Slickdeals Beta Refresh Guide

[bryantq]

Greetings all! We've rolled out some new changes and features to the Slickdeals website. It may be a little bit of a shocker at first, things have moved and stuff has been added, but we've made all these changes to streamline the Slickdeals website to make things more consistent and give users more flexibility when it comes to browsing our website.
<!--more-->
<strong>Watch the quick video tutorial here which will show you all the new features. These features are explained below.</strong>

<a href="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_1736-intro.swf"><img src="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_0042.png" alt="" /></a>

There are 10 major changes to the Slickdeals Website that we'll outline below.



<strong>1. Userbar Tab</strong>
The new userbar tab was moved to the top of the page so that there was a consistent place for users to log in and out of their accounts and access some basic account functions.

<strong>2. Userbar Dropdown Menu</strong>
After you log in, you can click on your username to display a dropdown menu which allows you to set your display preferences or access your user control panel or log out.

<strong>3. Search</strong>
The search box has moved to the userbar tab at the top of the page. The functionality remains largely unchanged.

Click to view video on Userbar Tab, Dropdown Menu and Search:
<a href="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_1739-userbar.swf"><img src="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_0042.png" alt="" /></a>

<hr>

<strong>4. New Menu</strong>
The new main menu navigation has been redesigned to display more information, more links and give you greater access to our site's tools and functions, faster and easier.

<strong>5. My Account Menu</strong>
One new menu that we added is the "My Account" menu. Here you have quick access to all of the pages that are given to registered users.

Click to view video on the new Menu Navigation
<a href="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_1741-menu.swf"><img src="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_0042.png" alt="" /></a>
<hr>

<strong>6. New Frontpage Views</strong>

The first thing you likely noticed is that we added pictures to the frontpage deals. In addition to that, we actually introduced three new ways to view the deals.

<strong>Grid:</strong> A boxed view with large images.
<strong>List:</strong> A List view with thumbnails.
<strong>Simple:</strong> Text only list of all frontpage deals. This is similar to our previous style of deals.

In addition, we added a new button "Hide Expired Deals". When you active this, you will no longer see any expired deals on the front page.

<strong>7. New Frontpage Details</strong>
We slightly edited the expanding content that is displayed when you click on a frontpage deal. The deal drops down, but you can now also vote from the front page by clicking on the Thumbs Up icon.

Click to view video on new frontpage deals and details:
<a href="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_1744-fpviews.swf"><img src="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_0042.png" alt="" /></a>

<hr>


<strong>8. New Hot Topics Tab</strong>
A lot of people asked us for the ability to see more than 5 Hot Topics. This used to only be viewable from the front page on the right hand column. We now added a new tab called Hot Topics, which will show you as many Hot Topics as you can digest!

Click to view video on new Hot topics section:
<a href="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_1745-hottopics.swf"><img src="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_0042.png" alt="" /></a>

<hr>
<strong>9. New Coupons Section</strong>
We've completely revamped our coupons section! You can now search for coupons, rate their success, make comments, share and even automatically copy to clipboard. We opened up the coupons section so that anyone can add coupons!

Click to view video on the new Coupons section:


<a href="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_1758-coupons.swf"><img src="http://slickdeals.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-04-01_0042.png" alt="" /></a>

<hr>
<strong>10. New Permadeal Page</strong>
Sharing deals has now gotten a lot cleaner. From grid view or from the permadeal link, a newly redesigned page now shows the post details along with user comments, the wiki, and more!

[hottyson]

The refresh startled me.
I was like, "Whoa, what just happened?"

I like it!
Nice job.

[Tinkleondabeach]

This better be a april fools joke:numchuck:

[kagelump]

I'm still trying to figure out if this is a bad april fools joke or not....

[vanish]

seems like it's just bad timing to me... nothing here seems "jokey".



well everything is upside down and backwards. i guess this is their joke. ha ha.

[elBradford]

I like it, hope it's not a joke.

[allston232]

is this a joke? because if it's not then I don't like it. each sale message is so thick/big that it takes away my most of my vertical resolutions and I have 1920x1200 monitor. arghh....

[EnzoFX]

Why did this happen after this update lol
http://kttns.org/2zky2


Edit: Seems like it's all my posts!: http://kttns.org/mdjky
April Fools?

[dstppy]

Wow. Crazy timing . . . totally thought it was a joke :eek:

[rodisian]

First post, but been a slickdealer for several years now.. and it seems like a lot of thought went into the redesign, and I find many of the new features are actually useful (e.g. Hide Expired!) and will make an impact on my day-to-day usage of the site. And while I initially found the pictures a bit annoying, I was glad to see I could select a "Simple" page design.

A couple suggestions though:
-Ability to hide the "Display Style" toolbar- I'm not likely to change my choice, so I dislike it taking up precious "above the fold" screen real estate
-Love the hot deals tab, but the pictures make the page much longer than it should be and they add relatively little value: I don't really need to see 10 "SD" logos in a row - I'd much rather see more hot deals before scrolling

Great job overall!

[Szuch123]

I really hope this is a joke. The images look terrible and the user preferences/messages are way too high up the screen now.

Some things are better, but I find myself switching to 'Simple View,' because it looks ugly otherwise (that and I cannot tell what half of the pictures are).

[dratz]

at first i thought it was a joke, due to that i never believe anything from april 1st... but yeah... then i started liking some of the features like "hide expired." Sooo... yeah, hopefully not an april fools joke, however, could use a bit more polishing.

[Mightyratz]

the upside down posts in the forums are pretty gheey!

[themilkman]

i like it. I am a visual kind or person, so I appreciate the images. I can scan it much quicker this way. Please keep the changes!

[loon100]

Cannot say much yet, but would like to thanks for your efforts in improving this site involved usages and activities by offering the options to fit each user's need. Great work.

Yeah, so special timing, but thus special, why not?

[loon100]

Hey, how come my post becoming upside down? I know it's April Fool day, but ...

[hitchhiker90]

Will you be sharing this design with celerydeals.net?

[moia2000]

i hate it. i really really hope its a joke!

[z3razerviper]

I hate it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jabbit]

i hate it. i really really hope its a joke!

Same here, it is awful.

[SaveInGA]

Wow. Everything is everywhere in my Firefox browser. Upside down-check. Backwards - check. overlapping -check check. Can't read the hotdeals forum. Suffering withdrawal.

[pacohaas]

ugly, text wraps funny on the new look

[mm3ss690]

I don't like it. Half of the product images are not loading in Firefox. There's too much white space between deals on the FP. Kinda of a mess, sorry. I hope this is your April fools.

[Xymox]

Yeah we get it, April Fool's, har har har. Oh boy, you got me! Every other site on the internet is doing the same thing. Now how's about just switching it back so we can properly view the site?

[.DC.]

A heads up announcement would have been cool...rolling out changes on the 1st of April is a lot different then had it been the 1st of March or 1st of May...


*Besides...I thought I was going to be Mod for a Day today!
:harhar:

[josmul123]

</forum>

What did they do? Install the previous version of PHPBB?

I thought slickdeals was more professional than THIS for an April Fool's joke.

Would love to be able to load the images.

[ComicConBooBoo]

looks like a modified TB site

since you want to block their url

[Bayes]

Haha yes, love the upside down posts.
But I do hope the new frontpage is a joke.

[twistrman]

i think i was trying to load the page right when they switched it. I got some horribly unformatted pages for the few reloads, and then the new one.

Most of the image aren't loading for me and there are the little blue question mark icons everywhere. The text is just far too large in a lot of places. When I click on "quick links" the text is large. Not huge, but annoyingly large. When looking at y subscriptions page, the text is larger for them too. So really long titles take up 2 lines, add in some bold, and it is a mess.

didn't there used to be an option where you could set your own page width. I thought i remember that, and thought it was pointless, but now i would like it, since it ll just feels large and squished.

[sevendayrevo]

I'm not going to judge this layout just yet, as it is new, therefore visually uncomfortable from what we are used to. It may be better when we've adjusted...

However, there was a comment about white space, due to having the images there is ample white space below each text line. Is this necessary? Especially to have images for things like a waffle house coupon?!?! Some deals don't need images, period, which would condense the format that looks like it has fattened to me, thereby not permitting me to easily scan deals as in the past.

[Tyross]

is this a joke? because if it's not then I don't like it. each sale message is so thick/big that it takes away my most of my vertical resolutions and I have 1920x1200 monitor. arghh....

I agree this looks awful in 1900X1200. It's so narrow =(, Where is the classic view button?

[doobliebop]

SD Live is broken... celery deals was funny. Breaking the website is bad business.

[Xymox]

SD Live is broken... celery deals was funny. Breaking the website is bad business.

Correctamundo! Perhaps SD will just post some more front-page awesome Dell deals that will eventually get canceled just so they can make-up for today's *ever so clever* April Fool's joke.

[bar10der]

I like it. :woot:
And I have no problems loading any images etc.

[EnzoFX]

Have the forums always been fixed width? Seems like it's taking up more space =/

[aridneptune]

The redesign is terrible! Performance took a mega-hit: scrolling is extremely slow now. The new font is horrible. The search function doesn't even work. Please have some sort of 'classic' option because this is absolutely terrible.

[bryantq]

The redesign is terrible! Performance took a mega-hit: scrolling is extremely slow now. The new font is horrible. The search function doesn't even work. Please have some sort of 'classic' option because this is absolutely terrible.
If you could, please provide feedback in our dedicated thread here: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1950600

On a side note: the performance issues have been fixed, you may need to do a hard refresh (CTRL+f5 or restart your browser).

Its weird that you say that the new font is horrible, we didnt change the fonts?

[damnyou]

My screen lags too when I scroll any page in up or down

Sorry but fonts have also changed on my end though I have no issue with this new font

[bryantq]

My screen lags too when I scroll any page in up or down

Sorry but fonts have also changed on my end though I have no issue with this new font
can you post a screenshot, and tell us what browser/os you are using?

[damnyou]

I am using FF v3.6.2

[moSom]

Hmmm....

[mthlh99]

I don't like it at all

[aridneptune]

I'm using FF 3.6.2 on XP. Fonts have most definitely changed on my end. This very noticeable in the thread reply and quick reply boxes, but also on the thread view.

The search function is still totally inoperative.

Scrolling is still slow (hard refresh / hard reboot / clear cookies & cache). Sorry, but the redesign is (to me) bad bad bad. Please provide a 'classic' option.

[FilthyJason]

Perhaps I'm just missing the place I change my view to Simple by default?

[mystery250]

I hope that this redesign is an April fools day prank.

[Tech Star]

:/

I liked the old design as it popped out with darker blue and tan colors. I will have to take some time to get used to the new version.

[rv07607]

been visiting this site regularly (income dependent) since 2002 (despite post count). i dont like the new change. im also a huge fan of consistency, so please abandon the applesque frontpage.

[anothauserhere]

My Firefox is looking bad. How do I switch it back?

[pacohaas]

My Firefox is looking bad. How do I switch it back?

agreed, it looks horrid in both IE and firefox, way too spread out, waste of screen real estate.

[bryantq]

agreed, it looks horrid in both IE and firefox, way too spread out, waste of screen real estate.
what do you mean spread out or a waste of screen real estate?

[anothauserhere]

This is what I see. No forum links show unless I hover over them and guess what is where. Also I see no thumbs up or down. It works in IE but I prefer Firefox.

[bryantq]

This is what I see. No forum links show unless I hover over them and guess what is where. Also I see no thumbs up or down. It works in IE but I prefer Firefox.
You seem to be missing a lot of images.

First, try a CTRL+f5 refresh, clear your cookies and cache/restart your browser.

Secondly, are you running any firewall/adblock/antivirus/antispyware software that may be blocking our servers?

[dragonxeric]

I have been using it for 2 days and I have to say it looks terrible. Feels like another crappy version of FW and it makes me not want to participate on the forums anymore since everything looks too automated now.

[anothauserhere]

You seem to be missing a lot of images.

First, try a CTRL+f5 refresh, clear your cookies and cache/restart your browser.

Secondly, are you running any firewall/adblock/antivirus/antispyware software that may be blocking our servers?
I tried what you suggested. Still not working. I ran firefox in safe mode. I do have Norton Internet security and even tried with it disabled.

How do I change it back? I just thought it was a April fools joke.

[slickdeals]

I tried what you suggested. Still not working. I ran firefox in safe mode. I do have Norton Internet security and even tried with it disabled.

How do I change it back? I just thought it was a April fools joke.
Which links do not work for you:

1. http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4.1/jquery.min.js
2. http://i.slickdeals.net/css/302/global_header.css
3. http://i2.slickdeals.net/css/302/global_header.css
4. http://slickdeals.net/forums/css/302/global_header.css

[damnyou]

so I have a question... can you or bryantq attach a screenshot of how the page should look like?

thanks

[slickdeals]

so I have a question... can you or bryantq attach a screenshot of how the page should look like?

thanks

Screenshot attached. If it doesn't look like that, there's a problem. :)

[damnyou]

Screenshot attached. If it doesn't look like that, there's a problem. :)

mine does look similar... isn't it?

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=28750900&postcount=40

though screen lagging has gone now which is good

thanks

[bryantq]

I have been using it for 2 days and I have to say it looks terrible. Feels like another crappy version of FW and it makes me not want to participate on the forums anymore since everything looks too automated now.
I am not particularly sure what you mean by "looks automated". Do you have any specific suggestions?

[pacohaas]

I am not particularly sure what you mean by "looks automated". Do you have any specific suggestions?

put the old site back up and we can compare and tell you.

[anothauserhere]

Which links do not work for you:

1. http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4.1/jquery.min.js (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4.1/jquery.min.js)
2. http://i.slickdeals.net/css/302/global_header.css
3. http://i2.slickdeals.net/css/302/global_header.css
4. http://slickdeals.net/forums/css/302/global_header.css
I am not very good with css but all I see is text.

[TechnoKrat]

Scrolling is painfully slow for me too. Overall, I like the new site revamp. One suggestion would be to make the drop down menus semi-transparent so that the background text is not blocked.
Using FF 3.5.9 on Vista Home Premium.

[slickdeals]

Scrolling is painfully slow for me too. Overall, I like the new site revamp. One suggestion would be to make the drop down menus semi-transparent so that the background text is not blocked.
Using FF 3.5.9 on Vista Home Premium.
We are using a few new CSS3 features that are supported by the newer browsers. Obviously, some of these features aren't ready for prime time yet. I'll talk to the devs to resolve the performance issues.

[bzp]

Hate the new website.... sucks