...and by extension, what happened to the old layout in general? Clicking the "click here to expand forum to full width" link got old after about, oh, three pages.
The new layout has a couple of table alignment glitches on the right too.
As far as the new layout goes, let me be the first to point out the big flaw -- it's killed the usability of making the page full-width.
Old-style, all one had to do to get rid of the ad was scroll down. For me (and I suspect most people), that's a flick of the mouse wheel. Without a wheel, it's a click on the bottom part of the scroll bar, which is a really big target in a maximised window -- it's about 70% of the screen high and infinitely wide.
New-style, we all get to play whack-a-mole with a hotspot about 300x15 pixels, 50+ times a day.
Start with your mouse somewhere in the left half of the screen (different points) and try to point at that link with a single quick sharp movement. Do it 10 or 20 times. Is your success rate at highlighting that thing anywhere near 100%? Mine's under 20%.
If we must go back to the side ad, please at least give us the usability back -- take the sort of position-detecting code that places like About.com used to keep their stuff positioned at the top of the window, and use that to kill off the ad once it's been scrolled past.
I was actually looking at the reply page when I posted that; the one under the ad is the only link. And yes, it's far harder to hit with a mouse cursor -- when you reach for the close button or a scroll bar you tend to overshoot it by a mile, because you know the edge of the screen is there and no matter how far right you push you're still going to be on the target. Putting the target within the window means you can't overshoot any more.
Having one at the top of each post in the viewing screen is better. Still not good, but better.
Seriously, try that quick test with the link under the ad. No after-adjustments; where your cursor rests after the first movement is what counts. Then tell me it's not hard to point at that thing quickly and reliably. And remember that the comparison for most people isn't even with the scroll bar; it's with sliding a finger across onto the wheel and pulling down.
Start with your mouse somewhere in the left half of the screen (different points) and try to point at that link with a single quick sharp movement. Do it 10 or 20 times.
Last edited by Tuttle; May 23rd, 2005 at 08:39 PM.
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