www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

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

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

MikeOxon wrote:Looking good, after the initial 'shock horror' when it seemed as though the 'recent posts' column had disappeared

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.

Cheers,

- Pete

Wow! That looks much better and more "C21st". Thanks to you and anyone else involved in the revamp.
BWs, Neil

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

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

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

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!)

Neil Hulme wrote:Wow! That looks much better and more "C21st". Thanks to you and anyone else involved in the revamp.
BWs, Neil

Great work Pete As Neil says it is a definite improvement, much more modern looking

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

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

I concur with everyone else. very user friendly and it loaded on my phone much quicker. Great work Pete

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

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.

just seen the new-look site... very impressive. we all hope you will be around for many years Pete !

MikeOxon wrote:Looking good, after the initial 'shock horror' when it seemed as though the 'recent posts' column had disappeared

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 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

Definitely a good move. That was my most used feature of the old layout!

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

Thumbs up from me too, same as fishee my most used feature
Mark