2012-12-18, 04:14 AM
(2012-12-17, 09:17 PM)pavemen Wrote: [ -> ]i know you started off with mentioning forum display, but i am curious if you mean the forum index or your site index? totally different discussions IMHOYes, thanks for catching that - I did mean forum index rather than display. Corrected in OP.
(2012-12-17, 11:22 PM)brad-t Wrote: [ -> ]Ideally, it should probably look absolutely nothing like what we understand a forum to look like. Unfortunately, I haven't found the ideal I'm searching for yet.
Sideboxes really need to be justified. Most sites don't do this. If you're just gonna stick ads and cruft there, that's a crappy user experience. I think on my site the sidebox is actually useful, though YMMV.
You should always decide what you actually want to do before you look at themes; otherwise you'll end up shoehorning in features you don't really need.
You bring up some excellent points - I completely agree that sidebox use must be justified or else its just a waste of space and time. I really like the side boxes you have fitted into HJ, you seem to have really integrated the content well.
I really like your "design first, cut later" philosophy, I admit it is not the way I usually go about doing things.
(2012-12-17, 11:48 PM)Crayo Wrote: [ -> ]Content always needs to be the main attraction on your index page, so display it well. I don't get the sidebox hate, I love them, they're the future. Index pages should be welcoming, and easy, that's it.
I agree that sideboxes should be used in some circumstances. As Lee mentioned earlier, it could be equally as bad if a forum listing stretches the width of the entire page.