So, what does everyone think?

[KJ33]

While feedback has been formally encouraged, it seems that most of the responses to complaints/suggestions has been overly defensive, i.e., everyone has worked really hard, we are the only SBN site lucky enough to even have forums, etc.  Most CelticBlog members I suspect are not here primarily to be part of the SBN family and thus being told how lucky we are in comparison to other sites doesn't mean very much.

Quite simply, people are going to be drawn to the most prominent things on the Main Page, and right now, that is the FanPosts.  No matter how much education is provided, their prominence in look and placement, will always keep them more prominent than the Forums for the 1st time visitor and/or more casual user. 

Of course there are many hardcore posters who will always find and use the forums, but for many, the things they see immediately, not the ones they have to hunt for, will always take precedence.  My suggestion would be to somehow give the Forums a similar place of importance and be as snazzy looking as FanPosts, otherwise FanPosts are going to by and large replace alot of Forum discussion, minus the Tommy Points which gave CelticsBlog alot of its charm in my opinion.

That being said, none of this is meant to take away from the time and obvious work that went into this update, or downplay how nice things look and how fast everything is.  Merely a suggestion intended to help make the experience better and/or more like the best of what folks liked before.

[zerophase]

my only complaint is that even when using the wide screen mode, it feels like a lot of the screen can be used that isn't for the forums. like it looks okay at the top of the page but as you scroll down and the page has the forums on the left and just black on the right side, it not only bothers my sense of equilibrium and feels like wasted space.

[Roy Hobbs]

While feedback has been formally encouraged, it seems that most of the responses to complaints/suggestions has been overly defensive, i.e., everyone has worked really hard, we are the only SBN site lucky enough to even have forums, etc.

How is that defensive?  We're the first site to have forums on SBN.  Thus, it's going to take time to get this running 100% smoothly.  I think the staff has been candid that this isn't a finished product.  That's why we're inviting feedback, which we have done several times.  However, feedback of the "I don't like it" variety isn't overly helpful, without specifics.

People have mentioned the placement of the Recent Forum Topics menu, as well as the font.  I've brought those concerns to the SBN guys, because I think they're legit concerns, and good suggestions.  The more feedback of that nature we get, the better it is for everybody.

Most CelticBlog members I suspect are not here primarily to be part of the SBN family and thus being told how lucky we are in comparison to other sites doesn't mean very much.

Celticsblog is now part of the SBN network.  Thus, we have to work within their framework.  There's nothing we can do to go back to the way things are, so we all have to figure out ways to retain what was great about CB, while taking advantage of the unique features on SBN.  There are software compatibility issues at present, which is why we keep reminding people that this is a work in progress. 

My suggestion would be to somehow give the Forums a similar place of importance and be as snazzy looking as FanPosts, otherwise FanPosts are going to by and large replace alot of Forum discussion, minus the Tommy Points which gave CelticsBlog alot of its charm in my opinion.

I think that's a good point, similar to the concerns raised by others.  In what way do you think the Forums could be made to look as "snazzy" as the Fanposts on the front page?  I'm not sure if we'll be able to put avatars next to the posts in the Recent Forum Topics menu, because the forums and frontpage run on different software.  Any other ideas on the look?

EDIT:  I looked at my previous response to you, here.  How you labeled that as "defensive", I have no idea.  And yes, *this* is defensive, because I think it was an unfounded and baseless criticism.

[Fan from VT]

One suggestion, as a start, would simply be to have the "forums" box in a bigger font either in place of the "hugh downs" ad or directly below the ad but above the fan posts.

Basically so the Forums are on the initial screen without having to scroll down.

[Roy Hobbs]

One suggestion, as a start, would simply be to have the "forums" box in a bigger font either in place of the "hugh downs" ad or directly below the ad but above the fan posts.

Thanks.  Both suggestions have been made to the SBN team.

[SShorefan 3.0]

have to admit, I am a slow learner and thus haven't fully embraced the new format.  Time constraints haven't allowed me to figure out how to fully navigate thru the site, but I am sure I'll figure it out.

ESPN Insider was once an independent site and I really was a big fan of it, but once it was aquired by ESPN I found myself cancelling my membership due to the change in overall feeling.  I am sure it's an "Apple and Orange Comparison" (yeah, it was intentional) but thought I'd throw it out there.


I will say this though --- My full fledged active support can be purchased with TPs.  Go ahead try it.  I am ready and willing to carry the water.....seriously, go ahead, see what happens!!   

[Fan from VT]

Thinking a little more, it may also be nice to have the Forums box with a larger title where the "Sections" box is now, then bump the sections box down the page a little bit, because the sections box just seems to sort what's already on the front page.


my real ideal would be to get rid of that hugh downs ad. i can deal with the ad banner up top, but that box to the right just sucks all the attention right to it, and since the ad itself is busy, it really makes the page a little overwhelming.

As I have gotten used to the page, I have no problem finding what i need, but i'm afraid that the forum traffic will decrease because of its page location and style.

[nickagneta]

I have been a member of Celticsblog now for about a year and a half and have seen the change from 3.0 to 4.0 to 5.0. It has been a progression and it has been a change. But what I have to to notice is what I really come to Celticsblog for.

I come for the community. I come for the conversations and debates. I come for the differences of opinion. I come for the keen insight and knowledge that I derive from the place and its members. I come for the people who are here. I come for the humor and for the support. I come for the ability to vent and to celebrate. I come for the camaraderie and I come because I enjoy all of these things.

I don't come for the graphics or the sidebars or the ads or the convenience of certain areas. Those are all things that might make life a wee bit easier here in my favorite cyberspot. This must be understood.

Celticsblog is what you make of it. Celticsblog is its people. All the rest is just window dressing that needs to be broken in.

Sort of like a brand new basketball. Oh it looks good and bounces nice but it just doesn't feel like the old ball you've been shooting with for the last few years. But its a basketball and you get to play the greatest game in the world with it. Don't worry it won't be too long before that new basketball will have just the right feel to it when leaving your hand.

[SShorefan 3.0]

I have been a member of Celticsblog now for about a year and a half and have seen the change from 3.0 to 4.0 to 5.0. It has been a progression and it has been a change. But what I have to to notice is what I really come to Celticsblog for.

I come for the community. I come for the conversations and debates. I come for the differences of opinion. I come for the keen insight and knowledge that I derive from the place and its members. I come for the people who are here. I come for the humor and for the support. I come for the ability to vent and to celebrate. I come for the camaraderie and I come because I enjoy all of these things.

Ummm...... I'm only on 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 are still to come!!   

[nickagneta]

I have been a member of Celticsblog now for about a year and a half and have seen the change from 3.0 to 4.0 to 5.0. It has been a progression and it has been a change. But what I have to to notice is what I really come to Celticsblog for.

I come for the community. I come for the conversations and debates. I come for the differences of opinion. I come for the keen insight and knowledge that I derive from the place and its members. I come for the people who are here. I come for the humor and for the support. I come for the ability to vent and to celebrate. I come for the camaraderie and I come because I enjoy all of these things.

Ummm...... I'm only on 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 are still to come!!   

And we just can't wait. By the way since you were begging I thought this dog would throw you a bone. TP4U.

[SShorefan 3.0]

I have been a member of Celticsblog now for about a year and a half and have seen the change from 3.0 to 4.0 to 5.0. It has been a progression and it has been a change. But what I have to to notice is what I really come to Celticsblog for.

I come for the community. I come for the conversations and debates. I come for the differences of opinion. I come for the keen insight and knowledge that I derive from the place and its members. I come for the people who are here. I come for the humor and for the support. I come for the ability to vent and to celebrate. I come for the camaraderie and I come because I enjoy all of these things.

Ummm...... I'm only on 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 are still to come!!   

And we just can't wait. By the way since you were begging I thought this dog would throw you a bone. TP4U.

Nick,
I 100% knew I could count on you!!!  (Is it ok that I am laughing at my own lameness?)

[SShorefan 3.0]

OK,

I have a stupid question.

What's the difference between the forum and the community blog posts?  Are they redundant?

Thanks

[Roy Hobbs]

OK,

I have a stupid question.

What's the difference between the forum and the community blog posts?  Are they redundant?

Thanks

Basically, the forum is supposed to operate exactly as it did before.  The Fanposts / community blog posts are intended to be blog posts by our members.  That means that they're supposed to be of sufficiently high quality to belong on the front page, much like the former Celticsblog feature "Cheap Seats".  People are still getting the hang of it, though.

The good thing is, if people really want to put the time into a good Fanpost article, they can be "elevated" to a main blog post, meaning they'll be given center-stage frontpage attention, almost like being "published". 

[nickagneta]

Let's see if I have this right.

As I see it the Forums area is for subjects that are to be talked about, discussed and in starting them just the title of the thread and a simple question are really all that is necessary although a long detailed summation is not uncommon.

The Fanposts area is there for people to write articles, emulating those one might find in a newspaper, major news site, front page blog or such.

If that is the case, would SBNation be able to make it so that Fanposts have a minimum size in order to be able to make it a Fanpost and hence lead people who just want to discuss issues into the Forums?

I don't know, maybe something arbitrary like file size or number of words. I'm not the technical expert but would that help alleviate any concerns about Fanposts minimizing the essence of the Celticsblog Forums area that has been a Celticsblog tradition?

[jackson_34]

I really like the condensed feel of the blog and the forums, just makes it seem very nice and clean to me.Well done Jeff and others involved  .I think have the same gripe as most others that the forums are taking a less prominent role on the site, however I do realise there is work being done to highlight them after reading a few posts.

I have a few tiny questions; Why have we joined SBNation? Just for more exposure to be able to expand?