Luc, I've been a great supporter and defender of Smugmug over the years.
On this occasionI can't, as Allen says, you are missing the point completely.
I'm not getting into a discussion with you over this, I need to focus on my plans for the future.
Looks like maybe he deleted his post that referenced the blog. The homepage has been showing what it has now for several months now. Been mentioned here before.
The new homepage was released in August and with many months left until the new stuff, we're looking at an anniversary for sure.
Hopefully I'll have a better sense for which way things are going after that, but they have put me under an NDA for things discussed in my visit so they can tell me more than they intend to be public now so I don't know what I'll be able to say about the visit.
I am also surprised how little Smugmug feedback there has been here (I was hoping for some open discussion with designers) - though I do know from some back channel communications related to my visit that they are reading/discussing internally. I'm off to visit Smugmug this afternoon to discuss. Hopefully I'll have a better sense for which way things are going after that, but they have put me under an NDA for things discussed in my visit so they can tell me more than they intend to be public now so I don't know what I'll be able to say about the visit.
Comments from my visit to discuss this with Smugmug yesterday are here.
So far I think the work in progress looks good. Perhaps the font size could be a bit bigger for the gallery description and navigation, or make it very easy to make them bigger (unlike now). My only 2 cents on customizing themes is that it seemed like under the current version you always got a warning that the current theme/style was likely interfering with customization, which was sometimes true and sometimes not. I'm looking forward to easier customization even on the minor things as that's about as far as I go. I'd also like to see an easier way to create a simple contact form, in addition to being able to do more with the look of the home page. Sounds like new layouts/themes are also on the way, which will be delightful! Just some thoughts since you were kind enough to ask
Thanks for getting feedback from us so early in the development process. I've done some web design in the past and it is a laborious task with many, many layers. Other community sites I've been on tend to just spring changes on you that they think are good, but really impair the functionality and usability of the site. So, I really appreciate smugmug taking a more customer-centered route.
Keywords Icon
Another cuteness that is completely lost on the public. A stupid icon for tags
and no tool tip. I would think everyone understands what the word keywords
means. Why not use the word? And those keywords bubbles are completely
useless and take up way too much room.
Although the major problem I see is that ridiculous big bar across the page
above the caption. Move it to below the caption.
BTW, I see 7 of 49 with no way to advance to next/last photo.
Changing keywords is completely messed up. Some of the related keywords have no
relevance to the the original.
Could you elaborate, Al ? I don't know what you mean by "changing keywords"? Some of which related keywords have no relevance...? Sorry, I'm not on the new view right now because I couldn't take it, so I must not have noticed something about keywording. But about the huge keyword bubbles- I'm in total agreement; they just take up way too much space visually and with the limited amount of vertical space we all have anyway these days... Eeeeeuw!
I fail to see what's cleaner about the new design. We get...
- An unecessary "home" icon.
- Caption is too far from image.
- A huge gallery title that used to sit neatly at the end of the breadcrumb
- A toolbar (something I've asked before) except the photo edition tool is still in the page and not in the toolbar.
- A keyword icon that isn't intuitive or even necessary.
- Little "bubbles" around keyword links.
- More clicks are necessary to see related keywords.
- More clicks to jump to month/year on the date page.
- Some babble in the keyword and date page: "Found XX items for keyword/date".
- No more option to sort photos by most popular or recent on keyword galeries.
- A info bubble that is opaque instead of transparent.
- Many things that aren't aligned properly.
- Keywords are falling under the fold more often.
- Something about comments being disabled (don't mention it if they are disabled).
- An ugly Buy button.
- No more photo info in the lightbox.
Not to mention the html thing. I suppose some of these things will be customizable, but If I have to rewrite hundreds of captions and change CSS customization, I don't know why I should bother staying at SM at all.
Good thing I didn't start a round of customization, but at least I can prepare more then.
I like the redesign, but would it be possible to provide both a cookie-cutter theme for those who fear code and custom HTML/API à laTumblr?
Ditto... I had just setup a trial account and moved my current customisation over a few days before and was about to start a redesign. Guess I'll wait.
I am excited about what might be to come, but honestly there's nothing I have wanted to do on my site that I wasn't able to do with the current functionality.
You can MASSIVELY improved speed by doing the following 2 simple things...
- Use all the aliases you have (user.smugmug.com, images.smugmug.com - I think, and your domainname.com) evenly spread for any customisation elements... This will allow the browser to grab many more elements simultaneously.
- Select a feature image for each of your galleries... I had page load times for categories go from 30 odd seconds to 7-8 seconds just from doing this. I'm surprised I don't see this suggestion more often.
Forgive me for being ignorant, but "If you use a custom URL, hit 'Join' on www.smugmug.com and on your custom domain, too." I can't find any 'Join' on my custom domain, after or before hitting 'Join' on www.smugmug.
Forgive me for being ignorant, but "If you use a custom URL, hit 'Join' on www.smugmug.com and on your custom domain, too." I can't find any 'Join' on my custom domain, after or before hitting 'Join' on www.smugmug.
What am I missing?
Did you go here and select the "join" button, then go view your smugmug galleries that are set to "smugmug view style"
The drop down to select page n of m doesn't exist until you hit some magic number of images. Not nice. Instead of jumping directly to the last or last-but-one page I have to click the right arrow a bunch of time. That does not meet the need for better speed.
I don't care about facebook and find the facebook like button ugly and annoying. Give me an option to turn it off. Yeah, I may be the only person in the world who cares!
A variation on what others have noted: let me pick the thumbnail size and let smugmug figure out the number of thumbs that can be displayed given my preferred thumb size and available space. Semi-related: stop talking about screen size... talk about window size, instead. Not everyone runs their browser full screen for daily use.
I'd rather see the gallery name back in the breadcrumb trail. Is it currently stands it doesn't do more than use up valuable vertical screen space. Perhaps keeping the name bold but back in the crumb trail would be a happy compromise.
Can I be the eleventy-seventh person to pile on and say the captions are too far separated from the image? I'd prefer something like image, caption, then a mini toolbar with edit, share, whatever. The tags could be a drop down inside the tool bar. I'd rather have no tags compared the way they are as I write this.
I don't care about facebook and find the facebook like button ugly and annoying. Give me an option to turn it off. Yeah, I may be the only person in the world who cares!
You have this option, and have had it, for some time - it's in your settings tab, control panel
NOT true It's only for you - your visitors won't see the new style if you click "join" on the goodies page. This is a tool for you only to preview the new style.
I am currently able to view at least two different random smugmug sites in the new style on two different computers enabled with the "join"-cookie. Does this mean that anyone else who has "joined" will be able to see my galleries in the new style, provided that I've also "joined?" I certainly don't want that to happen, as it reveals functionality that I want to keep hidden, such as the Share button.
I am currently able to view at least two different random smugmug sites in the new style on two different computers enabled with the "join"-cookie. Does this mean that anyone else who has "joined" will be able to see my galleries in the new style, provided that I've also "joined?" I certainly don't want that to happen, as it reveals functionality that I want to keep hidden, such as the Share button.
I am currently able to view at least two different random smugmug sites in the new style on two different computers enabled with the "join"-cookie. Does this mean that anyone else who has "joined" will be able to see my galleries in the new style, provided that I've also "joined?" I certainly don't want that to happen, as it reveals functionality that I want to keep hidden, such as the Share button.
- Dave
I have seen dozens of random sites supposedly in a "private" preview state. I discovered that I could within minutes of "joining" to accept the test-it cookie. It appears to be yet another example of Smugmug's utter failure to test anything before they release it.
I share your concern with other folks being able to "preview" my sites. It is absurd than even the "sneak peak" was released with that gaping hole in site security. As I have opined previously, this sounds like a disaster in the making.
I have seen dozens of random sites supposedly in a "private" preview state. I discovered that I could within minutes of "joining" to accept the test-it cookie. It appears to be yet another example of Smugmug's utter failure to test anything before they release it.
I share your concern with other folks being able to "preview" my sites. It is absurd than even the "sneak peak" was released with that gaping hole in site security. As I have opined previously, this sounds like a disaster in the making.
Thus far, some smugmug sites that I've randomly perused will display galleries in the new syle, others will not. Since the ability to view one's own site in the new style is supposed to be strictly a function of a local browser cookie, it doesn't make sense that the ability to view someone else's site in the new style would be predicated on whether that site holder has "joined" or not. In any event, nobody should currently be able to view someone else's galleries in the new style, irrespective of whether or not either the viewer or site owner has the cookie installed. There's no rhyme or reason to this.
It would be seriously nice if a SmugMug guru would comment here after having looked into it. This is very not cool.
100% agree There are many aspects to this situation that need a response from a Smugmug guru.
There are many who would like some clarification regarding the use of html in gallery descriptions and captions. I appreciate jfriend's comments about this (and thank him for all he has done), but really a representative of the company should be paying regular visits and posts to all the threads related to their proposals.
Caroline I have replied a few times now here and on FB, saying we're working on all of this feedback. I beg, beg, beg your patience while we do that. We will not let you all down I promise.
Comments
On this occasionI can't, as Allen says, you are missing the point completely.
I'm not getting into a discussion with you over this, I need to focus on my plans for the future.
Caroline
www.carolineshipsey.co.uk - Follow me on G+
[/URL]
The new homepage was released in August and with many months left until the new stuff, we're looking at an anniversary for sure.
Hoodwinked
Malte
Wikileaks!!
Homepage • Popular
JFriend's javascript customizations • Secrets for getting fast answers on Dgrin
Always include a link to your site when posting a question
Malte
Thanks for getting feedback from us so early in the development process. I've done some web design in the past and it is a laborious task with many, many layers. Other community sites I've been on tend to just spring changes on you that they think are good, but really impair the functionality and usability of the site. So, I really appreciate smugmug taking a more customer-centered route.
Hope y'all have a good weekend!
Namaste
Eric
It is HTML though, so we need the HTML compatibility
Another cuteness that is completely lost on the public. A stupid icon for tags
and no tool tip. I would think everyone understands what the word keywords
means. Why not use the word? And those keywords bubbles are completely
useless and take up way too much room.
Although the major problem I see is that ridiculous big bar across the page
above the caption. Move it to below the caption.
BTW, I see 7 of 49 with no way to advance to next/last photo.
My Website index | My Blog
relevance to the the original.
My Website index | My Blog
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
- An unecessary "home" icon.
- Caption is too far from image.
- A huge gallery title that used to sit neatly at the end of the breadcrumb
- A toolbar (something I've asked before) except the photo edition tool is still in the page and not in the toolbar.
- A keyword icon that isn't intuitive or even necessary.
- Little "bubbles" around keyword links.
- More clicks are necessary to see related keywords.
- More clicks to jump to month/year on the date page.
- Some babble in the keyword and date page: "Found XX items for keyword/date".
- No more option to sort photos by most popular or recent on keyword galeries.
- A info bubble that is opaque instead of transparent.
- Many things that aren't aligned properly.
- Keywords are falling under the fold more often.
- Something about comments being disabled (don't mention it if they are disabled).
- An ugly Buy button.
- No more photo info in the lightbox.
Not to mention the html thing. I suppose some of these things will be customizable, but If I have to rewrite hundreds of captions and change CSS customization, I don't know why I should bother staying at SM at all.
borealphoto.smugmug.com
I like the redesign, but would it be possible to provide both a cookie-cutter theme for those who fear code and custom HTML/API à la Tumblr?
Ditto... I had just setup a trial account and moved my current customisation over a few days before and was about to start a redesign. Guess I'll wait.
I am excited about what might be to come, but honestly there's nothing I have wanted to do on my site that I wasn't able to do with the current functionality.
You can MASSIVELY improved speed by doing the following 2 simple things...
- Use all the aliases you have (user.smugmug.com, images.smugmug.com - I think, and your domainname.com) evenly spread for any customisation elements... This will allow the browser to grab many more elements simultaneously.
- Select a feature image for each of your galleries... I had page load times for categories go from 30 odd seconds to 7-8 seconds just from doing this. I'm surprised I don't see this suggestion more often.
Cheers - N
http://www.nzsnaps.com (talkiet.smugmug.com)
What am I missing?
www.gricketts.com
"The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance." Ansel Adams
Did you go here and select the "join" button, then go view your smugmug galleries that are set to "smugmug view style"
My Smugmug Site
The drop down to select page n of m doesn't exist until you hit some magic number of images. Not nice. Instead of jumping directly to the last or last-but-one page I have to click the right arrow a bunch of time. That does not meet the need for better speed.
I don't care about facebook and find the facebook like button ugly and annoying. Give me an option to turn it off. Yeah, I may be the only person in the world who cares!
A variation on what others have noted: let me pick the thumbnail size and let smugmug figure out the number of thumbs that can be displayed given my preferred thumb size and available space. Semi-related: stop talking about screen size... talk about window size, instead. Not everyone runs their browser full screen for daily use.
I'd rather see the gallery name back in the breadcrumb trail. Is it currently stands it doesn't do more than use up valuable vertical screen space. Perhaps keeping the name bold but back in the crumb trail would be a happy compromise.
Can I be the eleventy-seventh person to pile on and say the captions are too far separated from the image? I'd prefer something like image, caption, then a mini toolbar with edit, share, whatever. The tags could be a drop down inside the tool bar. I'd rather have no tags compared the way they are as I write this.
You have this option, and have had it, for some time - it's in your settings tab, control panel
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
Edit: found it. Thanks.
Yes.
www.gricketts.com
"The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance." Ansel Adams
And you don't see this?
https://img.skitch.com/20110614-b17tpw8se24bgqcsk1xxxgb9f9.jpg
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
Nope. Let me play with it and see if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong. Thanks for the help. It must be cockpit error.
www.gricketts.com
"The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance." Ansel Adams
- Dave
www.djdigitaldave.net
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
I have seen dozens of random sites supposedly in a "private" preview state. I discovered that I could within minutes of "joining" to accept the test-it cookie. It appears to be yet another example of Smugmug's utter failure to test anything before they release it.
I share your concern with other folks being able to "preview" my sites. It is absurd than even the "sneak peak" was released with that gaping hole in site security. As I have opined previously, this sounds like a disaster in the making.
Thus far, some smugmug sites that I've randomly perused will display galleries in the new syle, others will not. Since the ability to view one's own site in the new style is supposed to be strictly a function of a local browser cookie, it doesn't make sense that the ability to view someone else's site in the new style would be predicated on whether that site holder has "joined" or not. In any event, nobody should currently be able to view someone else's galleries in the new style, irrespective of whether or not either the viewer or site owner has the cookie installed. There's no rhyme or reason to this.
- Dave
www.djdigitaldave.net
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
100% agree
There are many who would like some clarification regarding the use of html in gallery descriptions and captions. I appreciate jfriend's comments about this (and thank him for all he has done), but really a representative of the company should be paying regular visits and posts to all the threads related to their proposals.
Shambolic is how things seem at the moment.
Caroline
www.carolineshipsey.co.uk - Follow me on G+
[/URL]
look into what, specifically and precisely, Anna Lisa?
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
Caroline I have replied a few times now here and on FB, saying we're working on all of this feedback. I beg, beg, beg your patience while we do that. We will not let you all down I promise.
Thank you in advance for your continued patience.
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com