Is this the yearly website change?

[SportsFan]

Geesh, I appreciate the improvements, but come on do you have to do it almost every year?

[evilkumquat]

At a cursory glance, I like the new design.

It seems more streamlined and professional in appearance.

[james_t]

Geesh, I appreciate the improvements, but come on do you have to do it almost every year?

We actually launched the design with the Joomla sites two years ago. Some web experts I've read/heard have suggested a complete site redesign every six months, although I think that applies more to business than to news sites.

[SportsFan]

Those "experts" who say to change the site design every six months are idiots. I don't know anyone that wants a site changed every six months. I can't even think of a site that changes that much other than maybe Facebook. Look at sites like Yahoo, Google or ESPN, they rarely change. I wasn't a big fan of the old layout and like this one much better as long as I don't have to sign into to view articles four times when I peruse a different paper. I also hope the search function works better, I like to go check sports results from a previous year and the former layout was a pain to do that.

[TheBigB]

We actually launched the design with the Joomla sites two years ago. Some web experts I've read/heard have suggested a complete site redesign every six months, although I think that applies more to business than to news sites.

I suspect that SportsFan may be confusing the Fence Post redesign with the KPC redesign. I remember the huge to-do that certain people here made over it - including some of the (seemingly) most level headed people here.

I like that you integrated the papers more - it makes more sense than that loosely bonded design which required a bunch of passwords, as Sportsfan pointed out.

I still think you should make the obituaries completely open and password free. I see no economic reason for password protecting that section...

[evilkumquat]

I miss the old Fence Post widget on the front page.

The old one showed who posted last under the thread titles, and that was a nice way to see if anything new had been posted.

[evilkumquat]

I still think you should make the obituaries completely open and password free. I see no economic reason for password protecting that section...

If it's something that will make it more likely for people to pay the subscription fees, you can't blame them for keeping it a paid service.

KPC has to pay its bills somehow.

[TheBigB]

If it's something that will make it more likely for people to pay the subscription fees, you can't blame them for keeping it a paid service.

KPC has to pay its bills somehow.

Yeah, I'm sure that dozens if not hundreds of people pay for a KPC subscription just to see the local obituaries.

[SportsFan]

One issue I have with the new layout is getting to the e-editions or Fence Post links when I am on my laptop. Its not easy to navigate with a touch pad from the "More" to e-editions. Is there something you could do about that?

[TheBigB]

One issue I have with the new layout is getting to the e-editions or Fence Post links when I am on my laptop. Its not easy to navigate with a touch pad from the "More" to e-editions. Is there something you could do about that?

I could see that. Also, I find the required mouse-over behavior to get the menu underneath a bit hard to navigate at times. Clicking on "More" should either bring down a persistent menu of choices (not one that goes away if you move your mouse too far), or take you to a simple "More" page.

It's pretty fun being beta testers, isn't it?