This blog is getting a makeover, mostly because I have started believing in some best practices for web design, specifically to do with fonts. I am going to implement them here and see if it is liked or disliked. There are some small layout changes, but the basic layout will still remain the same, so you will not start all over again.
Here are the practices I am going to implement. A couple of them are borrowed from Christian Montoya’s CSS techniques.
Font size
This was one of the motivators for me to start changing the site. 100% Easy to Read Standard make a good case and this is what pulled me over. I have also read similar opinions from others I respect.
While earlier I always made sure that the font was readable, using 100% font size is a different thing. It is about giving up the control and using the reader’s environment to render your web page. This means, using the reader’s preferences and settings to do it, which every browser allows for.
Serif Fonts
It is argued that sans-serif fonts are more readable on pixels while the serif fonts are appropriate for the print, but there are no specific conclusions. I have seen that usually the combination of the typeface and the font-size determines readability. So, along with full font size, I am going to try the serif fonts for a while.
Of course, I can extend the concept of giving up control and use the user’s preferences, which I will probably do after I experiment with serif fonts.
Minor layout changes
I had been getting some pings and emails on and off about some quirks about the layout. Primarily the sidebar on the left was not preferred, so I have changed that. Note that the order in which the content is loaded is still the same, only the view has changed. Also, I have taken this opportunity from the all white background. I want to test if the contrast helps the readers in focusing on the content area. I have also changed the link styles, and here too I aim to go with the user’s preferences, but after some more tests.
I do not think there any other changes. Here are the before and after screens.
Before
After
However, I might keep fiddling with it while making sure that it does not hurt. I will want to go in the direction of giving up control as much as possible and using the preferences in the browser. It is quite possible that some of the readers will not know about this, which I think is an opportunity for education.
Please forgive me if you find similarities with other sites, I might have subconsciously borrowed from it. I have been reading a lot and that is surely going to reflect here. As always, do let me know if you face problems. Comment here or drop a line, and I will make sure that I pay heed to you.
August 1st, 2007 at 1:45 am
I prefer Sans font to serif. Anyway the design change will not make much difference to me - I read your blog in Google Reader.
August 1st, 2007 at 8:04 am
Binny, I am glad that you checked it out in spite of reading through the feedreader. Thanks! I realize that every reader can have his/her preferences of fonts, that is why I am going to try and start using that in the next round.
August 1st, 2007 at 2:49 pm
I personally prefer sans fonts. i use Google Reader as well, but if i find a blog entry i like or that sounds interesting (such as this one) i usually finish reading the article on the actual site. I liked your old blog design, but hey i’m sure this one will grow on me too. Cheers, and keep the posts coming.
August 1st, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Hi,
Nice makeover, came here through Indian Technology Bloggers list.
August 2nd, 2007 at 6:51 am
I love the new design. Font sizes are good.
August 2nd, 2007 at 9:20 am
Yeah the new design is looking cool but still I loved the old one!
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Thanks for your inputs people.
Katrina, I got a couple more saying they prefer sans. I personally do not know, so need to experiment more
Nirmal, thanks and welcome to this blog. Hopefully this will not be the last post you read here
Shankar, you are the first person who has liked the fonts, thanks a lot.
Rishi, you have pushed me across in release my earlier theme. I had not packaged it to be professionally portable across blogs, but will do it now.
August 5th, 2007 at 12:52 am
I’m debating over sidebar placement and numbers in some changes I want to make to one of my blogs. I need to really look into the impact of left versus right for improved navigation, and whether or not two sidebars on the right or left side-by-side brings more content up the screen-fold and really improves navigation and deep link stickiness or not.
Have you uncovered any tips on these points?
And I LOVE your font choice. It really fits the overall design and content. It looks professional, not bloggy.
August 7th, 2007 at 9:29 am
Thanks for your thoughts on the design Lorelle. The sidebar placement, I think depends completely on the context. One of my readers told me that, as a regular reader, he would like to see the most recent post on the left most side. I could not disagree. I think the sidebar position is completely dependent on the context. Whether two sidebars would help or not would depend on the content priorities and how much do we want to show to the reader on a page.
Also, I think that the visibility of the sidebars by location can be overshadowed by their design. For example, on Lorelle on Wordpress, even though the sidebar is on the left, the focus immediately shifts on the post.
I am going to experiment more with the design and see if I can learn more out of it.
August 16th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
[…] is part of my experiment to give up control. There are two directions a design can go in. One is to dictate everything to the browser, the […]
August 29th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
[…] have seen some design changes, a lot of which have been rolled back. I am still continuing the experimentation. I had unset fonts in my stylesheet, however I have realized that it might not work. It is the […]
October 15th, 2007 at 11:19 am
[…] only a segment of it, your site might be rendered unreadable on others. The experiment I did, of giving up control, was quite limited but it did lead me to some observations. I am sure others have already noted […]