This looks like a great improvement! I'm really looking forward to seeing it in action.
And it reminds me of a question I've got--are there plans to get rid of the splash page in the nearish future? It's pretty much completely useless, especially if you're already a member/familiar with the AO3, and I find it kind of ugly to boot. There are a lot of great things one could do with the entry page, especially for members, and I'm curious whether anything's in the pipeline. Thanks!
I agree; I never scroll down to read the News because it's 'below the fold'. And I never knew there was a link to the News until just now when I actually went to really look at the splash page. It'd be much more useful if News were featured higher, in the 1st screenful.
My dream is to someday have a configurable landing page with quick links to all my favourite fandoms (especially because they're small, so the Fandoms page doesn't provide quick links to them!), the news feed, and a view of my inbox so I can quickly reply to new comments. However, I know those sorts of workspaces are a lot of effort to code. I'd quite happily settle for a better use of the real estate--there's so much empty space on the front page, and the (gigantic) text that's there doesn't say anything I don't already know. Quick links to the major fandom categories (but please not the major fandoms >>) and a more prominent place for the News feed would be really helpful. I really do navigate the site by going to the front page first, so it would save me an extra click or two. ♥
Yes; I can't imagine the amount of programming it'd take to make a customizable home page, and would settle on a redesign that makes better use of screen real estate.
I really like the idea of quicklinks to your favorite fandoms on the start page. It's always such a pain to click through to the fandoms page, category and then search for the fandom.
Hint: have bookmarks for your favourite fandoms (and/or pairings) or even better subscribe to its RSS feed.
That's what I do, anyway. I've got a couple tiny fandoms that only get new stuff once in a blue moon and with bookmarks/rss you're more likely to check them regularly (there's always hope).
Still I got to agree a configurable homepage would be beyond awesome, but understandably beyond possible as well.
The complexity of the code and the demands on the server are indeed concerns that would have to be fully addressed before we could implement a fully dynamic front page. We have had discussions about it, and I've noted your feedback for future conversations. If you have more suggestions, let Support know!
Thank you for your thoughts! While we're not actively working on the front page at the moment, we're always taking feedback on the site's interface. If you have more suggestions, let Support know!
Thanks for your comments! Revising the front page is a discussion we've had in the past. I've noted your comments down for the next time we revisit the issue. If you have more suggestions, let Support know!
We've had a number of discussions regarding the main landing page regarding the content. While we do want to look at it further, it's relatively low on our priority list as, as Campylobacter noted, it would require a significant time investment to code. We are taking feedback regarding it, as we do for all aspects of the site, so I'll note your comments down for later review!
Comment on Sneak Peek: Our Shiny New Header!
Who Shot AR (akerwis) Tue 12 Feb 2013 06:27PM UTC
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campylobacter Tue 12 Feb 2013 07:46PM UTC
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Who Shot AR (akerwis) Tue 12 Feb 2013 07:53PM UTC
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campylobacter Tue 12 Feb 2013 08:06PM UTC
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mondfisch Tue 12 Feb 2013 10:07PM UTC
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Moon Wed 13 Feb 2013 07:18PM UTC
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Sam of Support (AO3_Support) (Official) Fri 15 Feb 2013 02:57AM UTC
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Sam of Support (AO3_Support) (Official) Fri 15 Feb 2013 02:55AM UTC
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Sam of Support (AO3_Support) (Official) Fri 15 Feb 2013 02:52AM UTC
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Sam of Support (AO3_Support) (Official) Fri 15 Feb 2013 02:50AM UTC
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