WFMU Homepage Redesigned

Nobody loved neon green, pink and orange more than me (probably true, actually), but all things good and gaudy must come to an end, and WFMU has redesigned its homepage for the first time in ten years. You can see the results here. Let us know what you think in the comments. (Actually, the homepage was re-designed briefly for four days in 2000 but let's not discuss that.)

Among the new features on wfmu.org: links to the most recent blog articles, expandable news items, better layout and organization overall, plus, a vomit-inducing background color which is completely Doron's fault. Also to blame: Kenzo, Marcus, Liz and Listener Scott Emmer. We all had a much nicer background color chosen, but Doron said: "No, something more... vomity."

Next on the redesign agenda: this very blog. And by "next," I mean: after the marathon (Feb 25 to March 9). Although you may notice a critical addition to this blog: at the bottom of the main page, there is now a link  that says: "Older Posts." What a concept, eh? Thanks to typepad for adding this feature five years too late!

You might notice a brand new array of WFMU homepage pictures on wfmu.org as well. We just retired about 400 of the images that once graced our homepage, but you can always keep up with every image we've ever had (past, present and future) at the top of wfmu.org with our WFMU Homepage Image Gallery.

Serious thanks to Doron, Kenzo, Marcus. Liz, and Scott E.

Happy holidays everybody. Put the Krampus back into Christmas.

Comments

[Scott M]

What a pleasant surprise, looks great! ... bravo, Doron, Kenzo, Marcus. Liz, and Scott E.

[utm]

I think it looks good and reads well. You don't want it too flashy or people might forget it's an independent freeform station. One minor technical issue: your doctype appears malformed (an extra carriage return? or some weirdly escaped entity being mis-parsed by your server). But I don't think it affects the design. Good work and happy holidays to you all.

[bruceleh]

Do you have any larger images in the gallery?
I'd love to create posts on craig's list with them.

[Brian in Austin]

surprised to see fmu on the rounded corner bandwagon. Not a criticism but I'm curious - what is it about those damn things that make everyone want them on their website? Will the video frame of the next generation have rounded corners? Will books and magazines have rounded corners? No - just our credit cards. It's already starting to look dated to me.

Otherwise great redesign.

[Tony in Atlanta]

Word that on the rounded corners. There is a batch of CSS gurus who meet in a Prague cemetary every 14 years to plot how to make life miserable for the rest of us. I'm also surprised to see WFMU letting itself get played for a patsy. Rise up and overthrow the Evil CSS Overlords, people!

Other than that, nice page.

[joisy mike]

Overlord Ken! 2 things:

1. I had browsed over to the 'FMU web page early yesterday. As usual, I wandered away to do something productive. When I got back to the 'puter and hit F5, I thought I had busted the Internets. Here was this alien 'fmu splash page and me on the floor. I had to Google your site name and then ask for the cached version so I could at least grab a copy of the oh so familiar but now very gone front page.

2. Well Done

[Jake]

I still haven't gotten over the loss of WFMU's gopher page. You took it down before I got a chance to finish that excellent game! Anyway, I like the fact the site generally looks like it did as I like the old design. I agree with the rounded corners comments -- doesn't look bad at all but seems surprisingly common for the station. After that redesign contest a few years ago I was kinda hoping that it was decided to just not change the page but I have little to complain about.

[Parq]

Looks fine, chief, but next time warn a person. I clicked on at about ten AM on the day it premiered and everything was normal. You must have gone live just after that, because the next time I looked, it was, well, this. The sort of thing that jars a person, especially when it happens in the middle of your first coffee. But it's easy to get used to, and all the good things that FMU.org does, but no other non-commercial radio web site does even though they're all just common sense, are still there.

[fatty jubbo]

I will miss the old page that I have been looking at for so many goddamn years. It looks good- I like the WFMU letter icons in the freeform front news. But I have to say, while I love the vomity color scheme, the background yellow is a bit too intense and needs to be toned down a little, less saturated...it competes with all the important page information which is on much cooler, less intense colors.

[Anthony]

An amazing improvement. I like looking at it now.

[bobwd]

all i see is a blank mustard colored page with "listen live" kinks up top. i kid you not. i admit to running (wheezing) an anciant computer with flash 7 but ummmm....
are you going MSNBC on me? i have to be rich enough to view the page??

[Bud]

"WFMU has redesigned it's homepage for the first time"

It's = it is

[flopsie]

i think you were too quick to jump on the vomit bandwagon. how about exploring the colors of other bodily secretions a bit?

[bartleby]

I like it. It's more functional, more aesthetic, it's a successful redesign. There is something to be said for trying out a website on an old computer but it worked fine on my system which I purchased down the street for $150.

[Dale Hazelton]

Ken, nice job on the homepage. The "vomit" color looks like like a light tint of butterscotch on my machine and all type presents as it should, so I suggest to everyone that they have the most recent version of whatever browser they use or try a different one (if I use Firefox for example all italic type looks bitmapped, Safari is fine). Also make sure their machines are set for "millions of colors" if they have the option. Color and rounded corners are a design choice, so you can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time. My only hope for BOTB is a reassessment of the black background and knockout type -- my aging eyes doth protest.

[JT]

I like it. It's damn hard to pull off something like this, because so many people will always bitch. I think it's overall much easier to read. And the categorized links on the left alone make it worth the update. But thanks, most of all, for keeping it low tech and low bandwidth. Freeform radio should be available to all, not just those with the latest greatest fanciest technology.

[Ed K]

Home page redesign looks good here.
Added content (icons and corners)
makes the site load at slightly slower
pace on my old dial up connection---
BUT not any worse than other sites.
The font used seems a better choice.

[Rex]

While functionally this is an improvement, I much prefer the aesthetic aspects of the old version. I like the pukey background color, but not the other colors, especially the light brown and yellow. These, along with the larger font selection and the rounded corners makes the webpage seem nonthreatening, bland, and (should I say it?) ... NPRish. One more ungrateful comment: I think it would be better to place the daily schedule above the news so it isn't necessary to scroll down in order to check for fill ins. Regardless, I appreciate the effort to continually improve the station and experiment with innovations, and I really love the pop-up flash player.

[Cheerios]

Lovely fonts
Great readability
Looking pretty

Great work! and happy holidays to you all.

Cool! It's got many StarTrek elements! The colors and the layout is similar to the LCARS system! Very future ready i'd say!
And like Rex said.. daily schedule could be more up and front. Very handy and it's got the dramatic sense of 'radio in action' too.
But really.. Great job!

[Toby Flavin]

It's nice. Which reminds me of a limerick:

Ethnologists up with the Sioux
Wired home for two punts, one canoe.
The answer next day
Said, "Girls on the way,
But what the hell's a 'panoe'?"