271 replies to this topic

[alexcason]

I don't know anybody who is running 640 x 480...in fact i don't know anybody using 800 x 600.

I use 1024 x 768 myself and i imagine most other people do too.

After a day to reflect here are my suggestions (if anybody is even reading this thread) : -

- Remove the adverts completely when you log-in. This would dramatically speed up the loading of the page, which is loading quite slowly at the moment on my 768KBps connection. It would also make the page `cleaner`.

- Add dates next to all news stories. Things will get very confused in the middle of the gp weekend without dates on news stories.

- Re-organise the main page. The journal is on the front page twice, why?

- Widen the page, it's way too thin.

- When you click on a gallery picture open the link in a new window. It can get quite annoying when my search is cancelled when it opens the picture page.

- Put a section on the main page which shows new forum posts.

These would really improve the site massively for me.

[cadwal]

(Arghh.... I hade just typed in a long comment and the BB wanted me to login again when I did preview and then lost all text )

Lets try again:

• I could live with the adverts even on the subscription pages, but if and only if they are "silent" and have no movement and or flashing, especially not on colored backgrounds. (please?)
• The layout feels good but a bit cramped horizontally. I would suggest moving the Magazine column to a sidebar below the others like Subscription.
• The reclaimed space could be used to make the design a bit more airy horizontally and perhaps add/bring back date/time to all newsitems on the front pages.
• Or even a partial three column layout of the actual content (perhaps that was what the old Atlas layout had but my memory is very short so I don't quite remember)
• I do believe the "Home News Grapevine ..." menubar should be above the "F1, GP2 WRC ..." header. First the combined view of the "world", then the specific details.
• I did notice myself missing the Next/Previous story links at the top of each news page, no need to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page then if the news item turns out to be less interesting.
• The journal block is missing its date and issue at the top of the block (should probably be there even at root front page level). The bottom of the block could have the date of the next issue in a smaller font or something like that.
• The black and red background colors are a bit heavy on the eyes. I would suggest using the gray background for the Magazine header were black is now used, and change the red into something more pastel-red-gray. If the white/red graphical profile needs more emphasis, make the autosport logo slightly larger.
• Perhaps even the "Top Story", "Journal" and other text headers should be changed into something more of a dark gray.
• The choice of the ASP.NET platform for the site gives med some ambivalent feelings. It is a good, structured platform for development, but I always worry about the production environment. I do wonder how the W2K3/IIS combo are going to behave after the race ends on sunday.

All things considered I would call this a good start on the new site.

[Ruckus]

Not sure if it has been asked (or answered) elsewhere, but any word as to when (or if?) the e-mail newsletter will return? My mailbox feels decidedly lifeless without my regular fix of news. Will the journal still be available in the same way too?

[wildmind]

Originally posted by Flash
Forix link is needed at the front page, as well as the Helpful reference pages (that I think it could be put at the F1 page), like the season calendar, driver line up, season at a glance, etc. [/B]

Forix is linked as "Stats" (http://forix.autosport-atlas.com/) on the Atlas section of the menu bar ;)

Pressing 2005 (http://www.autosport...rentseason.aspx) on the Atlas section gives you links to the requested stats for all the various series covered by Atlas/Autosport...

Must admit - it would be nice to have a single page with the full overview for each series - rather than a page for drivers, a page for calendar, a page for standings etc....

HTH

[Rogue]

I agree completely with comment about the ads being a little too busy. A nice, still web page is easy on the eye for reading.

[A3]

Originally posted by Schuting Star
Ask for your money back. I wasn't aware I, the majority of my friends and work colleagues lived in the unreal world. There are a large number of people that do not have 1280x1024, however Bira agrees with you so you might get lucky. Just so long as things are more convenient for you.

Originally posted by bira

Less than 10% of the Atlas F1 traffic have screen resolution of less than 1024 wide. We felt it was time to cater the majority and utilise that space.

--------------


The new frontpage was designed with the knowledge that users with smaller screen resolution "lose out" on content that exists on the right-hand side. However, this will not take away anything from your first-glance experience, as you still have - without the need to scroll sideways - virtually all content that existed on the old frontpage design, and more.

http://forums.autosp...043#post1708043

[Type61]

This is so sad. For me the hallmark of Atlas was class, both in look and presentation. Now we have clutter, flashing ads, cheap annoying graphics, and no sense of the former Atlas. It looks like a site for video games. The only saving grace is that my subscription will run out soon and I'll be able to leave this new video kiddy land to the youth that it was designed for.

[Bob Newhart]

Sorry, but the annoying flashing ads are not acceptable. I pay enough for my subscription that I shouldn't have to deal with advertisements like that, even if they are for the services you provide.

On a side note, I've gotten into the habit of registering for certain things with unique aliases. I used an email address to register this account on the atlas forums and I now receive spam to it. This makes me question how well guarded email addresses are. It may also be that it's a random use of my email, but regardless, please explain!

[alesifan46]

Originally posted by Type61
This is so sad. For me the hallmark of Atlas was class, both in look and presentation. Now we have clutter, flashing ads, cheap annoying graphics, and no sense of the former Atlas. It looks like a site for video games. The only saving grace is that my subscription will run out soon and I'll be able to leave this new video kiddy land to the youth that it was designed for.

Awwwwwww Type61....you'll get over it ;) ....as race fans and professional sports fans...we are USED to the DUMBING DOWN effect that has affected almost every series/sport we have come accustomed to enjoying!!....Like the "MAN" said....lucky ATLAS got taken over...your subscription will run out...you'll boycott for a couple months....but you'll keep checking in ....lurking...eventually you'll CAVE IN....like we ALL WILL !!! ....Best to do what "THE MAN" said....just HOLD YOUR NOSE AND KEEP READING......Hell I'm getting used to reading the forum threads...going to post a reply...then being asked for my password...then remembering ...OH YAH...I just have to come in thru MY ATLAS...so then I do that and VOILA...I"m here!!!!!!! ...sure it takes a COUPLE MINUTES MORE....but I just keep remembering what "THE MAN" said....I'm LUCKY to even be able to post in here!!!....so I just hold my nose and click a few more times than I usually had to!!....See it will all work out....they'll get their way.....we have no say......just pay the subscription when it's time...thank you very much...

[alexcason]

I agree about the adverts.

[renaultFan]

Originally posted by alexcason
I agree about the adverts.

Ditto....

[panzani]

I guess we'll have a thread in The Nolstalgia Forum coming soon just remembering how good the good times were used to be, wouldn't we?

[diego]

Originally posted by diego
You violated (VIOLATED!) the first rule of relationships: no surprises.

I'm surprised. Surprised that my AtlasF1 login doesn't work.

Even more surprised that your "improved" site isn't emailing me my "old" password so that I can login to your "improved" site.

What a colossal screw up. You screwed up.

[diego]

Can I get some help so that I can log in and read the news?

Is that so much to ask?

[Pascal]

Originally posted by diego
Can I get some help so that I can log in and read the news?

Is that so much to ask?

You have to admit that you may have asked more politely...

And no, I can't help you since I am in no way involved in Autosport-Atlas beyond the BB.

[Pilla]

Websites should be designed for 800x600 resolution monitors, they should also completely seperate styling from the html markup. Various techniques need to be used not only to make sure that the website is usable to people with old computers but also people who have vision impairments (or are completely blind), paralysis, or any other sort of disability.

The old Atlas did not even validate let alone cater for people with disabilities. Unfortunately I am disapointed to see that the new website isnt valid HTML either, does not make corect use of CSS, and is not acessable.

In this day and age their really isnt any excuse to have incorect markup.

For all those people who may say that I am being perdantic and that a blind person will never visit their website just remember that for alot of people with disabilities the internet is their primary source of social interaction. If you are only navigating through a website through audial cues or brayal readers then poorly made websites can be un-usable.

I hope that in the future the new atlas-autosport website will make the effort. After all how hard is it to create correct html markup, create a seperate style sheet, add discriptive alt tags, and set up some access keys.

[Jardins]

I have to say I don't much like the format. Very stark and IMO hard to read. I miss AtlasF1 already. If I'd known this change was coming, I likely wouldn't have renewed my subscription.

While I'm ranting: get rid of the red lights and flashing ads! I already pay for the subscription, I don't want to be bombarded with ads and I hate trying to read a site with things flashing all over the page. Pitpass here I come!

[renaultFan]

Originally posted by Pilla
Websites should be designed for 800x600 resolution monitors, they should also completely seperate styling from the html markup. Various techniques need to be used not only to make sure that the website is usable to people with old computers but also people who have vision impairments (or are completely blind), paralysis, or any other sort of disability.

The old Atlas did not even validate let alone cater for people with disabilities. Unfortunately I am disapointed to see that the new website isnt valid HTML either, does not make corect use of CSS, and is not acessable.

In this day and age their really isnt any excuse to have incorect markup.

For all those people who may say that I am being perdantic and that a blind person will never visit their website just remember that for alot of people with disabilities the internet is their primary source of social interaction. If you are only navigating through a website through audial cues or brayal readers then poorly made websites can be un-usable.

I hope that in the future the new atlas-autosport website will make the effort. After all how hard is it to create correct html markup, create a seperate style sheet, add discriptive alt tags, and set up some access keys.

As a web designer/developer I can totally agree with what you are saying, there are laws which are coming in to practive UK which could result in companies being fined if their website is not made accessible to all. To many websites make use of tables for layout, tables should only be used for tabular data, instead div tags should be used and the styling controlled from a stylesheet. Sperate content from style.

I would have expected the new updated site to be made with standards compliant code, bit of a shame really.

[riffola]

Thanks for making the Autosport-Atlas logo clickable, it really is more intuitive.

[SlateGray]

RIP Atlas F1

Welcome to the all blinking all flashing all scrolling pay site with ad's! :

I was a subscriber to the old AtlasF1 for a time and dropped it for a number of reasons. This new change has made the decision clear.

The Ant "story"

I will spend my money at the track & on my motorcycle.

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by CeCe
Access to the forums is free.

My point concerns many of the problems not just the forums - I am a subscriber.

pdeRL

[bira]

Please see this thread and post there: http://forums.atlasf...&threadid=77459