[WEBSITE v2] MusicBee website and forum redesign

[AvikB]

my opinion is the fonts need to be a bit stronger or somehow more interesting - at least fior the Home/ Download/ ... links and the main MusicBee header. I cant see the forum mockup you did at the moment but i thought those fonts looked good.

yeah i removed those earlier screenshots of the forum, here is the new forum screenshot.

http://i.imgur.com/c1Mo0Gh.png
i stll haven't done much of the menubar, i am actually thinking about integrating the forum notifications(specially for messages and new replies) in the menu (only when user is logged in).

i will work on it when i am done with all of the pages first.

[Bee-liever]

A few minor spelling and grammatical errors (with a few suggestions    ):

Get MusicBee, It is free! checkout the features below or Download Now
Get MusicBee. It's free! Checkout the features below or Download Now

Play your music the way that you want. Turn your computer into a music jukebox Or, use auo tagging to cleanup your messy music library. Get the most out of your speakers with tools for those who sound quality matters
Play your music the way that you want. Turn your computer into a music jukebox or, use auto tagging to clean-up your messy music library. Get the most out of your speakers with tools for those whom sound quality matters.

MusicBee also support Groove Music(formerly XBOX Music), now you can explore your favourite artists and albums
MusicBee also supports Groove Music (formerly XBOX Music), now you can explore your favourite artists and albums.

Choose a skin for MusicBee and make it look the way you want. Check our WIKI or FORUM for more skin made by the community.
You can also make your own skin and share it with others.
Choose a skin for MusicBee and make it look the way you want. Check our WIKI or FORUM for more skins made by the community.
You can also make your own skin and share it with others.

Edit/View all tags with the extensive tag editor and the tag inspector. Manage duplicates, custom tags, Automatically organise library file names and structure, get song tags from online sources .... and a lot
Edit/View all tags with the extensive tag editor and the tag inspector. Manage duplicates, custom tags, Automatically organise library file names and structure, get song tags from online sources .... and a lot more.

And a whole lot more...
plus a whole lot more...

As XP is no longer an officially supported Microsoft platform, I would also suggest changing this one as well:
 latest release Here
for Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
latest release Here
for Windows Vista/7/8/10

[AvikB]

A few minor spelling and grammatical errors (with a few suggestions    ):

Get MusicBee, It is free! checkout the features below or Download Now
Get MusicBee. It's free! Checkout the features below or Download Now

Play your music the way that you want. Turn your computer into a music jukebox Or, use auo tagging to cleanup your messy music library. Get the most out of your speakers with tools for those who sound quality matters
Play your music the way that you want. Turn your computer into a music jukebox or, use auto tagging to clean-up your messy music library. Get the most out of your speakers with tools for those whom sound quality matters.

MusicBee also support Groove Music(formerly XBOX Music), now you can explore your favourite artists and albums
MusicBee also supports Groove Music (formerly XBOX Music), now you can explore your favourite artists and albums.

Choose a skin for MusicBee and make it look the way you want. Check our WIKI or FORUM for more skin made by the community.
You can also make your own skin and share it with others.
Choose a skin for MusicBee and make it look the way you want. Check our WIKI or FORUM for more skins made by the community.
You can also make your own skin and share it with others.

Edit/View all tags with the extensive tag editor and the tag inspector. Manage duplicates, custom tags, Automatically organise library file names and structure, get song tags from online sources .... and a lot
Edit/View all tags with the extensive tag editor and the tag inspector. Manage duplicates, custom tags, Automatically organise library file names and structure, get song tags from online sources .... and a lot more.

And a whole lot more...
plus a whole lot more...

As XP is no longer an officially supported Microsoft platform, I would also suggest changing this one as well:
 latest release Here
for Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
latest release Here
for Windows Vista/7/8/10

Thanks really appreciate my english is crappy :|

UPDATED: just updated with the suggested mistake correction

[phred]

"November" has a typo on the downloads page "Novmeber"

I think both versions should be closer together.  In your mockup I feel there's too much separation.  And the release notes are for -both- versions.  The way the mockup looks, it appears that the release notes are only for the portable version.

As XP is no longer an officially supported Microsoft platform, I would also suggest changing this one as well:
 latest release Here
for Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
latest release Here
for Windows Vista/7/8/10

I disagree with this.  Yes, XP is no longer supported by Microsoft, but MB certainly works just fine with XP.  And potential users should be aware that it will indeed work with XP.

In the "Sync with Devices" blurb on the home page, I'm not so sure "iOS" should be mentioned.  I guess that should really be Steven's call.  But if I were looking for a new music manager/player and saw that sentence, I would expect it to work natively.  As it stands now, only old iPods work directly with MB and -some- of the newer ones -may- work with the iPod/iPhone driver plugin.  I think including iOS will open up a can of worms.

[Bee-liever]

Oops. I missed a couple 

Checkout the features below or Download Now >> Check out the features below or Download Now

WIKI or FORUM for more skin made >> WIKI or FORUM for more skins made

There are tons of feature in MusicBee, checkout  >> There are tons of features in MusicBee, check out

[AvikB]

"November" has a typo on the downloads page "Novmeber"

Thanks, though i am actually working on a admin control center that will automate the process (no manual html editing! yay!).

I think both versions should be closer together.  In your mockup I feel there's too much separation.  And the release notes are for -both- versions.  The way the mockup looks, it appears that the release notes are only for the portable version.

ypu mean the blue background for the installer download and dark grey for the portable? yeah i noticed it too..... can't settle with the color :/
i actually wen't with grey because portable installer isn't widely use(not sure :/), so the top one would appeal more by creating a separation.

As XP is no longer an officially supported Microsoft platform, I would also suggest changing this one as well:
 latest release Here
for Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
latest release Here
for Windows Vista/7/8/10

I disagree with this.  Yes, XP is no longer supported by Microsoft, but MB certainly works just fine with XP.  And potential users should be aware that it will indeed work with XP.

What happens when a XP related problem(maybe taskbar issue or icon displaying issue) is posted in the forum, does Steven work to fix them? If the dev actually support it i will put it back, even chrome has ended xp support.... can't be too sure...

In the "Sync with Devices" blurb on the home page, I'm not so sure "iOS" should be mentioned.  I guess that should really be Steven's call.  But if I were looking for a new music manager/player and saw that sentence, I would expect it to work natively.  As it stands now, only old iPods work directly with MB and -some- of the newer ones -may- work with the iPod/iPhone driver plugin.  I think including iOS will open up a can of worms.

Damn Apple, i thought it works with ios  ,never tried it.
So Should i remove IOS or just mention the IOS version number that it work with.

[phred]

I think both versions should be closer together.  In your mockup I feel there's too much separation.  And the release notes are for -both- versions.  The way the mockup looks, it appears that the release notes are only for the portable version.

ypu mean the blue background for the installer download and dark grey for the portable? yeah i noticed it too..... can't settle with the color :/
i actually wen't with grey because portable installer isn't widely use(not sure :/), so the top one would appeal more by creating a separation.

Yes, that's the section I'm referring to.  And II think a lot of folks uses the portable version, but I have no numbers to back that up.

As XP is no longer an officially supported Microsoft platform, I would also suggest changing this one as well:
 latest release Here
for Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
latest release Here
for Windows Vista/7/8/10

I disagree with this.  Yes, XP is no longer supported by Microsoft, but MB certainly works just fine with XP.  And potential users should be aware that it will indeed work with XP.

What happens when a XP related problem(maybe taskbar issue or icon displaying issue) is posted in the forum, does Steven work to fix them? If the dev actually support it i will put it back, even chrome has ended xp support.... can't be too sure...

I think this is a decision for Steven.

In the "Sync with Devices" blurb on the home page, I'm not so sure "iOS" should be mentioned.  I guess that should really be Steven's call.  But if I were looking for a new music manager/player and saw that sentence, I would expect it to work natively.  As it stands now, only old iPods work directly with MB and -some- of the newer ones -may- work with the iPod/iPhone driver plugin.  I think including iOS will open up a can of worms.

Damn Apple, i thought it works with ios   ,never tried it.
So Should i remove IOS or just mention the IOS version number that it work with.

Again, another one for Steven to decide.

[AvikB]

I think both versions should be closer together.  In your mockup I feel there's too much separation.  And the release notes are for -both- versions.  The way the mockup looks, it appears that the release notes are only for the portable version.

ypu mean the blue background for the installer download and dark grey for the portable? yeah i noticed it too..... can't settle with the color :/
i actually wen't with grey because portable installer isn't widely use(not sure :/), so the top one would appeal more by creating a separation.

Yes, that's the section I'm referring to.  And II think a lot of folks uses the portable version, but I have no numbers to back that up.

As XP is no longer an officially supported Microsoft platform, I would also suggest changing this one as well:
 latest release Here
for Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
latest release Here
for Windows Vista/7/8/10

I disagree with this.  Yes, XP is no longer supported by Microsoft, but MB certainly works just fine with XP.  And potential users should be aware that it will indeed work with XP.

What happens when a XP related problem(maybe taskbar issue or icon displaying issue) is posted in the forum, does Steven work to fix them? If the dev actually support it i will put it back, even chrome has ended xp support.... can't be too sure...

I think this is a decision for Steven.

In the "Sync with Devices" blurb on the home page, I'm not so sure "iOS" should be mentioned.  I guess that should really be Steven's call.  But if I were looking for a new music manager/player and saw that sentence, I would expect it to work natively.  As it stands now, only old iPods work directly with MB and -some- of the newer ones -may- work with the iPod/iPhone driver plugin.  I think including iOS will open up a can of worms.

Damn Apple, i thought it works with ios  ,never tried it.
So Should i remove IOS or just mention the IOS version number that it work with.

Again, another one for Steven to decide.

well Steven is busy right now :/

UPDATE: i have updated the download page color choices, it should look more consistent now.

ALSO THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS:
automated update info through a control panel, well control panel is not there yet only the blackened structure is there.

[Bee-liever]

can you suggest me some good color?

Maybe you could rearrange it slightly?

with existing blue (#0076DB) background:

Download MusicBee

We hope you'll enjoy your music experience with MusicBee!  

Version: 2.5.5804                                                                                                   with the picture over here
Released on 22 November 2015
Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
View the release notes

with blue/grey (#2B6698) background:
MusicBee
Standard version for your desktop, laptop or tablet
 Start Download Mirror 1 Mirror 2

with existing grey (#565656) background:
Portable MusicBee
Put MusicBee on your flash drive and take your music collection wherever you go.
Get Portable version

EDIT:
or simply use the colours you changed it to while I was originally typing this 

[phred]

well Steven is busy right now :/

Yes, he certainly is.  But it's his product and while I feel fine -suggesting- changes, the final decision should be his.

[AvikB]

can you suggest me some good color?

Maybe you could rearrange it slightly?

with existing blue (#0076DB) background:

Download MusicBee

We hope you'll enjoy your music experience with MusicBee!  

Version: 2.5.5804                                                                                                   with the picture over here
Released on 22 November 2015
Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
View the release notes

with blue/grey (#2B6698) background:
MusicBee
Standard version for your desktop, laptop or tablet
 Start Download Mirror 1 Mirror 2

with existing grey (#565656) background:
Portable MusicBee
Put MusicBee on your flash drive and take your music collection wherever you go.
Get Portable version

EDIT:
or simply use the colours you changed it to while I was originally typing this 

Nice suggestion! i am gonna do something like that.

[hiccup]

Great work AvikB!

One of the things I like is the footer you designed.
Would it be an option to have that footer in view always? So it is not necessary to scroll all the way down to see it?

and,
I hate to bring in 'a negative', especially since I do like the look and feel of the image and the colors, but I have an allergy (with doctors prescription) for the 'hand heart'.
Are alternative images being considered?

[AvikB]

Great work AvikB!

One of the things I like is the footer you designed.
Would it be an option to have that footer in view always? So it is not necessary to scroll all the way down to see it?

why do you wan't the footer in the view? any specific reason?
and no, i don't think it is possible for the footer to be always visible, not without compromising the look and feel. i don't see a reason of the footer being always visible.

and,
I hate to bring in 'a negative', especially since I do like the look and feel of the image and the colors, but I have an allergy (with doctors prescription) for the 'hand heart'.
Are alternative images being considered?

If BETTER alternatives are provided i will be happy to change them.

[hiccup]

why do you wan't the footer in the view? any specific reason?
and no, i don't think it is possible for the footer to be always visible, not without compromising the look and feel. i don't see a reason of the footer being always visible.

The reason is that I feel that the main objective of a website should be to give relevant information as good and accessible as possible.
The information and the links that are in your footer are in my opinion quite essential for having this website in the first place, and I think it should not be 'hidden' somewhere at the bottom where you are forced to scroll down to find it.

Therefore in my opinion either the footer should be sticky, or the info in the footer should be more suited for a typical footer. Such as acknowledgements, legal info, contact info etc.

[Skoop]

"Get Latest Patch" should point to an actual live link, instead of the Download forum which isn't maintained fully current.

I know that I can look for phred's sig to find it,  but others won't know that.  I've always been a little chagrined that it's not really apparent what is the current patched version.  Fixes on the fly should be captured somewhere and made obvious. A site redesign is a good opportunity to do that.