I've just programmed a new layout for the home page, see below, adding a third column and moving the 3 Pictures of the Day to the new column.

There are 3 top ad banner spots now. All the inexpensive ads on the lower left side ads are now pretty close to the top as well, offering better value, more click-throughs and potential clients/customers to the advertisers who keep this site alive.

Does this expanded layout work fine in your browser (1024 columns including browser scroll bars and frames) as I haven't tested it on all browsers yet. Any problems?

Any suggestions for further improvements? It's about time for at least a new site header, don't you think?

<img src="http://www.compunicate.com/Lamma/Blog/Site-new-layout-080925.jpg" border=1>

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Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

<img src="http://www.compunicate.com/Lamma/Blog/Site-new-layout-081205-try.jpg" border=1>

Another "upgrade" of the home page went online today, using my 360-degree photo from the top of Mt. Panorama.

There's also a new index of the 6 latest Lamma-zine stories now, an extended, illustrated version of the index at the top of these forum pages.

Comments, please? Good, bad, does it work properly,...?

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Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Any comments on the new home page layout, anyone?

Somebody didn't like the new index of the last 6 latest Lamma-zine stories at the top as they need to scroll down one page to see the newest daily story. Agree?

By the way, here's a larger version of my 360-degree panorama shot in the webs site page header; 2,000 pixels wide, scaled down from the original 11,000+ pixels size:

<a href="http://www.compunicate.com/Lamma/Blog/Mt-Panorama-080723/Panorama2-max.jpg" border=1>Mt Panorama panorama</a>

If people like it, I might also update the header of these forums soon.

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Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Been looking at the new layout with all the browsers I have at my disposal, and it seems fine. I like it. It's nice to see you're getting better advertising support.

(p.s. Congrats on the weight loss ... quite an accomplishment!) .

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Lead me not into temptation;
I can find it myself, thank you.

Thanks, chuckm!

Great to hear from you again. What have you been up to in freezing Vancouver while some of us bike-hike in the hills of Lamma in our T-shirts?

About the ne home page design, the only negative feedback I've received so far from 1 or 2 people is about the new headlines at the top of the home page, introducing the 6 latest stories, the same ones linked from the top of these forum pages. Some regular readers didn't like it as they have to scroll down one page now to read the newest story.

Agree, disagree?

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Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

It does seem a bit top heavy.

The panorama banner is bigger: 94 pixels high. The old one, as one the forum, is 82. Not much, but it's a line of text.

I open the story frame as a new page when I want to read it so I can use the whole screen.

That's a though one ... I do like the 'latest story' box, but Alan makes a good point regarding its use of vertical space. Making the thumbnails for each one smaller might make them unusable, and without the images the headlines would lack punch. I guess you could try making them a bit smaller, but it's a difficult call. Would the latest *four* items be a better way out of the dilemma?

I do like the new panorama banner a *lot*, and I think Alan's suggestion to make it a bit less tall might work if the aspect ratio can be maintained.

These things are never easy, because you can never please everyone.

I have been visiting the site a bit less frequently in the past while. My business partner and I have started a direct-to-garment inkjet printing business, and running a kiosk in the local Mall for Christmas is proving to be a real challenge in time management, what with my other regular job and all. We're constantly on the run doing one-off custom tee shirts and mouse pads. I'm just a sucker for punishment!

_________________
Lead me not into temptation;
I can find it myself, thank you.

chuckm,

I'll have a look at how to squeeze the top of the home page down a bit...

So I can order a custom-printed Lamma-zine T-shirt, featuring the new home page look, from you? Do you mail them internationally?

Any other comments on the new home page look?
Like? Dislike? How to improve?

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Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

I think it looks great. the new banner is a nice change, never mind the few extra pixels of space.

OK, I've just squashed the latest stories index on top of the home page by 35% vertically. I might also use just 4 headlines in the future, depending on a good diverse mix of stories to attract more interest.

The main point of all this daily extra work for the headlines is to get the daily 1,000+ unique home page visitors to read more than just the latest top story.

Better now? Or worse?

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.