Katt Linden has been asking people their opinions of the new homepage.
I have yet to win the "New Homepage Lottery" in my refreshing of that site, but there has been a thumbnail screenshot of the new page released on the blog.
Sorry. Can't see it too clearly. If I'm going to comment, I gotta see it in it's full glory or lack thereof.
There's also a full-sized snapshot here.
I took a minute to think.
Oh. My. God.
Let me share with you my first comment on it:
isfullofcrap @Katt_Linden - Looking at a snapshot... fire them. Fire them now. And fire the person who hired them. Beyond dreadful.
This design has the same impact of a comedian performing at a battered women's shelter with a rape joke.
It violates the most basic rule of web design: Never use a solid black background.
Only those products, services, or designers known for light-on-black can get away with this crime against web design. And your designers have failed miserably.
An overwhelming amount of black sets the mood immediately: dark, dismal, death, worry, failure, bad, evil.
Light elements like the orange GET STARTED: FREE DOWNLOAD do not invite or welcome people to click on them, but instead glare from that darkness like a sore thumb.
(And, yes, I'm well aware that I violate this concept with the Tunes inSL web site, but that site has black text on a white background in the bulk of the page... the black sections are railings/spacers.)
The "Verb Pods" have me wondering if these folks are serious.
The first verb there is "Dance."
Is this a dance studio? Learn dancing at home?
"Flirt" - a dating site?
"Stop" - a catalog?
"Learn" and then "Flirt" - what? Huh?
They're not separated from the inky void in which they are embedded. No visual border to help them stand out. Trapped. Stuck.
Bleh.
Take this concept out back, drive a stake through its heart, and stuff it's mouth with garlic.
NEXT!
If this had been the front page when I first signed up, I might have not signed up.
Looked up some of my old notes: "Black is not an inviting color. You do not go into a black space. Our brains are wired to prefer light spaces."
Once again, grab whatever wrist-slashing Goth who put together this piece of garbage, rub them with raw hamburger meat, show them the door, and then release the hounds.
(Has Nexeus said it's wonderful and fantastic yet?)
Comments (9)
I put my thoughts in the forum, I may blog about them too.
Yeah, this is crappy. Umm.. not in a female robot way.
Posted by radar | December 16, 2008 2:16 PM
Posted on December 16, 2008 14:16
Second Life® is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents…. Except for the homepage that they force conceptual pods on you to constrain your ability to navigate to what is important. Oh well, I will wait till I can see it in action. /me looks at my blog and finds a black background doh! . but my eyes cant handle the bright white all day since I am normally on the computer for 12-14 hours a day.
Posted by Fricker Fraker | December 16, 2008 2:39 PM
Posted on December 16, 2008 14:39
ok, blog post written. http://radarmasukami.com/2008/12/16/flashity-flunk/
Posted by radar | December 16, 2008 2:56 PM
Posted on December 16, 2008 14:56
Eep! Obviously their designer packed up and went home. White creates a sense of space where as black removes that perception (so you need a lot more space). Black isn't bad per se - if used properly and with skill but.. errr...
I think they gave the SL home page to the kids down the road and said, "let's see what you come up with".
Thumbs down to the "design" with the black background from me.
Posted by Moggs Oceanlane | December 16, 2008 5:02 PM
Posted on December 16, 2008 17:02
It's not just the black, it's... where do i focus? it hurts to look at. my eyes keep going from one side to the other. Argh. Murderdeathkill.
Posted by radar | December 16, 2008 8:58 PM
Posted on December 16, 2008 20:58
Ack! This thing is a dawg. Really, it is.
And yes, o Lindens, please take the "Flirt" thing offa there. It's tres embarassin'. SL shouldn't admit that it's Adult 3D Friend Finder for some lost souls, even if it is.
Overall, it I give it a "B".
For "Bufugly" and unimaginative.
Posted by Via | December 17, 2008 3:22 AM
Posted on December 17, 2008 03:22
Rest your eyes, Radar.
(The gom jabbar is coming)
Posted by Crap Mariner | December 17, 2008 8:28 AM
Posted on December 17, 2008 08:28
If this was a home page for the viewer (login page) it would be fine. I'd love to look at random snapshots from Snapzilla as I logged in. However, I agree with your comment. Fire them.
At first look, what does what? How do the images relate to the function of the link? I'm going to look away from the web page and see spots on every white wall I look at.
Here is the other thing. Why didn't they make 3 different mock-ups first? If you paid a designer 100,000 to design a page for you, would you consider having them (or someone else) create a different one if everyone told you it was crap? Where is the user testing?
My guess is that the page with photos will become just as old and stale as the current front page.
Posted by Dedric Mauriac | December 18, 2008 3:00 PM
Posted on December 18, 2008 15:00
As someone who showcases the works of leading SL photographic artists, I do think that a login page displaying diverse pics could really show the compelling range of experiences available in SL. But those pics? Really? REALLY??? Were they taken by a fresh crop of noobs during a photography tutorial?
and as for the other criticisms...
(/me stares at the black background of her blog with a worried expression on her face)
Posted by Nightflower | December 20, 2008 11:04 AM
Posted on December 20, 2008 11:04