[WEBSITE v2] MusicBee website and forum redesign

[Steven]

a small suggestion for the ADD-ONS page.
Coming in with a fresh pair of eyes, I found the Category selector box a little confusing. When i change it, the Search text changes but the results section doesnt react immediately.
I didnt notice the tabs you have right at the top for quite some time
My suggestion would be to remove the entire Search: section and just have the tabs at the top and the search box you already have on the right (which would filter for the tab you have selected) - I would have noticed the tabs if the results were immediately under them.

[AvikB]

New update:
* lots of code clean up, mostly getting things ready for future maintenance.
* Few bug fixes in addons page.
* Bug fixes for dashboard
* search engine improvement
* added used tags list at the bottom of the addon page. you can also click them and browse other addons with similar tags.
* forum is now named community, let me know if you guys agree with this one or not.

* after reading through hiccup's suggestion i put together an experimental feature for browsing category. this basically uses tags but works much more like sub category for addons.


let me know if it is sufficient or not.

This is mostly under the hood fixes and changes for cleaning up the code to be production ready. all the commits are available on github if needed.

[AvikB]

My suggestion would be to remove the entire Search: section and just have the tabs at the top and the search box you already have on the right (which would filter for the tab you have selected) - I would have noticed the tabs if the results were immediately under them.

instead of completely removing it i am thinking of expanding the big search box with category ONCE user select advance search.
i will provide a small button on the tab bar for advance search. by default big search box won't show but will expand on advance search is clicked.

[hiccup]

* forum is now named community, let me know if you guys agree with this one or not.

A strictly personal opinion on this:
In itself I can appreciate the intention of using 'community'.
Yet I think that the 'place' where you would meet with the community would be called 'the forum'.
'Community' to my ears also sounds a little bit fashionable.
In our case, if you would really like it to be very informal 'The Hive' could be an option, but if you want it to be formally better descriptive, I personally think I would prefer the old (Greek) fashioned and well-proved 'forum'.

[AvikB]

In itself I can appreciate the intention of using 'community'.
Yet I think that the 'place' where you would meet with the community would be called 'the forum'.
'Community' to my ears also sounds a little bit fashionable.

well i am trying to bring musicbee website to the new fashionable era after all , anyway i prefer both. i am just looking forward getting some feedback on this.

In our case, if you would really like it to be very informal 'The Hive' could be an option, but if you want it to be formally better descriptive, I personally think I would prefer the old (Greek) fashioned and well-proved 'forum'.

The hive is really a nice option. But i doubt most would be able to figure out what that means... specially new users.

[hiccup]

The hive is really a nice option. But i doubt most would be able to figure out what that means... specially new users.

While partly suggested jokingly, I honestly like it too. It's seems quite fitting on many levels.
But I believe I mentioned this term in the past somewhere before, but it then triggered no response whatsoever.
So it's probably too far away from safe and known terminology.
Sometimes you just might want to 'dare to be different' though.

Got questions? Need help?
Go to The Hive!

[ankor]

I haven't looked at this thread before today. I pointed the browser to http://test.getmusicbee.com and...

What are you waiting for??? Just kidding. But not really. If this is functional enough (not that I tried) to implement, go for it.

This looks AWESOME AWESOME!!  Great Great work!! v3 and a terrific website update. I hope the new website is what people will see when v3 is officially released!!

[AvikB]

I haven't looked at this thread before today. I pointed the browser to http://test.getmusicbee.com and...

What are you waiting for??? Just kidding. But not really. If this is functional enough (not that I tried) to implement, go for it.

It is functional, but i the code base is not production ready. The main reason i am hesitant because unlike software, website are not easy to update once it is live. Things may break. So wait a little longer i will publish it when i feel like it is ready

This looks AWESOME AWESOME!!  Great Great work!! v3 and a terrific website update. I hope the new website is what people will see when v3 is officially released!!

[AvikB]

While partly suggested jokingly, I honestly like it too. It's seems quite fitting on many levels.
But I believe I mentioned this term in the past somewhere before, but it then triggered no response whatsoever.
So it's probably too far away from safe and known terminology.
Sometimes you just might want to 'dare to be different' though.

Got questions? Need help?
Go to The Hive!

haha, the menu items could be renamed(except addon menu) so maybe we could do a poll on this one when the new site & forum goes live. ^^

[AvikB]

New update. Addon page is now overhauled. check it out and let me know.

http://test.getmusicbee.com/addons/s/?q=&type=all&overview

[Steven]

New update. Addon page is now overhauled. check it out and let me know.

http://test.getmusicbee.com/addons/s/?q=&type=all&overview

that is much much better!

[phred]

New update. Addon page is now overhauled. check it out and let me know.
http://test.getmusicbee.com/addons/s/?q=&type=all&overview

that is much much better!

+1

[AvikB]

that is much much better!

+1

let me know if you guys have any specific feature in mind!

[AvikB]

A new update. I tweaked some styling for the addon page.

Also i removed the advance search completely. it is now implemented(mostly) in the small search box. I highly doubt you will need advance search. But let me know if any search specific feature might be useful.

also added better error handling for addons page.
secondary menu also got some styling change for mobile devices.

addons page is complete. dshboard for normal user/uploader is also complete and stable.

admin panel will be removed completely, and will be integrated into dashbaord(only for admins)
also a moderator page will be added for addon mods/admin.

[Steven]

is the ADD-ONS page fully functional now?
- "Submit your Add-on" http://test.getmusicbee.com/kb/?code=102#dashboard_submit opens a blank page for me
- What did you have in mind for "Misc" (i know its for Miscellaneous but not sure what would go in there

- Also would anyone volunteer to create the text for "How to Install Add-Ons" ?

for the main home page, overall its great. The only thing I spotted was "Go to Quality Guide". I am happy if someone volunteers to write something generic for this section but its not really something i want to advertise for MusicBee ie. imply that it somehow produces better quality music. Saying that i am fine with the rest of the "Sound Quality Matters" section.