As you can see, some subject headers are now suddenly colored. That's because I'm testing a new color coding system for The Mall section.
With this new color coding you should be able to more easily identify if it's a "For Sale", "Wanting to Buy", "Wanting to Trade", "Free Stuff" or "Group Purchase" ad.
For now, to color code your ad, simply start your subject header with either
One suggestion: would it be possible to remove the "shadowed" wording behind the thread title? I think most people can figure out the abbreviations, and everyone will soon enough have the color codes memorized as to what each means. I find that the background wording makes it a little difficult to read the titles.
I think it's a good idea, but yeah, it's blinding me! Maybe just have red text for "wanted" (wanted to trade, wtb, etc..), and blue text for "selling" ads (FS,etc) maybe green text for free ads or something.. Just a thought.
Cliff could you make the colored text be flush right instead of flush left? The letters get lost under the headings.
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No sir, I don't like it. It makes it a pain if your just wanting to browse through. Constantly shifting from one color to the next gets kinda hurtful on the eyes. (and no I'm not old.)
I can see both sides here. If you are a "quick scanner", the colors can slow you down a bit. However, a lot of people are either looking for something they need, or something they want to sell. For those the colors are a big help because they can concentrate on the right ads only. Maybe I can build in an option where you can turn the colors off if you want. I'll need to experiment with that. Something like that will make everybody happy.
Maybe instead of coloring in the whole section, you could add another section that could be color coded. Right before the title section would work best IMHO.
I think that next you should put a little flag icon to show where the item is from. I only buy things from Canada, therefore, I hate looking through each post too see where the seller is from. So, it would be cool to see a little flag next to the Title of the post showing where the item is located in. Perhaps this flag "tag" could be permanently placed next to the users name as an option he / she selected in his / her profile so that every post he / she makes will have the flag next to the name. This can be very useful in the Mall section so that people looking to buy items only located in a certain country, and perhaps only a certain state / province of any given county can find this information out a lot easier. This may be difficult too actually do, however, location identifiers for the mall section would be greatly beneficial, at least time saving. As for the color coding...it is very cool...it too is going to be time saving, that and it looks very cool!
I like the idea, but maybe you should keep the background color the same and just put the words for sale or for trade. Definately something that I wish other forums did.
I think the color coding is a great idea, but I think it is a bit difficult to read the topic. Perhaps a color or symbol at the end of the row would work well... just my .02
hate to say it Cliff, but I have been avoiding the mall lately. Today is the first time I looked in it in a week, and after 10 seconds, I had enough.
Personally I find it annoying because it drastically reduces scanning time like was suggested, but the biggest problem for me is the contrasting colors.
I find it hard to focus on one to another much in the same way as reading a black screen webpage with white text, then looking at a white paged screen with black text, or even looking at PFF after the black screen...
What about changing the icons to the left of the suject line for those who find the full-length bars distracting? Maybe something like this: F/S :for sale WTB :wanting to buy WTT :wanting to trade F/F :for free
People could then see and chose what they want instead of trying to remember the code to get the correct header. As you prolly noticed, some people still either don't know or forgot them.
[This message has been edited by jlhuber (edited 07-22-2003).]
I like the new small banners above the topic... A huge improvement over the first color code deal... But, ideally, I still like the idea of them being in seperate sections, for sale here, want to buy there, want to trade... etc.
I don't like those tiny little scripts below the ad. I have a hard time reading them.....and I'm OLD ENOUGH.......I guess....LOL
Phil
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I like the effort to distinquish, though I thought the full color bar was a bit distracting. The small icon idea sounds pretty good. As far as a bunch of seperate catagories for all, that would not be good in my humble opinion. In the original form, the board let one read all. We could easily skim over topics in the Mall that didn't interest us. On the other hand, it did appeal to the implusive nature of shopping. Someone looking for an idea might find a 120 speedo that they sort of wanted. Wudman www.fierodriver.comwww.wudman.comwww.thisisfun.com
A litle know fact-a good majority of men-30 and older have a degree of colorblindness. It isn't the normal color blindness, but has to do with being able to easily focus on 2 or more colors at once. It is especially bad with pastel colors. most people don't even know they have it. I know i didn't know, till I went in for a bad welding flash burn. One of the few times I can see colors correctly, is when I burn my eyes.
One thing that's always REALLY bugged me is knowing where the seller IS. Maybe replace the column with the note, caution sign, and smiley icons to, say, the postal identification for the state they're in.
For instance, Michigan would be MI, Texas would be TX. A country like Canada or the Netherlands could have that country's flag, since anyone in that country would know what their flag looks like.
Maybe just have red text for "wanted" (wanted to trade, wtb, etc..), and blue text for "selling" ads (FS,etc) maybe green text for free ads or something.. Just a thought.
