Proposed Home Page - have a look

I have created a proposed Home Page for the site and have a few concerns about it so I would very much value your opinion on it before I turn it on.

You can see it at https://www.recreationalflying.com/index.html/

Does it load fast enough? Is it too cluttered? Is it missing something? Each section has too many entries or not enough entries? Is the layout right and the different sections in the right order? Is there enough importance placed on the right sections like centre or side column? etc etc etc

Please post your comments and also remember there are still several more components to add like Articles, Tools and Calculators, On This Day, Famous Aviators etc

Hi Ian, the page downloaded quickly and reads clearly. However I mostly only want to access the new unread page so I am probably not the one to comment on this. Keep up the great work. 

I Like it; a good balance of words and pics.  Are the entries chosen, or are they random?  Just concerned that some trolling might unfortunately end up featured on the home page. 

Hi Ian, the page downloaded quickly and reads clearly. However I mostly only want to access the new unread page so I am probably not the one to comment on this. Keep up the great work. 

 

Thanks Mate, the objective of a Home Page is to show a new person landing on the site what it is all about and to then generate enough interest that entices them to go further into the site and hopefully they like what they see enough to register as a member and keep coming back...the Home Page is meant as a huge advertisement of what is in the site

I Like it; a good balance of words and pics.  Are the entries chosen, or are they random?  Just concerned that some trolling might unfortunately end up featured on the home page. 

 

Thanks FV, generally all the entries are "dynamic" as in they reflect the latest entries. For the first section of the page it shows latest threads, now if there is trolling or flaming going on in the thread then yes some of it may get shown until another post is made in that thread or it may completely disappear shortly after with other new posts posted in other threads causing that thread to be listed instead...if that makes sense

Hi Ian, 

I like it.

But I am with Tillmanr about been able to go straight to new posts. Even if for only those signed in.

Would be helpful esp for fat fingered  buggers like me when using a mobile.

Phil

 An impressive "Collage". I can't comment on how effective it will be. Most have a micro second attention span, and only "read" Pictures. Nev

Hi Ian, the page downloaded quickly and reads clearly. However I mostly only want to access the new unread page so I am probably not the one to comment on this. Keep up the great work. 

 

Ditto

Hi Ian,

Loaded quickly for me, and looks good IMO!

Cheers,

Neil

Thanks all, the new Home Page is now up, hope you like it and as always, any suggestions on improvements are greatly appreciated

Hi Ian

Loads and looks fine.

My old eyes, however, would appreciate a more bold and blacker font for the body text of the site.

and

the "Forums" button on the Off Topic page works OK

but not on the Rec Fly page.

cheers

and thanks for all the grand effort.

the "Forums" button on the Off Topic page works OK

 

but not on the Rec Fly page.

 

Thanks mate, I just tried it and it works ok so not sure exactly what you may be referring to:

On the Recreational Flying (.com) site:

1. Click Off Topic in main menu column takes you to the Whats Up Australia site in a new tab

2. Click Off Topic in the sub menu on the Whats New page takes you to the Whats New on the Off Topic site

On the Whats Up Australia site:

1. Click Rec Flying on the sub menu on the Whats Up Australia site takes you to the Recreational Flying (.com) home page in the same tab

Is there something that's not working right elsewhere?

The new home page looks pretty good, it loaded fast for me (I'm on fairly new FTTC NBN in an inner-city suburb), and the layout is satisfactory.

The only thing that I believe might improve the look and feel is if the news article "blocks" were all the same size. Scrolling through varying size "blocks" feels a trifle discordant to me.

The newspaper sites are pretty good at home page layout, check them out, and see how the RF Home Page compares to them.

OOps!!

and apologies to you Ian,

my bad

I had completely failed to notice that the "forums" listing appeared in a panel on the right side of the screen.

best wishes

and apologies for wasting your time

David Hill