my own website, how much easier it is to keep things up to date, when the basic structure is sound and simple.
Mike
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
The clear uncluttered look of the new design is entirely 'fit for purpose' I am sure that the most important changes are 'behind the scenes' and I know, from my own website, how much easier it is to keep things up to date, when the basic structure is sound and simple.
Mike
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
I concur with everyone else. very user friendly and it loaded on my phone much quicker. Great work Pete ![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Some addictions are good for the soul!
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
I think all who use UKB are utterly thankful for everything you have created (and now re-created!!!) over the years. Thanks to you Pete and everyone else involved
- Neil Freeman
- Posts: 4471
- Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:25 pm
- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
After initially wondering if I had been re-directed somewhere else I have to agree with all the other comments...a great improvement to the look and feel of the site.
Cheers,
Neil.
Cheers,
Neil.
- Charles Nicol
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- Location: Cambridge
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
just seen the new-look site... very impressive. we all hope you will be around for many years Pete !
- Pete Eeles
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 6815
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:10 pm
- Location: Thatcham, Berkshire
- Contact:
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
I've reinstated the recent items on the home page ... to see what impact this has on attracting and retaining visitorsMikeOxon wrote:Looking good, after the initial 'shock horror' when it seemed as though the 'recent posts' column had disappeared
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Even though I created a "Recent Items" page, I think that having just about everything on the home page, while retaining the cleaner look and feel, might be a good compromise.
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Definitely a good move. That was my most used feature of the old layout!Pete Eeles wrote: I've reinstated the recent items on the home page ... to see what impact this has on attracting and retaining visitors
Even though I created a "Recent Items" page, I think that having just about everything on the home page, while retaining the cleaner look and feel, might be a good compromise.
Cheers,
- Pete
- Pete Eeles
- Administrator & Stock Contributor
- Posts: 6815
- Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:10 pm
- Location: Thatcham, Berkshire
- Contact:
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Thanks John - I must admit, I find this slightly better myself, and should certainly encourage new visitors as they see all of the activity happening behind the scenes!
Cheers,
- Pete
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
- Mark Tutton
- Posts: 461
- Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:21 am
- Location: Hampshire
Re: A New Year and a New Look!
Thumbs up from me too, same as fishee my most used feature
Mark
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Mark
The wonder of the world, the beauty and the power, the shapes of things, their colours lights and shades, these I saw. Look ye also while life lasts.