Interface Question
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 2:35 pm
We're looking into adding a link back to the main TezukaInEnglish site from these forums. However, there are a couple of methods we're considering, and some of them involve more major changes than others. I wanted to ask you, the userbase, which method you preferred.
Method One: Use the Header
Under this method, the main logo at the top of the screen would be changed to become a link to the main TezukaInEnglish site.
Advantage: Clicking "Tezuka in English" to go to TezukaInEnglish would probably make the most sense to new users.
Disadvantage: Currently, that link points to the main forums page. There is another link to that page -"Tezuka In English Discussion Forums Forum Index" just below the header and main menu- but I am not sure how many people use it. I don't want to disrupt the current interface too much for our current users, if I can avoid it.
Method Two: Add to the Menu
This method would add a link to the menu just below the header. The link header itself would remain unchanged.
Advantage: This is probably the smallest change to the interface that we could make while still doing what needs to be done.
Disadvantage: The links in the menu are currently implemented with GIF images. Another image would need to be made for this link.
Method Three: Redo the Menu
As with method two, a link would be added to the menu and the header would remain unchanged. However, the menu itself would also be redone so that it does not use graphics anymore, but would instead use text, similar to the main menu of the main site.
Advantage: All the advantages of Method Two, plus no new graphics would need to be made. This would lighten the page weight somewhat, and also help our accessibility. Finally, the links in the menu here could be made to behave exactly like the links in the main site, including hover and visited effects.
Disadvantage: Although this is not a major visible change to the interface, it's somewhat more work "behind the scenes". Also, some people with older browsers have been reporting problems with the text size in the main site's menus: although the impact here wouldn't be as large, there might still be some.
Voting
I've decided that the decision for how to implement this one should be voted on by you, the current users, since you're the ones who stand to be affected by this. The poll will remain open for one week: from August 27 to September 2. At that time, I will implement whichever of these options has received the most votes.
Method One: Use the Header
Under this method, the main logo at the top of the screen would be changed to become a link to the main TezukaInEnglish site.
Advantage: Clicking "Tezuka in English" to go to TezukaInEnglish would probably make the most sense to new users.
Disadvantage: Currently, that link points to the main forums page. There is another link to that page -"Tezuka In English Discussion Forums Forum Index" just below the header and main menu- but I am not sure how many people use it. I don't want to disrupt the current interface too much for our current users, if I can avoid it.
Method Two: Add to the Menu
This method would add a link to the menu just below the header. The link header itself would remain unchanged.
Advantage: This is probably the smallest change to the interface that we could make while still doing what needs to be done.
Disadvantage: The links in the menu are currently implemented with GIF images. Another image would need to be made for this link.
Method Three: Redo the Menu
As with method two, a link would be added to the menu and the header would remain unchanged. However, the menu itself would also be redone so that it does not use graphics anymore, but would instead use text, similar to the main menu of the main site.
Advantage: All the advantages of Method Two, plus no new graphics would need to be made. This would lighten the page weight somewhat, and also help our accessibility. Finally, the links in the menu here could be made to behave exactly like the links in the main site, including hover and visited effects.
Disadvantage: Although this is not a major visible change to the interface, it's somewhat more work "behind the scenes". Also, some people with older browsers have been reporting problems with the text size in the main site's menus: although the impact here wouldn't be as large, there might still be some.
Voting
I've decided that the decision for how to implement this one should be voted on by you, the current users, since you're the ones who stand to be affected by this. The poll will remain open for one week: from August 27 to September 2. At that time, I will implement whichever of these options has received the most votes.