Ok, improvements to the site?
IMO there are a few things that I like better on SC than here.
First the layout is clean and simple, SC makes the most of a smaller amount of space. The fixed width of the threads list makes it quick to visually navigate and understand, and reduces the chance of overwhelming a new user. Also I think the Last Post/Last Author column is clearer about who it is. The date/time is less important really, when I look through threads I've posted in for replies, I am looking for any that don't include my name, aka. have been replied to. The current layout requires a lot of visual zigzaging and small targets and the colour scheme doesn't display the divisions between threads very clearly.
Second, within threads the space taken per post can be a little large. Depending on the screen size you will only get 2-3 posts on the screen at once, making it feel a lot more dragged out to read it. A thread on SC however fits probably 10-15 moderate sized posts. Technically this can lead to an information overload making a thread harder to get into, but I don't think this is the case in this instance, since posts are clearly separated and defined. I can see that the reason for the larger posts are primarily due to large avatars, and avatars are nice to have on forums, but maybe the space could be used a little better.
And finally, the first thing I noticed when I came onto this forum was the lack of a quick post type box at the bottom of a thread window. This makes it awkward to quote or read other threat posts while composing your own response. And just generally breaks up the whole flow of posting. I think this would be a good improvement.
For at least the first two points I do understand that this forum is probably based on a standard library, and the layout and formatting are tried and tested all over the net. Personally for me it has always been the visual junk that has turned me off most forums, the excessive signatures and just general bloat. I think if it would be possible to reduce the vertical height of posts as much as possible and remove any unnecessary information would go a long way to making the forum look less daunting to many SC regulars.
But ultimately this is my opinion on it, and there's a good chance its completely wrong. Just take it at face value, as someone who has studied HCI I know that you never really know how good an interface is until you evaluate it.
IMO there are a few things that I like better on SC than here.
First the layout is clean and simple, SC makes the most of a smaller amount of space. The fixed width of the threads list makes it quick to visually navigate and understand, and reduces the chance of overwhelming a new user. Also I think the Last Post/Last Author column is clearer about who it is. The date/time is less important really, when I look through threads I've posted in for replies, I am looking for any that don't include my name, aka. have been replied to. The current layout requires a lot of visual zigzaging and small targets and the colour scheme doesn't display the divisions between threads very clearly.
Second, within threads the space taken per post can be a little large. Depending on the screen size you will only get 2-3 posts on the screen at once, making it feel a lot more dragged out to read it. A thread on SC however fits probably 10-15 moderate sized posts. Technically this can lead to an information overload making a thread harder to get into, but I don't think this is the case in this instance, since posts are clearly separated and defined. I can see that the reason for the larger posts are primarily due to large avatars, and avatars are nice to have on forums, but maybe the space could be used a little better.
And finally, the first thing I noticed when I came onto this forum was the lack of a quick post type box at the bottom of a thread window. This makes it awkward to quote or read other threat posts while composing your own response. And just generally breaks up the whole flow of posting. I think this would be a good improvement.
For at least the first two points I do understand that this forum is probably based on a standard library, and the layout and formatting are tried and tested all over the net. Personally for me it has always been the visual junk that has turned me off most forums, the excessive signatures and just general bloat. I think if it would be possible to reduce the vertical height of posts as much as possible and remove any unnecessary information would go a long way to making the forum look less daunting to many SC regulars.
But ultimately this is my opinion on it, and there's a good chance its completely wrong. Just take it at face value, as someone who has studied HCI I know that you never really know how good an interface is until you evaluate it.