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Home » Blogs » Brian Juergens's blog » Welcome to the newly refurbished AfterElton.com!

Welcome to the newly refurbished AfterElton.com!

by
Brian Juergens

No need to adjust your sets, because what you're seeing ... is real.

You may have noticed that as of a few moments ago, AfterElton.com has a slightly different look and structure (particularly on the main page). While some divas might ... oh, I don't know, fake a fall from a horse and spend a few months in "recovery" before debuting a new face just in time for her album to drop, we opted to do this first part of our site's renovation in plain sight.

There may be some quirks today as we work out the bugs, but rest assured it's all in the name of making our award-winning gay entertainment coverage more accessible and easy-to-navigate for you, our dear readers.

And be sure to share your feedback! (Like we need to ask ... oh, I kid, I kid!!)

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    • Submitted by
    Brian Juergens
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 13:59.
    TAGS :: 
    Liz T's picture

    shock..

    Submitted by
    Liz T (8869 points) (1846 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 14:17.

    it will take some getting use to. i'm experiencing a bit of "website change shock" right now...

     

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    Jamie's picture

    I like it

    Submitted by
    Jamie (1569 points) (355 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 14:35.
    Particularly, the breakdown on the left which has today's topics, and then full list of yesterday, etc.  Seems like this will keep topics on the main page a bit longer than they used to be.  That's a nice upgrade.
    Average (1 vote):
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    IslandOfTheSea's picture

    Liking it...

    Submitted by
    IslandOfTheSea (155 points) (56 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 14:35.

     

    Seems easier to navigate and locate articles with this new layout.

    Definitely liking it already. =]

     

     

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    Ed Kennedy's picture

    I think I'll love it...

    Submitted by
    Ed Kennedy (6354 points) (1181 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 14:38.
    once I get used to it - I love having the long list of articles down under "The Latest" though I'm having trouble figuring out what fits under "Big Deal" - I thought it was going to be the "articles" versus "blog posts" but that doesn't seem to map.  I know Michael put a map in the last BGWE, but I can't find that with the new layout.  I'll get used to it.
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    zanefan's picture

    So far so good. It's

    Submitted by
    zanefan (1416 points) (327 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 14:40.

    So far so good.

    It's been getting on my nerves for eons that if you tried to find a thread from 2 days ago, you had to go on a wild goose chase, while threads from like 4 months ago lingered on the bottom of the homepage.

    Now, if only you'd get the search tool working better and make it so I didn't have to login each and everytime I came to the site, I'd be happy!

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    notoriouslyunique's picture

    I second that

    Submitted by
    notoriouslyunique (220 points) (45 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 15:29.
    especially the login part
    Average (1 vote):
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    Novinous's picture

    search tool and login

    Submitted by
    Novinous (447 points) (94 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 16:04.

    Yep same here, that what bothers me on the site the most. Well actually that's pretty much the only things.

    I'm someone who just hate change andtake forever to get used to something but this is the first time that I got used to a new layout in 10 minutes ! Bravo AE ! 

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    j U d E's picture

    New layout

    Submitted by
    j U d E (3101 points) (797 posts)
    on Sat, 2009-06-06 09:21.

    Novinous wrote:
    I'm someone who just hate change andtake forever to get used to something but this is the first time that I got used to a new layout in 10 minutes ! Bravo AE ! 
    That's because, nothing much has changed really.. No? A part from all the topics being in two columns now and more past stuff is still easy to get to.

    I also have that big white space on the right.

    Just an idea, but couldn't there also be a forum on here?

    Edit: eeh.. okay, there is a forum, but I forgot about it, because it's with posts that date from ages ago. Also, I think it has a 'messy' layout.

    I don't want to say negative stuff only, but it's very blue and white and white and blue and I wish the titles 'Blog', 'TV', 'Movies'.. etc were a bit more visible..

    I do like that you have the 'recent comments' on the right, whichever page you're on. I like also to see the topics with the number of posts posted. I usually only stay on 'home', because I lose my way a bit when I start clicking around. The 'caption' or the 'puzzle' I usually only find by chance, because someone posted there (and it shows in the subject title of the post).

    Oh, and could we get rid of the 'points'? Not the number of posts, just the points. I don't care about the number of points I have, really. But each time I edit a post and lose 5 points, it feels like I'm being punished.

    ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 

    R.I.P. - Heath - R.I.P. - Heath - R.I.P. - Heath - R.I.P. - Heath - R.I.P.

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    Dean's picture

    I third that....

    Submitted by
    Dean (428 points) (95 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 16:32.
    Love the entire layout now....
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    T.W.'s picture

    New design

    Submitted by
    T.W. (550 points) (112 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 17:01.

    I find the search tool difficult to use sometimes too.

    One thing I'd like is if the various blog posts (IMHO, etc.) for shows like B&S, Ugly Betty and so on could be archived or have links on the show resource pages.  I like to go back and read them or look for details occasionally and, as mentioned above, it's not always easy to find them through searching.  

    Overall, I like the new layout though.  It's going to take some exploring to get used to it!

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    Nukely's picture

    Search tool

    Submitted by
    Nukely (3426 points) (1195 posts)
    on Sun, 2009-06-07 16:09.
    Actually, this search tool will never work. And it's kinda cruel, as anyone who has used it will find out -it is a general waist of time.

    This search seems to run on key words. The problem with that is that there is no master list of keywords. Writers make up new key words for each article if they add keywords at all. So a show like Project Runway may have 3 different keywords strings ("Project Runway" "HBO's Project Runway" "that show I hate to write about") and unless you search for the exact magic key word string, you aren't going to find the post you're looking for. And that string can change each week and from writer to writer. And of course that is providing the article actually gets tagged with key words.

    Having a master list would help, but then you don't have the flexibility to add new strings and keywords. A key word search system works well for a blog with one writer who tends to write in specific categories of interest, so he can memorize his key words, and it works for a store front where they have a limit number of items for sale.

    I don't use this search feature and don't plan to. I believe it would be a lot more welcoming to new users if the search were just done away with. It's kind of like that brick sticking up in the road you place a hat over and then the locals sit back and wait for someone to come by and kick it.

    So, yeah, it's kinda hilarious, if you want to look at it that way.

     

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    Dane Hill's picture

    My inner Rain Man

    Submitted by
    Dane Hill (804 points) (190 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 14:53.

    just started beating his head and screaming.

    I'm also in the category of being in "website change shock", but I think I'll get used to it pretty quickly and liking it.

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    joeyhegele's picture

    I like it!

    Submitted by
    joeyhegele (1152 points) (332 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 15:24.
    Thank you!  I would say I think you should still have a separate section on the main page for videos.  Maybe put it under the Big Deal section.  Instead of having 5 Big Deal items like you currently do, only have two.  That would give you room to have the two latest videos posted.  Just a thought.
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    jmi2's picture

    surprise!

    Submitted by
    jmi2 (200 points) (46 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 16:10.

    i actually was in between articles earlier and entered with the old look. when i went back to the home page, i thought Safari had screwed up again. 

    then i realized you had redone the layout.

    bravo! i like this one. it is easier, at least for me, to navigate.

     i like... 

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    poof's picture

    Hate to burst your bubble....

    Submitted by
    poof (662 points) (135 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 16:26.
    Looks nice.. I still see such a big, empty, wasted space to the far right.... or is it just my browser settings?
    Average (1 vote):
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    beero's picture

    Nope not your browser

    Submitted by
    beero (947 points) (224 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 16:59.

    I get that too, Also the topics you have already posted in used to tell you which had new posts and how many (then you clicked on that and it took you to them) is no more, plus theres no "new" message at the top of the posts... well that I can see.

    I miss that, that was a very useful tool.

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    Darrien's picture

    It might be your system

    Submitted by
    Darrien (3333 points) (705 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 17:51.
    On the two browsers I use (explorer and firefox), I get adverts in that space: if ever you want a three-night city break in Venice for just £139, I'm pretty sure I can tell you where there's a good deal. Having said that, if you're getting simple, glorious white instead of an irritating advert, I'd be tempted to keep quiet about it, if I were you.
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    WillOwx's picture

    I get the adverts and the

    Submitted by
    WillOwx (70 points) (15 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 18:13.
    I get the adverts and the white space on one computer (with a widescreen monitor) and just the advert and then the edge of the page with an older style screen (ie square not widescreen) so I think it is more to do with this than browser as I have tried IE and firefox now you have mentioned them in addition to opera and they are all the same.
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    msark's picture

    Looks good

    Submitted by
    msark (457 points) (106 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 19:15.

    Looks good so far, but I think under Big deal, the most recent Asking the Flying Monkey, Best Gay Week Ever and etc should always be there. Besides that I like the dual column organization better than the previous that was several blocks in 2 columns each.

    GJ AfterElton Web Design Crew!

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    beero's picture

    ads

    Submitted by
    beero (947 points) (224 posts)
    on Wed, 2009-06-03 19:26.
    I use fire fox and the ad-on adblockerplus just use that and you get no more ads ever!
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    Dee's picture

    AfterAdam

    Submitted by
    Dee (439 points) (109 posts)
    on Thu, 2009-06-04 07:26.

    I like the new look. I hadn't been here in a few weeks because the place was turning into AFTERADAM and it was driving me crazy. lol

     

     

     

     

     

    http://helpwithlawyerfees.webs.com/

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    Dee's picture

    Where's "Best Gay Week Ever?"

    Submitted by
    Dee (439 points) (109 posts)
    on Sun, 2009-06-07 15:08.

    I can't found it. Maybe I don't like the new look. LOL!!

     

     

     

     

     

    http://helpwithlawyerfees.webs.com/

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    Dee's picture

    Nevermind

    Submitted by
    Dee (439 points) (109 posts)
    on Sun, 2009-06-07 15:11.
    Maybe I should have read the whole post first.  lol
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    Cosmic Lad's picture

    I think I like it!

    Submitted by
    Cosmic Lad (671 points) (126 posts)
    on Thu, 2009-06-04 07:51.
    It looks very nice and polished, and shows even more content!  Very nice for those of us who can't check as regularly as we'd like!  8)
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    Wheeler's picture

    Wow

    Submitted by
    Wheeler (360 points) (82 posts)
    on Thu, 2009-06-04 09:24.
    I've got to say, I find it completely bewildering. The top headline on the right is the second headline on the left. Everywhere I look there's pictures of 70s men with big hair. I feel like I have to scroll more to find stories, and I'm not really sure what's what. It's all a bit tight and oppressive and anti-intuitive. But everyone else seems to love it, so I suppose you must be on to something?
    Average (2 votes):
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    jjose712's picture

    I miss

    Submitted by
    jjose712 (2565 points) (553 posts)
    on Sat, 2009-06-06 07:19.
    the BGWE and the puzzler
    Average (1 vote):
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    Brian Juergens's picture

    Never fear...

    Submitted by
    Brian Juergens (1205 points) (6471 posts)
    on Sun, 2009-06-07 11:44.
    The BGWE is only taking the week off and the Puzzler couldn't run because the site that hosts the puzzles was down on Friday. We'll get one up as soon as we can!
    Average (1 vote):
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    jjose712's picture

    No problems

    Submitted by
    jjose712 (2565 points) (553 posts)
    on Sun, 2009-06-07 13:52.
    I thought it were changes related with the new look of the site, but it's better that way. I'm a man of traditions, and a friday (saturday) it's not the same without the puzzler, but i think i can wait one week
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