SB Nation Site Design Visual Refresh
GSoM and all of the other SBN sites (Athletics Nation, McCovey Chronicles, Niners Nation, Silver and Black Pride, California Golden Blogs, and Fear the Fin to name a few) got a facelift in the wee hours of this morning. Tell us what you think. More FANtastic things to come!
17 days ago
Atma Brother ONE
40 comments
0 recs |
Comments
Well
it looks like they got rid of the left sidebar when you’re inside a fanpost or a fanshot. I presume this is to give more width for the fanpost/fanshot + the comments. Also, it looks like they the New Fanshot/New Fanpost links in the home page so that it’s now consistently on the right nagivation pane. I think I reported this inconsistency last year when you first switched over to this live commenting format.
Here’s an image of the previous version I found:

But 2 things stick out like a sore thumb. The blog icon in the upper left corner is now out of place and covers text. Also, in the comment box, the width of the "Subject" edit box is smaller than the width of the "Message" edit box. This mismatch looks ugly. Strangely, the width of the subject and message boxes match each other in a comment reply box.
Most everything else appears to be minor tweaks, which just takes getting used to.
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 7:58 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Hey wait a sec
Where’s the white space between paragraphs?
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
I typed an empty line between each of the 3 "paragraphs" above. Oooh, this is annoying. This makes writing paragraphs that much harder, unless this is a bug.
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 7:58 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
This is far more annoying than I thought
Even all of the existing comments have their paragraph breaks lines trimmed out. Now comments that were well separated by paragraph breaks look like a blob of text.
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 7:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
What's stranger is that if you copy my comment above
and paste it into any text editor program, the paragraph breaks are actually there! How weird.
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 8:02 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
This must be a page style problem
If you are in Firefox, and you go View → Page Style → No Style, you can see the paragraph breaks between those 3 lines, though of course the whole page looks wrong.
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 8:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks for pointing this out. Would you mind sending an email to support@sbnation.com with everything you just noted?
Golden State of Mind :: Always keeping it... "Unstoppable Baby!"
by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 3, 2009 8:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Well, it looks like someone just fixed the upper left corner icon problem.
line 1
line 2
line 3
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 8:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
line 1
line 2
It looks like all you need is a space for an empty line. It’s annoying to type one in every time. That HAS to be a bug.
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 7:59 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
flickr test
Maybe sbnation fixed the problem with linking to flickr.
Brandan Wright pic from flickr should appear below this line.

Brandan Wright from flickr pic should appear above this line.
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 8:00 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
I like the changes. Arial will always be an unlovely, bastardized version of Helvetica, but it looks somewhat nicer in light and regular weights than in bold. Left justification also makes it look marginally cleaner and more "Swiss." Type size of headers looks a bit big (especially in long headers like the one atop the diary below this one) … but I suppose it needs the size to compete against all the ads.
I also highly approve of the minimizing of the thick navy borders, which makes the site look lighter and less "framed" and gives more prominence to the content.
Perhaps my favorite change is the death of the obnoxious, shouting, backwards-baseball-cap-wearing teenaged white skateboarder/jackass that was the default icon for posters who hadn’t selected a personalized one. The new red star may be a bit Soviet or Maoist, but it’s much quieter, more sophisticated, and more graphically neutral. And actually, I probably have more in common with Soviets / Maoists than I do with teenaged backwards-baseball-cap-wearing teenaged skateboarders/jackasses… ;-)
Biggest flaw that I’ve noticed so far is the lack of a visual gap when you hit a hard return. This is pretty crucial to the site’s readability, I think. Is there a way to make a full visual gap, beyond inserting dashes, as I’ve had to do above?
EDIT: paragraph break problem solved. I guess that means I like all the changes.
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Nov 3, 2009 8:21 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Arial is an unforgivable abomination
I disagree that the Roman weight of Arial is better than Bold in headlines; all of the mutilations that Microsoft performed on Helvetica stand out a bit more in lighter weights. And Arial should NOT be used as the text font, nor should it ever. C’mon SBNation: switch to Lucida and make it easier on our eyes and stomachs.
by ffgolden on Nov 3, 2009 12:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Haha. Well, I was trying to be nice, but agreed: all forms of Arial are basically an abomination before God. I guess Lucida is marginally less abominable, if only because it was designed for a practical purpose (readability on the web) rather than shamefully “ripped off” like Arial. But Lucida also totally lacks the grace, beauty and rigor the classic early-to-mid 20th century sans serifs (Futura, Univers, Franklin Gothic, Grotesque, Grotesk, DIN, Helvetica, etc. etc.) No surprise that Ikea nerds went crazy when the company switched to Lucida from its signature Futura…
ffgolden, now that I know you’re a type geek like me: have you taken the Arial v. Helvetica quiz?
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Nov 3, 2009 12:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Uh oh, we're very quickly going to scare off the regular folk...
Yeah, you could probably call me a type geek, especially if you knew where I work…
To further encourage ridicule by the masses: Ikea switched to Verdana, not Lucida, the latter of which was never intended for print, thus the uproar. I think Lucida Sans/Grande is actually a fairly versatile and agreeable humanist face for text sizes — a helluva lot more legible than Arial.
Yep, took the quiz awhile ago.. 20/20. :)
by ffgolden on Nov 3, 2009 2:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Er, former, not latter. Verdana was made specifically for screen viewing, though Lucida may have been as well, come to think of it.
by ffgolden on Nov 3, 2009 2:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
D’oh yeah, I was thinking of Verdana, not Lucida. They actually look rather different, though the have the same bland, inoffensive, rather characterless quality. Even the names are bland, inoffensive and characterless (which is why I confused them).
Speaking of names, I’m sure you’ve also played the cheese or font game? I’d be very surprised if even a font-monger like you got anywhere close to 100%…
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Nov 3, 2009 2:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah that one was a lot harder, I don’t remember if I finished taking it. And btw, cheese wins, hands down.
Bland and inoffensive is a hallmark of standard system and web fonts (although Arial IS pretty offensive, at least to some of us). But embeddable web fonts are coming soon! In a year’s time the web will be a whole lot purrtier.
by ffgolden on Nov 3, 2009 3:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Wow you guys win the award for geekiest comments of the day.
We still believe!!
Become a fan on facebook! www.facebook.com/goldenstateofmind
by R Dizzle on Nov 3, 2009 3:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I’m an admitted sucker for Verdana on screens. But I guess it is somewhat “bland and inoffensive” now that you mention it- just like my writing on this blog (!).
Did you guys catch the Helvetica movie? It put me to sleep one Saturday night, but maybe I was just tired- or maybe I need to find a better Saturday night activity.
Golden State of Mind :: Always keeping it... "Unstoppable Baby!"
by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 3, 2009 3:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I thought it was pretty good. I know a number of non-type/design people that enjoyed it as well, so you might wanna give it another shot, though I’m sure it’s not for everybody.
Look what happens with GSoM during the Ws offseason, we spend our Saturday nights watching documentaries about fonts. Basketball season should be 12 months long.
by ffgolden on Nov 3, 2009 9:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Did you guys catch the Helvetica movie?
Loved it. I can’t explain it, but I’m a sucker for stuff like that. I’m not even a big “type-geek” or anything. I did fall asleep the first time I tried to watch it strangely enough but I won’t hold that against it. ; )
Thing 2
by olympicmike on Nov 3, 2009 11:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I liked it a lot too, though I could see how it could get a bit tiresome for a non type-geek. Part of the fun for me was that all the designers they interviewed were pretty big names back in design school. Also loved all the outdoor footage of “Helvetica caught on tape” between interviews — really drove home what a pervasive part of the visual landscape that one li’l typeface is.
In any case: yes, AB1, you definitely need to find a better Saturday night activity! ;-)
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Nov 4, 2009 12:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
As I'm skimming through the front page
It now annoys me that the front page fanshot title and fanshot stats (time posted, user name, recs, # of comments) are all centered, but the front page fanpost title and stats are all left justified. That’s pretty inconsistent from a UX design standpoint.
by IQofaWarrior on Nov 3, 2009 8:27 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
It's okay
I like the other one better
Rookie: "Why did you bench me?"
Nellie: "You're a rookie"
by dubzfan on Nov 3, 2009 11:28 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
My biggest issue though
Is the white background! What happened to our blue?! This is an outrage!
Rookie: "Why did you bench me?"
Nellie: "You're a rookie"
by dubzfan on Nov 3, 2009 11:34 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Whats up with the star as the default symbol
I ain’t from no Lone Star State.
This house is full of m, m, madness!
This house is full of m, m, mistakes!
by qin on Nov 3, 2009 3:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
White background is too bright
I liked staying on the site before because it was easy on the eyes to read on a darker background, but now, it’s giving me snow blindness. Change it back to a darker background!
by madafromSF on Nov 3, 2009 4:10 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Does Google give you “snow blindness” too? ;-)
Admittedly, I’m a bit of design purist … but I have a suspicion that Google would never have become Google had its interface been framed and subdivided by obtrusive, dark colors…
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Nov 3, 2009 4:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think it’s so much the white background but the lack of whitespace. The density of information on the home page is a little overwhelming – 3 columns full of text and pictures with very little separation between the columns. Essentially it feels harder to distinguish between the center column of main content and the right column of fan posts. They all kind of blend together as you scan the screen. My eyes aren’t sure what to look at.
Google is essentially one column worth of text so your eyes know where to go. On the far right are some ads that don’t distract you from the main content.
Golden State of Mind: Unstoppable Baby!
by Fantasy Junkie on Nov 3, 2009 6:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I like the blue background a lot better...........
Rookie: "Why did you bench me?"
Nellie: "You're a rookie"
by dubzfan on Nov 3, 2009 6:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
You have a point here. The homepage is starting to resemble godaddy.com – the masters of way too much information on one page. I think godaddy does it purposefully to confuse people into buying extra stuff. I don’t see that as being needed here.
If Bochy coached the Warriors Bengie Molina would start every game at PG.
by cybermaldonado on Nov 3, 2009 8:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah I agree that the new site is way too busy. I hate to go back to the fonts, but I think there are too many elements on the page with too many different sizes of text. You’ve got the left sidebar, the right sidebar, the main posts, the ads in between, the ad up top, the sidebar ads… everything is kinda styled differently, and could do for some simplification.
by ffgolden on Nov 3, 2009 9:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed. More white space between columns, fewer type styles, and fewer / smaller / less obtrusive ads would make the site much easier on the eyes. But I don’t think the bands of dark color mitigated the readability issue at all; if anything they made it worse. Obtrusive ads of course remain the primary offender, but you gotta pay the bills…
On a side note, I may have to stay off this site at work as long as “TROJ-ENZ” in giant type is emblazoned on the banner…
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Nov 4, 2009 12:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Ad-Blocker?
I’m not sure why I waited so long but I finally installed an ad-blocker to firefox and I’m loving it so far.
Thing 2
by olympicmike on Nov 5, 2009 1:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, and Google only has on word in it’s name too. WTH is wrong with you GSM? Change your name immediately to something like Gooldenmind!
…….Sarcasm is the only possible response to inanity.
If Bochy coached the Warriors Bengie Molina would start every game at PG.
by cybermaldonado on Nov 3, 2009 8:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
…….Sarcasm is the only possible response to inanity.
Or you could, you know, say what you mean.
Do you disagree that Google’s simple, white, unfussy look is part of what made it successful?
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Nov 4, 2009 12:35 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I like it so far.
"It ain't over till it's over." - Yogi Berra
by 49er16 on Nov 3, 2009 8:27 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Seems to work fine
I can read it and I can post and the empty grey lane along the left looks inviting.
Standing on the moon
Where talk is cheap and vision true
Standing on the moon
But I would rather be with you
Somewhere in San Francisco
On a back porch in July
Just looking up to heaven
At this crescent in the sky
by Skeptic con Urquell on Nov 4, 2009 10:03 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
I don't like the white background
it hurts my eyes. I like the old background better.
And it seems hard to read posts now without all the lines and stuff.
But anyways, whatever, it’s not like we have a choice anyway! =p
Strangers have the best candy. Happy Halloween!
by girltothemax on Nov 4, 2009 5:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

















