Feedback On The New Look
Ever since the move Kito Diaries made from the wordpress forum to the self-hosted domain, I’ve been inundated with a slew of commendations and complaints alike. The complaints have come from random places – emails, Facebook inboxes and BBM messages.
And so, because I’m working with a wed designer to grant y’all as much satisfaction as we can manage in this new circumstance, I’ve decided to put up this post so he too can get to see the feedback.
First and foremost, this move has happened and is final (for those who have been plaguing me with requests for us to return to wordpress). Any other concerns you may have, please kindly let us know in the comments section. And if there are any other opinions out there on a way forward, such would be appreciated as well. (On this note, I want to thank Francis for his inexhaustible efforts to enlighten me with solutions)
(On another side note, for those who have complained about reading back archives of days past, a calendar format has been provided to help that need)
The new KD forum is new and permanent and will keep evolving to serve you guys better.
Thank you. 🙂
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39 Comments
Ace
July 16, 06:13Kpom kwem! Me I like it. It definitely needs some getting used to, but it works fine and looks good.
Pink Panther
July 16, 06:24Thank you, Ace.
Francis
July 16, 06:17You’re welcome
The new site works fine and fast on my phone, though I miss the ability to copy and paste but I guess your webmaster is protecting you from awon copy, paste and earn bloggers.
For anyone dropping complaints, do please state your browser types. It could be your browser acting up due to possible incompatibility with the responsive design of the site. Things will probably get better with the activation of the dedicated mobile theme.
P.S: I’m using Chrome for Android
Masked Man
July 16, 07:10Browser type has nothing to do with people’s complaints. Does your android chrome have limitations?
Francis
July 16, 07:18@MaskedMan my Android chrome has no limitations besides my phone runs on 3GB of RAM so no wahala here.
I think some folks have complained about data consumption, poor rendering, inability to comment etc. Some of these could be browser related especially for those using Opera Mini or Opera with turbo option turned on.
Dennis Macaulay
July 16, 07:34**Hits gavel**
Any questions?
Max
July 16, 07:39Its lovely.. But I can’t open a story in a new tab, I have to read and close, go back and open on the same tab. I think that has to do with the CSS design. Also the icons are a wee bit too large, if there’s a way to reduce it. The previous one could fit in more text because the icons weren’t that big. Then we’d like the comment box to be at the top instead of bottom, some of us like commenting first before reading other people’s comment. Other than that, I think its fine. Nice transitions/animations and lovely colors. 🙂
Absalom
July 16, 08:01So… you’re among those who comment before reading previous comments.
#Nodding
#PeaceOfMindAtLast
Pink Panther
July 16, 08:19LOL. What enlightenment have you gotten from that knowledge, eh Absalom?
Khaleesi
July 16, 07:56“The move is FINAL” … the empress decked out in her expensive arabian fur coat lined with ermine and weighed down with diamonds has spoken! Hear, hear, all ye subjects of the empire!!
Well, this is different, WordPress was easier to navigate et al … i am sure with time we’d all get used to this, but i still think emphasis should be made to ensure that recent posts are right at the top and easily reached over and above everything else. And … the lilac theme is totally doing amazing things to my visual senses. All in all its great and will with regular tweaking and slight improvements get even better
***curtsies deeply before Empress Pinky***
Ringlana
July 16, 08:35It has Happened and it FINAL, No complaint ,Can Cope in all Circumstance.Used to it.
Sinnex
July 16, 09:30Why pink? Is it because you are ‘Pink’ Panther?
It is difficult to navigate.
It consumes more data. Not that I am complaining. The picture quality is okay.
To comment is quite herculean. You have to go to the very bottom to view comments, same goes to those who wants to comment on people’s comment.
In all, the site is okay, looks like a normal website, to say the truth, most times, I just don’t feel like commenting because I just don’t have the time. Not to talk of following up on comments.
I know it is cool to have your own site and all, and I also know you have made up your mind.
I just wonder, if Seun Osewa wakes up one morning and says’ Nairaland is too dull for me, lemme make it more beautiful and pleasing to the eyes’ or maybe when Linda Ikeji gets tired of Blogspot and decides to have her own site…what happens next?
I also know change is the only constant thing in life.
iamcoy
July 16, 14:27Linda ikeji actually wanted to leave blogspot but when she realized it was too late, sharp Nigerians had bought all the url domains like lindaikeji.com and lindaikeji.net and offered to sell her at ridiculous rates.
sinnex u ended up break dancing and dancing traditionally all at once…
Diablo
July 16, 09:41I just miss the simplicity of the wordpress platform, also can there be a mobile site Opera mini doesn’t have javascript, so i have to use my default browser to open this, and that’s a chore on its own. And can the ‘post comment’ thingy be just slightly below the post, so i don’t have to scroll all the way down. This is just so much hard work for me
Temi Cole
July 16, 09:57Yeah, a mobile site would be a great addition. Reading on my phone is always a bit of a chore but on my computer it works beautifully. I can’t complain.
pete
July 16, 10:10to reply a comment here, you’ve to get to the bottom of the page, which is quite stressful
Francis
July 16, 11:23@Pinky That mobile theme I told you to activate via Jetpack plugin will solve the problem of those that want the comment form at the top, right under the post. It solves the problem for mobile users only sha though you’ll need to tweak it to add the pink flavor to it.
Desktop users make una endure small abeg. Moving the comment form up and down can create serious headache. #SpeakingFromExperience.
Max
July 16, 13:5799.9% of ppl use mobile phones to access this site. I personally only use computer sometimes.
Keredim
July 16, 11:26The new site looks awesome on a PC or laptop. I like the categorisations and the search functionality.. However viewing the new site on an iPhone or IPad hasn’t been very enjoyable. The layout looks busy and yes, one had to scroll down to the bottom to leave a comment. (I think that has been rectified now)
I normally view and make comments on the site via the WordPress app. However, though I can read the posts, I can’t make comments because the “comment” icon as well as the “like” icons have disappeared.
It might be a widget thing.
As for the choice of shade of “pink”. Let’s just say I thank God it’s summer☀️☀️. I can get away with wearing dark glasses while viewing the site.
I think the old pink was kinder on the eye. But that’s my opinion.
Keredim
July 16, 11:28Oh and there is an annoying menu pop up thingy that keeps obscuring my view
Max
July 16, 13:59Yeah the menu thing keeps popping up. Its freaking annoying. Please Pinky take note.
Peak
July 16, 11:45Its looks nice, almost too pretty for my eyes, but I will survive.
Heavy as fuck and takes forever to load. A lot of us are always on the go and want to do a quick refresh to catch up on what we must ve missed, and that can take thy kingdom come to happen compared to wordpress. The site doesn’t even load on my BB, the browser just closes on its own accord.
The comment box could be bigger so I can see most of what I typed without having to scroll endlessly.
The reply buttons need work. I tried replying directly to someone’s comment twice yesterday and gave up cos it kept disappearing and using the back button on my browser didn’t help with finding what was previously typed. I need my reply button fixed cos it comes in handy when there’s a storm and u wanna kick a nigga out to make more room for urself.
We could have pages with numbers below or next buttons to help track down old post in the order in which they were posted. (Hope some of yall understand what I’m trying to describe, cos i dont know jack about tech stuff, so bear with me**side eye at francis**)
We need the recent posts to be arranged for easy identification at first glance.
I thinks that’s all I can think of at the moment, other than that, every thing looks just fine.
Dominic Obioha
July 16, 11:49I can’t open stories In other tabs. I really don’t get the point of the old stories swimming up and down on the page. Less is beautiful in my opinion. Let there be archive for those who wanna visit old stories and then the menu pop is not desirable. Change is difficult I know. Welldone Pinky for this bold step…it’s in the right direction.
Absalom
July 16, 12:33In addition…and from an IT dunce’s point of view:
To my top right, just beside the swiping recent stories, I keep seeing old stories such as “Things They Say” and “Caitlyn Jenner and Candis blah blah”… I’m not sure why they are planted in that spot; they are not swiping past, nor labelled as Trending or anything… They’re just…there.
About the site’s colour, may I suggest the pinkness falls more to the background, like a theme rather than a splash? I don’t think it’s a bad idea to introduce another “minor” colour or two to break the monotony of the pink and define it even more… May I also suggest checking out the LGBT website Pink News, if you haven’t – they use a pink theme as well but it doesn’t bleed all over.
I think too that the various sections such as LASIC, Fiction, Kito Stories, etc should exist as tabs that people can click when looking for specific stuff while the home page itself is primarily for stories in descending chronological order. The current design where I have to see the latest episode of LASIC and “Tug of War” and one ancient Kito Story like that gives the impression that the site is not up-to-date.
If we want to promo some old hot stories we can include a “Recommended For You” feature that pops up at the bottom of the page at intervals.
Ehen, and greet the web designer for me please. He did a great job! I love the “Posts by Month” feature.
Pink Panther
July 16, 16:19I love these suggestions.
Max
July 16, 14:07And also we want to have a like & dislike button to be able to like and dislike comments we love/hate
Francis
July 16, 14:17@Max Aha! So that’s how you show your disapproval when you’re in silent bitch mode. I come dey wonder all this while.
Keredim
July 16, 15:13The like/dislike button is a good idea. It will reduce contentious comments and hence strife between commenters.
PS: Do we need to enter our details each time we make a comment?
Max
July 16, 17:56@Keredim, I’ve not entered my details for once here. It Ported me directly from WordPress.
Pink Panther
July 16, 16:24Hahahahahahaa!!! MAX!
iamcoy
July 16, 14:48The facebook/twitter/google icons show that posts can be shared freely on those platforms? Nay?
As for the other complaints I may not need to rehash them again.. alot have been captured and I think a mobile version will be great.
frank I for like ur chrome oh cos I use chrome and the site is upandan d whole place
Francis
July 16, 14:51@iamcoy: lol. na so e be on my chrome too but I don adapt as par it loads fast and I can comment easily.
illuvmua
July 16, 21:10Its so nice……
wondabuoy
July 20, 01:53A lot of CSS tunings need to be made. Most things are too big. Tell your web dev. to reduce the padding and margin around the header elements: [#menu-main-menu], remove the min-height attribute, top and bottom padding on [.main-navigation a] needs to come down… and others.
It’s hard to please every eye in design and layout but simple is always better: the more components you add to make it flashy will create distractions. The pink… there are lighter and warmer shades of pink too.
Francis
July 25, 05:57Mobile site looks good and loads fast but the home page has issues. It doesn’t load old posts. It just reloads the same posts when you click to load more posts.
Pink Panther
July 25, 06:33Check again, Francis. That has been dealt with. And thanks.
Francis
July 25, 06:40Nope. Same wahala persists. Go to home page, click load more entries and watch it load what has been previously loaded again
Pink Panther
July 25, 06:50Is this mobile or site view?
Francis
July 25, 07:09Mobile view. You might want to check your WP-Touch plugin settings.