[WEBSITE v2] MusicBee website and forum redesign

[J24]

It would be awesome if the forums had an option to select a forum theme such as dark theme or light theme

[hiccup]

It would be awesome if the forums had an option to select a forum theme such as dark theme or light theme

That awesomeness is implemented, just click the 'contrast' icon left of the search bar.

[Joolee]

Just stumbled across this topic so these might have been mentioned before.

On the homepage of http://test.getmusicbee.com/
 - "MusicBee also supports podcasts and web radio stations and Soundcloud integration" should be "MusicBee also supports podcasts, web radio stations and Soundcloud integration"
 - Image is fubar: http://test.getmusicbee.com/img/mb_tag_feature.jpg

On the download page http://test.getmusicbee.com/download/
 - You pull a serif font out of nowhere (doesn't fit well with the rest)
 - Also, the awesome screen-filling goodness showcased on the homepage is nowhere to be seen. It feels a lot less polished.

Login page (http://test.getmusicbee.com/forum/?action=login)
 - Uses a default icon. Doesn't fit in with the rest (http://test.getmusicbee.com/forum/Themes/mb_modern/images/icons/login_sm.gif)
 - Login form can be wider. Would be more in line with the rest of the website. It feels a bit off, just like to download page
 - "Forgot your password" should have an orange hover effect
 - This page is 'part of' the forum, as indicated by the secondary menu bar and the breadcrumb navigation. That is not needed and counter-intuitive. You could redirect to the forum after login but as the login button is visible on the whole website and doesn't seem to be related to the forum, you should not suddenly get forum functionality just by clicking on it.

Forum home page
 - The breadcrumb navigation starts at the forum, not at the main website. That makes the forum more a separate thing than you seem to be intending. I would change it to "Musicbee > Forum (or community) > ...."
 - The Forum Stats section of the page looks messy and technical. Use spacing more freely, remove the brackets around the "more stats" link or just remove the whole thing or change it to a "latest posts" section because that's about the only thing in there. You could link to the "more stats" somewhere where you're actually showing stats, like a bit above, where you show general statistics like number of posts, topics and members.
 - Shouldn't those general stats like number of posts, topics and members be below the " MusicBee Test - Info Center " header?
 - The  "MusicBee Test - Info Center" header is invisible


Overall
 - I miss the logo. Is that intentional?
 - Try to question your users why they use MusicBee above other players and let those features show on the homepage. I for one use MusicBee because, it's easy to use out-of-the-box but if you want something more, it's usually possible and the option will be right there where you expect it to be.

[Skoop]

^^^What Joolee said.

Also, "I would change it to "Musicbee > Forum (or community) > ...."

Use "Forum".  "Community" is just too social in implication.  Looking at the first dozen or so pages of the General forum, most threads have single digit numbers of posts, most of them low single digits.  People come to ask a question for some help and it looks like they then leave once they get the player set up as the wish it, or get their issue addressed.  Some threads are arguments about form or function that may or may not be resolved. 

That's not so community in orientation and function, like a chat room or whatever.  Leave it as "Forum".  And turn avatars and sigs off by default. 

[hiccup]

Leave it as "Forum".  And turn avatars and sigs off by default.

+1
+1

[boroda]

Leave it as "Forum".  And turn avatars and sigs off by default.

+1
+1

yes, +1

[phred]

Leave it as "Forum".  And turn avatars and sigs off by default.

+1  +1
Agree with both.

[AvikB]

Leave it as "Forum".  And turn avatars and sigs off by default.

+1  +1
Agree with both.

You can turn both of them off from your profile setting.

[AvikB]

@joolee thanks for the feedback. I will look into those issues.

[AvikB]

Okay it seems i haven't post any updates in few weeks. Well i have a good news, the main site(except help page) is completely done. The dashboard is now complete. Moderation centre, admin centre and also website setting is complete.

I am experiencing some issue with my shitty internet here, i will provide the final stable update as soon as i can.

[phred]

You can turn both of them off from your profile setting.

Turning them off from one's profile setting is not the same as having them off by default.  That means they're -on- by default.   Which I would not like to see.  Users don't set their local time in their current profile, for example.  They're not going to turn off the avatar is it's on by default. 

Personally, I would rather see no option whatsoever for avatars.

[Joolee]

Just out of curiosity, what is your problem with avatars? I find them useful to keep people apart and find back my own posts. I don't usually notice screen names at all on fora.

[hiccup]

Just out of curiosity, what is your problem with avatars? I find them useful to keep people apart and find back my own posts. I don't usually notice screen names at all on fora.

My reason for not being very enthousiastic about avatars and signatures is that they tend to divert or distract the attention from the content of the post.
I like to try to value a posting on it's content, and I try not to be influenced too much by the persons status, avatar, signature, personal interests, track record, etc. etc.

I can understand the attractiveness of them, but I associate them with users trying to connect on a more personal level, presenting themselves in some more social and individual manner. That may be useful for more socially-oriented fora on topics such as dating, gaming, travelling, art, etc. where individual taste or preferences are more relevant and interesting.

But for MusicBee, the only forum board I can think of that might be suited for this would perhaps be 'Beyond MusicBee'.
For the others I wouldn't care for it.

And, apart from this personal opinion about them, from the viewpoint of functionality, I also don't see much added value in having them.

[phred]

Just out of curiosity, what is your problem with avatars? I find them useful to keep people apart and find back my own posts. I don't usually notice screen names at all on fora.

I too, find them distracting.  And don't get me started on the animated ones.

[boroda]

the 1st thing i have done after registering on the forum was disabling signatures