Don't care for it at all.

I do not like change :( Not a fan so far. Ads keep covering my page.

I find the look cleaner and easier to read....

I'll have to get used to threads opening in a new window though...window proliferation.

Looks a bit retro to me. I hate change, but compared with how yahoo keeps changing my email layout, this isn't too bad - readable, basics are the same and easily accessible.

I have to admit that it was a little jarring to open up my old friend Gardenweb and not see that comforting same old page. I've been looking at that for about 10 years and don't remember it changing in all that time. Probably due.

Is anyone having trouble with the side ads covering the text page? Happens mostly to me in kitchens....

AnnieDeighnaugh, I wonder if the threads opening in a new window is a setting you can change on your browser. I'm using Firefox and the threads are opening just like they always did. So maybe check the Preferences for your browser or try a different browser?

Pretty much for me, the only thing that has changed is how things look. I have AdBlocker for Firefox and don't even see the ads on the side anymore.

It will take some getting used to so until I've played with it a bit I won't make any judgments.

This thread didn't open in a new window for me - same as always.

I have no ads at all - not even the top header ad. :-) But that's Chrome and AdBlock Plus at work.

Editing to say that really the only change I'm seeing is color change. Everything else seems to be the same so far.

This post was edited by dlm2000 on Mon, Feb 11, 13 at 8:19

10 years here too. Changes are always a bit hard. I do like the dark font. Do not like the color block behind the thread listings. Seems a little difficult to read for me, even with enlarging font.

No ads at my end. Using Chrome.

Not really doing much for me at this point. It appears the default font dropped down a couple points in Firefox so I'll have to zoom. I use AdBlocker in FF and now the entire layout is scrunched into the center of the screen with wide side margins. (Before text started on the left margin and filled most of the page with an empty couple inches on the right margin where ads would appear.) Reminds me of a blog layout. Was kind of hoping an upgrade would bring something like vBulletin style.

Hi Moon!!!

Been using FF w/ Ad-block+ for a couple years now.
NEVER any ads seen!!
I love it!

This new layout....
It's "OK" at best. I was hoping for more color. It's just still a little "vanilla".

Faron

Faron

My only problem with it is that the thread list page layouts make it harder to scan the thread titles, since everything is the same font weight and size and not even differentiated by spacing.

I do think a serif font is easier when there are large amounts of text, but I realize that the trend-o'-the-moment is all sans-serif, all the time.

Exactly what writersblock said.

Ahhhhh, read the sticky up top, the way it's worded that has me suspecting subscription fees are in the forecast. It would appear that they turned to the users for help advise with the intentions of being able to charge for the use.

Writersblock--They've done studies which show that sans serif fonts are easier to read on-screen. If you don't have a high resolution screen, the little serifs get lost or blurry and don't help in ease of reading.

I agree with you that in print, serif fonts are much easier to read.

No doubt, once the technology has improved, it will be just as easy to read serif fonts on-line as to read sans serif fonts.

Then we'll just have to contend with the belief that sans serif fonts are more "modern" and trendy.

I liked the old look just fine.

I think what Lukki said is right on the money.
I won't be here anymore when that happens so I'll say it now, it was nice getting to 'know' you guys over the years. :)

This post was edited by sheesharee on Mon, Feb 11, 13 at 10:54

I used to pay to be add free when it was spike. I would depending on the fee.

I don't think the underline makes the thread titles stick out enough for some reason. Of course I can't remember what it used to look like.

there would be less spam. it used to be $19.99 for the year I think. It would be nice if they made it an option like that again so we dont' lose anyone.

I'm always resistant to change on this board, it's the one consistent thing in my daily habits that I would like to stay the same.

The changed background makes the page clearer and bright, not my taste but it's ok.

They say this
"As with any change there may be unexpected consequences"
I don't read this as necessarily meaning that they will go back to making us pay.
Only time will tell.

What am I missing? What sticky up top? I don't see anything and don't see the note mitchdesi mentions.

*waving hey to Faron*
Yes, 'vanilla' is a good description :)

Writersblock--They've done studies which show that sans serif fonts are easier to read on-screen. If you don't have a high resolution screen, the little serifs get lost or blurry and don't help in ease of reading.

Thanks. I'm aware of those studies, and I don't agree. Sorry. For a quick line of text, yes, but for large text blocks, no.

At first I thought either something was wrong with my computer or the techs were working on the site! Had a closer look and wondered why on earth they didn't consult with all of us decorating gurus on the Home Decorating and Design Forum for suggestions on a new look! ;D LOL

My first inclination with all things design is to think how I could redesign it and I'm sure this is one place I, and many of my fellow members, could have come up with something better. I find it bland and uninteresting altho does look a bit 'spring-like' which may be appropriate right now. Not so much come fall.

Oh well, until the GW gurus hire me for my design expertise I guess I'll just have to ignore. It's not 'the worst' page design I've ever seen, I just think it could be a lot better. The design probably has to do with internet/computer factors I am only slightly acquainted with and can't really describe so I shouldn't be too critical.

Ditto what writersblock said. It's all scrunched into the middle of my screen and the threads all fade into each other. Prefer the previous format/style!

Gosh, I LOVE the new format! This change is loooooong overdue and the result is cleaner, easier to read, and more attractive.

Way to go, and about time, GW, thanks!!

Why do the ads overlap on some posts but not others. This is on both my tablet and pc. If I open a "cozy kitchen nook " the text and first pic are blocked by ads. When I open "extra wide curtain panels" The text is fine? I do not think it is browser related.

Well, thanks GW folks, if you're following this thread, for the color change for the post titles. That helps a lot.

I don't see that it's much different. Cleaner. More generic looking which is less inviting, imo, because it looks like any other site, more commercial. The other was kind of clunky looking but you knew where you were right away. I'm not having trouble adjusting to anything so far except possibly a slower load time on this old machine. The thread titles are underlined so I'm not having any difficulty scanning. The ads covering the screen have been annoying the past couple days.

I saw the sticky and its first sentence mentions money, so struck me that fees are probably on the table. Subsequent wording also sounds like a lead in, imo. Interesting others have read this the same way. I'm sure there's significant expense around the upgrades. I do think they'll have difficulty charging an access subscription since people are quite accustomed to the internet being a free-based network for the most part.

"For more than a decade GardenWeb has provided a free and open platform for the exchange of ideas, questions and answers, and general support for gardeners, home and apartment fix-it-uppers and and all around Do It Yourself (DIY) enthusiasts. Recently we asked you to tell us what could do to make GardenWeb better and promised to act quickly on those suggestions. We have started to make good on that promise, introducing new features ..."

This post was edited by snookums2 on Mon, Feb 11, 13 at 12:40

I noticed the difference right away on my Android phone. I used to be able to double tap my screen to make all the text fit the width of the phone, now I need to finger pinch it to get it right.

Like moonshadow, everything is in the middle of the page and I have about 1/3 of the screen "empty" on either side. Not a fan of this new layout, at all.

Maybe it depends on screen size? I've got what looks like an 8 1/2 x 11 page in the middle with about 2 inch margins. Or course, about 1/3 of the readable page is advertisements! However, I find the column of text comfortable to read and don't like it when they get wide anyway.

The problem is that the size of the part of the page with the text on it is a fixed size. I have a 24" monitor but it doesn't matter. Making the page wider just widens the background area. It's a style of page design that was very popular about 6 years ago, but fell out of favor fairly quickly.

It hurts my eye's to read. This morning I came on for about 5 minutes then left.

Now I see they've added that bright blue for the topic headings. Even worse!

When I increase the screen size by percentage (i.e. above 100%) everything increases, including the center column and all the type. I am currently using IE 8 on a work computer, but my home computer (safari browser) handled the new site similarly. The center frame size is not fixed on my screen, and there are no ads blocking it.

It's the light blue that I don't like as well.

If you are running Firefox add YesScript.
I have never had a pop-up since.

The only thing I noticed is that I have to click on the YesScript Icon
to sign in.

Hi, kswl, yes you can increase it that way, but you are just increasing the overall size for the display of everything. The scrolling area is still a fixed size, just a larger size when you do that, and then all web pages will display larger unless you minus them back down again.

I still prefer a format where dragging the window larger allows the text to reflow.

I don't care for the layout. Everything is in the center of my screen and the sides are going to waste. And there are too many ads running down the side of my screen.

I generally don't like the fixed sized pages either but since this one is narrow, I find it is a good fit for easy reading, not too wide.

It is brighter. Is the background whiter or something? I thought it was white before. Maybe it was covered with more images or graphics before, like dark green. I already forget what it looked like, lol. I think they need another picture at the top though. Needs to look more unique, imo. Greener grass maybe, lol.

It's a san serif font, so it should be easier to read. It's terrible. I've tried it on 3 monitors with IE and Firefox. I have a headache.

The font does seem a little sketchy. I call this font Arial, or it's very similar. Definitely an easy to read font. Maybe they need to use the Arial Black version. It's too thin, I think. I think I've seen 'Thin' versions of fonts around now that I think of it.

Too thin or maybe compressed, yes.

it's worded that has me suspecting subscription fees are in the forecast.

I'd have to see some actual improvements to the site before I'd be tempted to pay anything. And I used to pay the annual fee in the Spike days.

What puzzles me the most is when we were asked what kind of changes we would like to see on GW, no one answered "font size." lol.

Writersblock, this morning I am viewing the site on an iPad instead of a pc and it looks and acts exactly like the old site--- with the updated colors and type style. There is no blog-type presentation of copy down the middle with ads on the side. Maybe a redesigned site for mobile devices is yet to come?

I liked it for about five minutes and then I got a headache and had to get off this site. I think the background is too bright, maybe!?!

No feelings about it one way or another. But not happy with prospect of paying. In this day and age who would pay? Not I.

Someone said it looked generic and commercial. I agree. There's something very dull about it, not to mention all the wasted white space and the odd choice of blue. In fact, even though it was the former layout that was the older of the two, I feel as if, with this one, I'm in some kind of a time warp.

I'm finding I also have to leave GW's site altogether after very short periods because of eye strain and feeling a headache coming on, even after reducing the Brightness and Contrast on my monitor.

For those of you using Firefox there is an add-on to change the colors on websites. I have used it on a few sites to tone down the brightness. No affiliation.

Here is a link that might be useful: Color that site

I may need to install that add-on because I've been on here for about 10 minutes and I'm getting a headache. The background is way too bright.

I really dislike it.
I have the add-on loading in another tab. Thank you

Something tells me this layout makes it easier to share posts on the GW facebook page :(

Be sure to read today's updates on the "sticky" notice from GW. Evidently they are listening to the suggestions about the new format and making further changes.

I like the new layout and larger font. I can see much better.