Poll: Trying New Look For Home Page

[tsptalk]

One of the criticisms I get, particularly from new folks, is that the home page is too busy and confusing. I've been toying around with a new, simpler look. The old look would be the first link on the new page. But the new page should load more quickly with much fewer things going on.

Current page: TSP Talk - Thrift Savings Plan

New look: TSP Talk - Thrift Savings Plan


If you have a minute, can you please take a look at the new look page and take this survey?

Poll: The link directly above shows a possible new look for TSP Talk's Home page. Simple, but less information. The old page will still be around as a secondary page. What do you think?


Thanks! I appreciate it.

 

[tsptalk]

Here are a couple of other options with modest tweaks to the new look above. Feedback appreciated. Thanks.

Alt 1: TSP Talk - Thrift Savings Plan

Alt 2: TSP Talk - Thrift Savings Plan

 

[MrJohnRoss]

Here are a couple of other options with modest tweaks to the new look above. Feedback appreciated. Thanks.

Alt 1: TSP Talk - Thrift Savings Plan

Alt 2: TSP Talk - Thrift Savings Plan

I like Alt 2.

 

[JTH]

To say that I don't like the new look is an understatement.

For myself (from a time management point of view) I want as much information as I can gather, in as few clicks as possible. I'm not sure it's your page that overwhelms the newer folks, I think the entire concept of what we do overwhelms them. There is just so much to learn, and this isn't an "instant gratification" topic such as Google or YouTube. In the end, it really doesn't matter to me what the page looks like, I will adapt and overcome.

 

[CrabClaw]

I like the new look with this exception: the strip on the top with all the links to the premiums, tracker, forum, etc needs to stay, would like to see the links at the top be consistent throughout the site (they aren't now)

 

[ravensfan]

Just learned my way around and now they want to re-arrange the furniture. Oh well, this too shall pass.

 

[burrocrat]

of the available options i prefer alt 2, but i couldn't find the link to the tsptalk merchandise store on any of them.

i hardly ever visit the main page anyways except to pass through to the forums and play with the animals.

it's all good hollywood.

 

[Stoplight]

The heck with the Main Page tweaks ! Fix the gawdawful slow Forum software !

Stoplight...

 

[nnuut]

I think that simple is better as long as everything you want to find is readily accessible, number 2 is a good start.

 

[Intrepid_Timer]

The "new look" doesn't look inviting at all. It looks like one of those times where you "google" something and click on one of the webpages and it just takes you to another link page. I say keep the old one and just get rid of some of the things like newest member, newest forum post, latest news, etc. I don't click on those anyway and just go straight to the forum.

 

[tsptalk]

The heck with the Main Page tweaks ! Fix the gawdawful slow Forum software !

Stoplight...

I wish I could. Unfortunately, I can't alter the main forum software, but I can make adjustments to some of the features we've added, and that might speed things up a bit. But that means taking away some of those popular features that eat up resources, like the top list of recent posts section, the image sizes and attachments that we allow, signatures, top posters counts, etc. It all takes up resources. I could strip a lot out and it would 'probably' be faster. I did recently get rid of a few things and no one's complained yet. All of it adds to a neat little forum, but there's a price to pay in performance.

The servers we have should be more than enough for our traffic. God knows I pay enough for them. I started out paying $9.99 a month. Now we're charged almost $800/ mo. for our current server set up. That could be my winter home. And it can get a lot more pricey by upgrading again.

But I get it. It's frustrating and for what I pay, I would expect no slowdowns.

 

[PLANO]

The "new look" doesn't look inviting at all. It looks like one of those times where you "google" something and click on one of the webpages and it just takes you to another link page. I say keep the old one and just get rid of some of the things like newest member, newest forum post, latest news, etc. I don't click on those anyway and just go straight to the forum.

Agree 100%. There's a reason I didn't bookmark the main page, but I did bookmark the forum.

 

[Birchtree]

If I had any pull I'd drop that moniker: Friends don't let friends buy and hold.

 

[k0nkuzh0n]

Alt 1: TSP Talk - Thrift Savings Plan

I like this one, except I'd make the top 10 a lot bigger. Its just so beautiful right now :laugh:

 

[Stoplight]

....But I get it. It's frustrating and for what I pay, I would expect no slowdowns.

Thanks, Tom ! I understand what you're saying, and I appreciate you are walking a tightrope here.

I guess what bothers me a little is...we have so many more "lurkers" than registered users, and that slows us down, even though we bothered to register, and participate in discussions on the site. Like right now, for instance...only 30% on-line are signed in !

I get MORE irritated when those of us who subscribe to a "premium service" get lumped in with all the lurkers, too, and are slowed down, as a result. We ARE providing at least some revenue to the site ! Don't take that wrong ! I appreciate a lot about the entire site, and the money spent on the premiums is well worth it...it's kinda just the principle of the thing

Thanks for letting me vent !


Stoplight...

 

[tsptalk]

I love the lurkers. They click on ads.

But you bring up an interesting point. I wonder if there is a way to separate the premium forums into a different area that would separate the databases? I do still have ETF Talk Forum that is basically idle now. Perhaps I can convert that into a premium member only area of TSP Talk? It's probably a long shot, but it's something I can look into.

 

[Stoplight]

AWESOME !


Stoplight...