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As we posted a few months ago, we are in the middle of a major project to make Hoop.la, UBB Forum, and QuestionShark responsive.  Things are going a little slower than we originally projected, but we now have a target date for beginning our beta process.

 

Every single interface is being enhanced and improved to support both responsive design and an improved overall experience.  And we have taken the time to improve our underlying code in the process, as well.  While there are way too many changes to review in one post, I thought it would be cool to go over a few of the upcoming changes you will see when we roll this out.

 

1.  Improved Theme Editor

  

Screen Shot 2015-06-16 at 7.20.21 PM

 

Customizing the look and feel of your site is much easier in the next version.  The most important change is that we are applying much more consistent nomenclature in our CSS classes, which will make it easier for you to understand how to customize things at the CSS level. But aside from that, the sections of the theme are clearer and easier to understand.    And there are some handy new tools, like the ability to change the opacity of a background color.

 

2. More Visual Blog Content

 

Screen Shot 2015-06-16 at 7.27.09 PM

 

Our blog interfaces will support a more image-centric approach, allowing you to draw your audience in more easily.

 

3. Creating Content Is Simpler

  

Screen Shot 2015-06-16 at 7.32.59 PM

 

A big "Create Content" button is available on nearly every page, making it obvious for your users how to add new material to the community.  You don't have to go the forums to start a topic, for instance... start any kind of content anywhere you like.

 

4. Search Integrated in Nav Menu

 

Screen Shot 2015-06-16 at 7.38.08 PM

 

 

 

We are now shooting for the end of August to begin our beta period, when we will bring customers onto our upgrade server so you can start customizing your sites for the new interface.  That beta period will likely last 1-2 months and your actual live sites will not be upgraded to the new version until after the beta period ends, so you will have plenty of time to get ready once we enter that beta period.

 

We're extremely excited about what is coming next.  Hoop.la is already an amazing community platform, but it is being taken to a whole new level with this project.  Thanks for your patience as we go through this process!

 

 

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Comments (17)

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Originally Posted by Ted O'Neill:

Nice hearing from you, JC!

 

I'm confident in the future of responsive design, though of course techniques and best practices will change over time.  But the overall approach is unquestionably solid.

 

From a browser standpoint, the best recent news is that Microsoft's next browser will be evergreen.  The biggest handicap to web design has always been having to continue to support IE's archaic versions.  

Hi!

 

Yes, the changes must come, but I do not have to like them I'm confident positive results will come, the last big hurdle for me was when Adobe dropped flash for mobiles. The scramble to offer zoom, etc.. without flash was a bit maddening. But again it had to happen. Flash was clunky and bloated and overused. I admire their willingness to say "Enough" an alternative exists, use it. CSS3, HTML5 made my life a lot easier. Oh sure there was a period of adjusting, but now. Much better

J.C.
Last edited by J.C.

Nice hearing from you, JC!

 

I'm confident in the future of responsive design, though of course techniques and best practices will change over time.  But the overall approach is unquestionably solid.

 

From a browser standpoint, the best recent news is that Microsoft's next browser will be evergreen.  The biggest handicap to web design has always been having to continue to support IE's archaic versions.  

Ted @ Crowdstack
Originally Posted by Lynda:

And yes, I remember Mosaic. And dial up.  Neither are pleasant memories. 

Dial up, is not a pleasant memory. But one browser.. ONE!.. lol Then Netscape, then it which shall not be named (IE). Chrome, Safari, and on and on.. and don't get me started on Android. It's like computing started all over again. A reverse big bang. LOL

 

J.C.
Last edited by J.C.

Agree with you JC - we are now 65% mobile, and climbing every month. The responsive design website we just completed in March has seen a terrific improvement in pages per user, minutes on site and a much lower bounce rate.  Right now those metrics are a combination of our responsive website plus our hoop.la community. So those metrics should improve even more once our community is responsive.

 

And yes, I remember Mosaic. And dial up.  Neither are pleasant memories. 

Lynda

Re: Responsive Project Update

 

I feel your pain Ted. I'm facing the reworking of 3 sites to be responsive. All I can say is this better not be a fad like previous "new methods" from the past that came and went. LOL That said, it does make sense to be as versatile as possible. Our audience is no longer PC/Mac, it is mobile and beyond. We simply cannot be without a connection to whatever it is we simply must have access to. Anyone remember Mosaic, the good old days. Only one browser.. lol

J.C.
Last edited by J.C.

Hi Lynda-

 

Your site will be set up on our upgrade/beta server around the end of August, assuming current projections hold up.  While on that server, you will be able to create new theme(s) and change other settings so you can see what your site looks like on the new codebase.  Then, once that "upgrade/beta" period ends, we will start the process of upgrading all live sites to the new codebase (and we will bring over all new themes/settings you set on that beta/upgrade server over automatically so the process is smooth).  That beta/upgrade period will last 1-2 months, in all likelihood.

 

Every paying customer we have will be set up on that upgrade/beta server for testing and we will be bringing over all content onto that server so you can really see what your site looks like.  Of course, any content you create on the upgrade/beta server will not be applied to your live site at any time.

Ted @ Crowdstack
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