I’ve been wrestling with how to make improvements to WUWT for a few months, considering different options such as trying out the WordPress Enterprise that I was invited into last year (which didn’t really pay for itself as many of the options didn’t work as advertised), and looking at different themes. With a website that is working well, it is always a risk making improvements because sometimes “improvements” have unintended consequences.
But, learning from our users, I’ve decided to make a small change, which is entirely reversible; here it is.
What I’ve learned from readers, both in watching the comment flow and in reading emails is that due to the volume of topics covered at WUWT, with typically 6-8 stories a day, is that some popular stories that are still active with debate, often disappear from the front page quickly.
This has to do with screen real estate. As you know, we like to make big graphs and images here in essays, such as some of the splendid graphs Willis Eschenbach produces. I’ve always felt that these large format graphics help people understand the concepts better., But they often hog the front page if they are part of the story introduction.
So I’ve come up with what I think is a good compromise that will keep interesting stories on the front page longer (where people can find them) before they scroll off the page. It will also help WUWT load faster overall.
I’m going to a capsule format on the front page. This means small sample graphics coupled with a short introduction paragraph. It gives the reader a quick overview, and if they are interested, they click through, if not, they scroll past to see other stories.
Here is a before and after view of the front page of WUWT. The numbers represent stories:
As you can see, with the new encapsulated format, I’ve been able to effectively double the number of stories in the same column space, going from about 2.5 stories visible before (story 3 is cutoff) to 5 stories afterwards.
Because of that, I’ve also been able to increase the number of stories loaded on the front page from about 15 to 25 or more before the “load more” button appears.
This change should also improve the experience for people reading WUWT on phones and tablets where a lot of scrolling was previously required to navigate the front page.
For guest authors, please note this new format. Try to make a short introductory paragraph followed by the body of your post. I’ll handle adding appropriate thumbnails where I can, drawing either from the article or our stock of clip art and previously used but relevant images.
[Added: And, there’s a new header and a slight font tweak too. If you need the font to be bigger, press CTRL+ Mouse Control Wheel forward/backwards to change size. Ctrl-Zero resets.]
While I know change isn’t always welcome, I hope this one will be an improvement for everyone.
And for those of you that don’t have a Twitter account yet, get one.
It is the easiest and most effective way to speak directly to many of the people we cover in stories and ask them questions. WUWT has reached over ten thousand followers now, and I welcome you to take part in this. https://twitter.com/wattsupwiththat
Good changes. What portion of the earth are we looking at in the new picture at the top?
Anthony,
You’re to quick on the draw here. You initially art direct and they do the code. Once the site performs to you liking, simply point the url to it for a test. If problems, point the url back to word press for site corrections and continue until its done to your liking.
They code, maintain their code which they in turn sell to other customers. It takes you off the hook for coding, gives you better dedicated rates, and better storage and gives them a way to showcase site services.
Its a win win. ?
REPLY: Still no. Who is “they”? -A
I like it; we’re not talking a radical change here, just briefer intros to fit more stories on a page. I don’t see anything wrong with that, in fact I only see benefits.
REPLY: Still no. Who is “they”? -A
I can do some research and make some contacts for you if you like. I’d likely start with a major provider who owns a piece of the trunk lines and isn’t afraid of climate debates.
REPLY: Appreciate the offer, but with wordpress.com they don’t choose sides. A new CEO get installed at someplace else and I might be out on the street…and then there’s lobbying by outfits like Soros funded “Forecast the Facts” and 350.org. WordPress.com tells content lobbiers that free speech is their prime directive and so “bug off”. I’m pretty safe here. Not worth the risk – A
just one point.
i find the new font too thin, and difficult to read. The previous font was better.
It was just a thought Anthony — marketing/branding leverage to help and support.
I’m more than surprised CalTech isn’t beating down your door for an opportunity to support you but I guess Science is an unusual game these days.
Best Regards,
John
Well done Mr Watts. The site definitely loads faster. I like the new format. If you check the Alexa (I think that’s the site) numbers I bet your load time has went down by 97%. 😉
Change looks good. I have always thought it would be better if clicking on an article caused a new tab, leaving the main site on the original tab. That way you don’t waste time reloading the main page, and in addition it remains on the summary of the most recently-read summary. I read WUWT on my iPad.
The font is poor, difficult to read. Effect is blurred and indistinct.
I like your adverts, Anthony especially when I’m looking for a new car. Thanks Anthony. I like the changes. They are OK .
Everything looks fine to me. I only tweet to one timeline, cspan’s Washington Journal, but most of the links I provide to the dunderheads over there come from this website.
Just an idea: You can also make a “trending” widget that lists post by the last time someone commented on them. That way the post that with active debate will show up in the sidebar allow users to find them easily.
I like the new look better than the old one as it is more simple, clean, and appealing. But I think one can find the older posts easy using the “recent posts” widget on the right hand side no matter which version is used. That is what the widget is for after all.
Hi Anthony
I just thought i would add my two penny’s worth, I like the new font.
Mods
For some reason I am getting a “Sorry, your comment can not be posted” (or something like that — going from a failing memory here) from wordpress when I try to post with my WordPress account like I normally use. What is up with that? Notice that the message I was trying to post made it just fine using my Twitter account.
By the way, I don’t understand the disdain of Twitter shown on this thread. I have met many fine people on that site.
Capsule format and faster loading are big improvements for me. Well done Anthony.
Dear Anthony
Your new improvements look very good, but can we have the old font back?
Maybe it’s on me here, but with Firefox the font looks very skewed and is a pain to read.
I’ll add a screenshot here for you.
http://www.umweltluege.de/tst/wuwt.png
Thanks, and thumbs up for your great efforts with WUWT!
@petermue thanks for the screencap. Strange that you see that, it renders perfectly and clearly for me.
Can you tell what what browser version and what sort of machine setup you have? Can’t imagine this happening but I would like to understand better.
In the meantime, I’ll switch the original font back.
I like the change, I can get more info, quicker.
Far better would be moving Recent Posts to the top of the sidebar. That way I’d only need to hit Home to be able to switch to a new thread, instead of having to do two or three more page-refreshes by hitting Page Down two or three times.
I have to joint the majority on the new format. I also don’t and won’t twit.
Theo Goodwin says:
May 18, 2014 at 8:20 am
Once in a while Anthony is wrong. Like this time. 🙂 You don’t feel like you have all that energy because you put it here.
BTW, this change may or may not mess up the data collection I do for my Guide to WUWT. I’ll try to take a look at things tonight. Whatever has changed, I should be able to handle it without much trouble.
New Coke.
I hate change.
But this seems sensible.
It’s the vast number of comments that take the time to read anyway.
Bingo.
COMMENT 100.
I lurked so long for this.
Mark Stoval (@MarkStoval) says:
May 18, 2014 at 2:22 pm
…By the way, I don’t understand the disdain of Twitter shown on this thread….
Mark, I can only speak for myself but I have some very well defined reasons not to engage twitter.
1) Free Speech
Twitter has frequently deleted tweets and prevented posters from advancing a story that does not suit their arbitrary (usually left center) inclinations. I am speaking first person. They blocked me. I was using an alias and contributed to advancing a post from some other person and Twitter decided the world need not know about it.
So if they prevent free speech they are sh1te to me.
2) Mob Mentality
Twitter creates mobs. If you post to someone’s account which they identity as left or right etc, you get endless referrals and lumped in with people whom you may never want to associate. It is a weakness of their categorization algorithm. So they create mobs mechanically. Also, twitter is a mob construct philosophically. One can blurt out a brief phrase devoid of any nuance or propel a nuance-less blurt with out caveats. Like “yes we can”.
3) Cult of Personality
Popularity breeds more popularity. Gobull Warming became a problem because of the cult of mindless celebrities and fake scientists barking out thoughtless slogans. The whole AGW cult is one of personality not facts. Mann et al never want to engage in fact based dialogue, they prefer to tweet, sloganize and repeat soundbites.
4) Twitter serves the few.
Twitter is good for media wonks who need to be popular, or seen to be popular. It is good that Anthony desires and IS popular. Anthony has something important to contribute but for people like me who keep 99% of their lives off the grid so to speak, it is useless. I do not see the point of creating an online avatar as a proxy for real life. It is a hollow existence. Notwithstanding that reality, Twitter only works in a inward looking self-promoting/network expanding framework and it is pervasive and NEEDS followers!
So I am going back outside, without my smart phone, and raking some leaves, not that anyone really cares or should care except for me.