So, I revisited the Democrat’s site an still found nothing but a site index–at least until I actually put that blasted www in front of the domain name, in the URL… and, whuddya know? The thing showed up! and they’ve revamped the site…
and, i don’t like it… well, sorta…
Honestly, the new layout and design of the Democrat’s site is better organized, and helps to deliver the news in a more organized way. The color scheme is also more comfortable, with the blues and whites, as opposed to the yellows and maroons. I understand why the site had been colored in the other colors, for our high school’s colors are maroon and gold, but that scheme isn’t all that pleasing for a reader’s eyes.
Another change, which I like, is the listing of headlines on the left of the page, and the navigation at the top–the navigational categories have also been condensed. The site also now offers national news feeds toward the bottom of the page, making it a page which one may actually consider having as a home page for his/her browser.
And, finally, they have rid the site of the guest/comment book. Thank God.
Two problems I have with the new site, are where it no longer has a link for an archival search, and where the generation scripts are tossing in extra characters or leaving out spacing on certain pages. On the editorial page, all the letters run together, and in a few of the news stories odd characters are appearing between words and paragraphs.
Another problem, which I might have with the new site, is how story links are handled. I’m not sure whether the site will allow me to link to the stories in my blog, as it had before, due to the scripting they are using. The stories also no longer have an option for print or email. I suppose I shall see how this may affect my blogging later this week, when the new stories appear…