Has Gawker Media shot their own blogs in the foot?
polycounter lvl 18
Since the recent layout redesign of most of Gawker Media's blogs (Jalopnik, io9, lifehacker, Gizmodo, Kotaku) to that utterly horrible right-side panel setup, I've been finding myself less and less inclined to visit their blogs. A number of people I've talked to recently have said the same thing.
This is a shame, cause I really like their blogs, especially when I have them and their counterparts (Autoblog, Engadget, Joystiq, Neatorama) to read. I really wonder if this broad-reaching redesign was well thought out. The layout seems like a poorly done smartphone or tablet page, and is actually rather counter-intuitive to reading (either as a normal web page or as a blog). As far as I've seen, there's no option to 'go back' to a normal blog layout.
What's your take on this design change?
This is a shame, cause I really like their blogs, especially when I have them and their counterparts (Autoblog, Engadget, Joystiq, Neatorama) to read. I really wonder if this broad-reaching redesign was well thought out. The layout seems like a poorly done smartphone or tablet page, and is actually rather counter-intuitive to reading (either as a normal web page or as a blog). As far as I've seen, there's no option to 'go back' to a normal blog layout.
What's your take on this design change?
Replies
I normally embrace facelifts and while it might take a day to get used to, if a site has a new interface that improves it's usability and navigation, then I'm all for it.
In this case, they've just ruined it. It's not so much about appearance, it's about the interface, which should be intuitive and easy to use. It took me a good few minutes to figure out how to look through past articles, and even when I figured it out, I didn't like how it worked.
I've now abandoned the actual websites completely and anything Gawker I'm only reading through RSS on my phone or Google Reader.
If anyone else is having the same problems and doesn't already use RSS, I recommend Google Reader on your computer, or 'Pulse' if you have an iPhone / iPad... add the feeds and you get the same news articles in full, without the crap new interface.
http://www.kotaku.com.au/
My biggest issue is with font. Times New Roman? Seriously? In 2011??
It still comes up as a bunch of text links on my phone so at least I'm not stuck looking at only the top story.
Edit: praetus Oh blog view, nice! They should default to that.
But not all hope is lost, there's still http://kotaku.com/#!classic . Though I still liked the old one much better. Maybe I'll just read it via RSS from now as well.
i had to kick engadget out of my bookmarks altogether, the site is almost unvisitable on my laptop - it chugs along and gets the fans to kick into high gear. i suspect they make my machine crunch setihome packages in the background. i wonder how it runs on - you know... actual gadgets?
The format doesn't bother me, but the way it works does. I'm not a fan of these "endless" pages. I think I first saw it with the Bing images search which is now what Google images uses too. I can see how it can be a good idea sometimes, but it's difficult for me to get a sense of how much content I'm going through. Especially when there are no scroll bars as in the case of this Kotaku layout and I can't quickly jump to about where I thought I saw an interesting post, but didn't click on it the first time through.
Or maybe I just don't know how to use the internet anymore! :poly124:
It also doesn't work on the PS3, which is a bit of an arse as sometimes I like to relax in the evening in front of the TV and browse a few dailies.
Total balls up IMO.
bummer
I just don't like how they make you have your mouse over a specific part in order to scroll down, I usually don't pay attention to where my mouse is when I'm trying to read a site.
This. I gave up on Kotaku years back and haven't suffered for lack of information. Maybe the horrible layout change will make people realize that there are better places to get their news. Poor writing + poor design = go somewhere else.
subscribe to their feeds
win.
Their new layout is a lot nicer for reading imo. the comments section is a little cluttered between the article & comments, and comments & footer tho. messy. Wish they would make the comments a slightly darker gray color so that the article is more prominent. Even tho the writing and content is generally shit, would still clean it up some.
I will only browse the site by adding /classic to the end and still that view isnt as great as it use to be.
If they wanted to change the site somehow they should have had there editors write good articles instead of just posting Deviant Art related game crap.
kotaku just rips off shit from neo gaf anyway.
The site looks nice, upon opening the page, but then the usability issues start.
God, I kind of want to read the site but it's such a pain. I've been reading Joystiq mainly for my gaming news and it's much better. If they wanted to have a more polished blog format they could have looked at a site like that for reference.
Not that it matters though I get all my gaming news at neogaf
This. I usually read their stuff through google reader anyways. I've tried the new layout and it doesn't seem so bad...I can understand some people finding it slightly annoying, but I don't understand what seems to be downright *outrage* from so many.
I agree with their reasoning behind the new design and I actually really disliked the old designs for many of the discussed reasons (slow loading, tons of crap I didn't need, small images, etc). I didn't love the old layout and I don't love the new one, so nothing has really changed for me. I'll still stop by occasionally and browse stuff, regardless.
My life isn't over and there is no need to have a hissy fit about it, though. :P
The redesign is terrible for several practical reasons.
a) It's slow. Instead of one load for the entire page, you get an ever bigger load for every single article.
b) It's cluttered. They went from a straight roll of articles (simple) to links and crap everywhere you look.
c) It's over-complicated. Again, straight roll of articles VS multi-panel layout (remember how much everyone loved FRAMES?)
d) People expect scrolling to scroll the page. They do not expect having to hold their mouse in a certain position and scroll part of the page, or click on buttons to scroll.
e) It's all motivated by a few old magazine designers who pine for the days of superfluous magazine spreads instead of thinking about how people actually use the web.
All in all, I've switched to reading Joystiq. And luckily, I'm planning to launch my own blog soon anyways.
wait... now its back.
Oh wait. Now its gone again. -___-
Just reading the thread on their "This is the new gizmodo" post, and its clear that a vocal few like the layout, everyone else loathes it.
http://gizmodo.com/#!5752428/this-is-the-new-gizmodo
Now I get halfway through the URL out of habit and I remember "Oh yeah, that site is unusable now"
In terms of usability, it's a nightmare. Steve Krug's "Don't Make Me Think!" has long served as a bible for web usability, and the new Gawker design seems to have tried as hard as possible to go the opposite direction from every principle discussed there.
I'm not sure if they have some special accommodations running in the background for accessibility but this also seems to be an accessibility nightmare.
When it comes to usability, don't reinvent the wheel.
More page views = more ads served = more revenue.
Joystiq. :thumbup:
The blog I'm particularily unhappy about with this change is Jalopnik; between them and Autoblog I'd much rather read Jalopnik, but the new design keeps pushin me away.
I think the new design makes skimming articles easier, but I'm much less likely to click on them. Too compact with no leading text to grab me. Also makes my scroll-wheel finger tired. (there's gotta be SOMETHING interesting to read, right? right?)
Yeah this is the one I think I am going to stick to, seems nice
Kotaku Headline: DEVELOPER SAYS PS3 IS UTTER SHIT
A developer spoke out on the topic of the PlayStation 3 today, citing concerns over the difficulty of developing for it. Filler filler filler filler filler filler. We were just kidding in the headline, he actually says Sony has been great to work with and the studio is getting over the development hurdles just fine. Filler filler filler filler filler filler. Snarky ending comment based on random, uninformed, and entirely unreasonable opinion.
I like the idea of switching/seeing all the articles from inside a story. But for the home page I like to just scroll through it all and skim it for interesting things.
Needs to be a mix of both worlds.