UKBF makeover!

[DanMartin]

UKBF has been a welcome (and boisterous!) addition to Sift Media - and to celebrate its first six months with us, we're upgrading the forum software and giving the site a bit of a makeover, including new features for everyone.

From Wednesday 7 November, you'll get: more private messaging space; a business blog for all paid members; a 'thank you' rating system; new quick links; and a rethink of the ad serving process that will see the forum load a whole lot faster! The forums will also get a new look, giving UKBF and its sister site, BusinessZone.co.uk, a real family feel.

The makeover means that UKBF will be inaccessible from 8.00am, next Wednesday. We plan for all the changes to be made and to have UKBF back up and running by 11.00am. Our apologies for having to take UKBF offline, but I'm sure you'll love the new site!

If you've got any questions at all about the makeover, please drop us a line at [email protected]

 

[Eagle]

Any design changes in the wings?

 

[DanMartin]

All will be revealed on Wednesday!

 

[Jayne]

Oh, please don't change the colour though, I like the blue, it's easy to read. I think Ozzy got the design just about perfect in my opinion.

Jayne

 

[creospace]

There's an old saying 'if it aint broke don't fix it' but I appreciate there's a no brush itching to do some sweeping!

 

[Hayles]

Oh no I'm gonna get lost and confused aren't I....

Only found the 'new posts' function a couple of weeks ago!!

H

 

Really appreciate all the work you guys put in, in the background Dan - and wish you all the very best as you seek to improve the forum, for everyone's benefit.

Looking forward to seeing the end results.

I hope you and all the team there enjoy an excellent weekend.

Best regards.

Mark

 

[estwig]

Mrs estwig would like it in 'pink'..................Please!!!!

 

[tommy]

any chance of a sneak peak?

 

[sendit.co.uk]

There's an old saying 'if it aint broke don't fix it'

I believe the a4uforum died after their makeover - they added far to many functions. Keep it simple Dan, I wouldn't want to see UKBF go down the same track...

Trevor

 

[RayB]

I think it is exciting, I enjoy a makeover (RayB could do with one himself)

The makeover means that UKBF will be inaccessible from 8.00am, next Wednesday. We plan for all the changes to be made and to have UKBF back up and running by 11.00am. Our apologies for having to take UKBF offline, but I'm sure you'll love the new site!

Mind you Dan, if you were really dedicated you would do the update over night when we are all asleep (joking - well a bit - I'll have to do some work instead while the forum is down)

 

[Sally@CC]

Sleep? You sleep at night, how wierd. It is 2.30am and I am just getting going.

 

[Darren Falkingham]

Oh, please don't change the colour though, I like the blue, it's easy to read. I think Ozzy got the design just about perfect in my opinion.

Jayne

Hi Jayne,

It will indeed still be blue! The new look and feel is simply to bring UKBF and BusinessZone.co.uk closer together visually.

Please do let us know if you really, really, don't like the new design!

Oh no I'm gonna get lost and confused aren't I....

Only found the 'new posts' function a couple of weeks ago!!

H

Hi Hayles,

The 'New Posts' will still have pride of place on the main menu!

I believe the a4uforum died after their makeover - they added far to many functions. Keep it simple Dan, I wouldn't want to see UKBF go down the same track...

Trevor

Hi Trevor,

The only major new function will be business blogs for paid members - there will be tweaks to the QuickList, and a couple of useful layout changes, but nothing more.

Again, please do give us your feedback when we're live!

Cheers for now,
Darren

 

[dave_n]

nice!...much cleaner

 

[10Yetis]

Nice nice nice

 

[creospace]

Well it's certianly faster I'll give you that. The thing moving from the left to the right on every new page used to annoy the hell out of me.

 

I like it

 

[RayB]

I likes it too

 

[Deleted member 3454]

It's a lot faster and looks a lot clearer - thank you .

 

[HC-Martin]

Yep thumbs up from me!

 

[Greg Findley]

Just to join the positive feedback heading UKBF's way- I like it
Glad its been kept simple, just one suggestion, I think there should be a link to upgrade membership to the paid option? Perhaps a small banner to the right side? Especially as the blogs feature has been introduced.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[iklemiracle]

Well done Guys...........Progress in the most positive way.

Loving it!

 

[simonswords]

All good in the UKBF hood!

Good work people at Sift, although why you choose to keep taking the UKBF site down during busy periouds rather than at off-peak times is beyond me!!

 

[leoludwig]

Hi,

when clicking the link from Google SERPs I got the following message:

Prefetching is not allowed due to the various privacy issues that arise.

May require some tweaking

Good luck

Leo

 

[Darren Falkingham]

Leo, thanks for this - I had forgotten about the prefetching problem.

We'll add the vBulletin script fix that we had in place before we upgraded the software.

Cheers,
Darren

 

[Darren Falkingham]

All good in the UKBF hood!

Good work people at Sift, although why you choose to keep taking the UKBF site down during busy periouds rather than at off-peak times is beyond me!!

Sorry about that ... it's all about scheduling with our Ops team. As a business we've got dozens and dozens of major websites running here (including Crufts, British Mensa, AccountingWEB, The Lawyer) and we have to make sure Ops are on site to help out.

I really hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience...:redface:

 

[Jayne]

Oh it's a lovely blue colour, so i'm happy. Very nice!

It does feel a bit odd now the posting bit has moved right over to the left and kashflow, creacom and Alan are missing, but i'm sure you find a spot for them and then it'll be like home again.



Jayne

 

I got a calender on me computer ,2 clocks on the will do like wise and a 4 foot week planner,so why do I have to have little calenders popping up all over the place on UKBF.

Blue on the colour spectrum is the colour that instills trust."Arthur Daley" told me that.

Earl

 

[Gillie]

Leo, thanks for this - I had forgotten about the prefetching problem.

We'll add the vBulletin script fix that we had in place before we upgraded the software.

Cheers,
Darren

Phew, I was a bit nervous to point this out and thought perhaps this time it was me doing something wrong. Getting in through the back door rocks!

 

[HC-Martin]

I really hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience...:redface:

No....it just meant we all had to get on with some work....

 

I've just noticed the extra large buttons, new post/reply etc after clearing my cache.

I take it they are just for Earl.

 

[RayB]

I've just noticed the extra large buttons, new post/reply etc after clearing my cache.

I take it they are just for Earl.

No the new feature for Earl is a custom login screen just for him - black text.....on a black background

 

[tommy]

Have to say guys that I really like, and it now loads up so much faster!!

Top Job!!

 

[Paola]

I agree, it's a lot slicker looking and the interface has a 'cleaner', less cluttered look about it and makes it look 10 yrs. younger!

 

[frockery]

Yes, it's fab fab fab! Thanks, UKBF team, for making it happen.

Regards, Alison

 

[DarrenC]

Love it. The ads don't seem as obtrusive as before.

Edit: Just noticed the business directory has tons of missing images.

 

[LisaHoughton]

Has my vote!

 

[Cornish Steve]

The only complaint I have is that the header is rather too big.

 

[forlow-designs]

Looks pretty.... however I really dislike the rather large buttons. I feel I'm 80 with glasses! lol.

also, when you click someones username > visit users website. It no longer opens in a new window

I know I can do this by 'right clicking' but im lazy

 

[Calibre Designs]

Sorry about that ... it's all about scheduling with our Ops team. As a business we've got dozens and dozens of major websites running here (including Crufts, British Mensa, AccountingWEB, The Lawyer) and we have to make sure Ops are on site to help out.

I really hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience...:redface:

First of all well done to the team for making improvements to ukbf. Neat, clean and operates a little faster than before.

As to the quote above, I would have imagined that many people got a lot more work done while the site was down. I was away on meetings for a large chunk of the day so I missed it all.

Kay