Changes at Allpar for the narrow-screened
Those using Internet Explorer 7 may have noticed a sudden change recently – if they have a narrow screen.
Over time, we’d phased in a style that restricted the width of the window, for two reasons. First, it helped to reduce oddities with images appearing in the wrong place; and second, it made it easier to read the pages. We tried to get a balance between an easy-reading width (where narrower is, up to point, better) and image size (where wider is, within reason, better).
Internet Explorer 7, though, has some peculiarities, one of which is that when you set the maximum width, it also takes that as the minimum width. So now, after a rather long delay, we have an automatic script in the header which sees if you’re using Explorer, then sees if your window is narrow; and if it is, it will replace that style with an automatic-width style. The result is that Explorer 7 people can see the pages the same way Firefox, Safari, and Chrome users have seen it… which is to say, correctly. (I believe Explorer 8 fixed this problem, and Explorer 6 wasn’t good enough at CSS to have it in the first place.)
At the same time, we figured out how to reduce the number of ads showing up on the top of the page so they wouldn’t be crazily crowded together. We haven’t figured out how to center them yet, but give us a few more years and we might figure that out too. This second change affects people with just about any browser.
Meanwhile, the news page has two plug-ins to provide a better experience for smartphone users. iPhone and Android users, in particular, will see a much more appropriate page for mobile phone users.
If you haven’t already seen it, we’re also transitioning over to YouTube for our video needs. When we start producing new videos, we can have higher resolutions and less compression; it’ll look better. (This is largely a matter of policy changes at powerTV).
You may have already noticed the new, faster-acting menus. At some point we’ll try customizing them for the section you’re in.
Our changes may not be as sweeping as Chrysler’s, but we’re still moving forward.
Dave, I was just wondering about the location of the header links that you have. Will they stay off-set to the left? Or return back to the center? Overall, the site seems snappier than before, kudos to you and your team:)
Thanks! (Our team?)
What do you mean by “header links”? The top menus?
Well I assumed you had a team of people working on this. I know it started out as your baby, but I just assumed that there were more people involved now since it has grown so large. Yes, by header links I mean top menus
I’ll work on centering when I can… when it comes down to coding, administration, and editing, it comes down to me.
Looks good Dave! As usual, you just love to load yourself with WORK! But, I understand what a labor of love means, and this has been very well done. I DO hope you rest periodically.
After re-thinking your new web site, I re-tract my negative thoughts on the new site. KUDO’S to ya DAVE. Keep up the great work. I just sold my lake house ,today. So a new vehicle is in the future next spring / summer.I’ll be checking out the new 2010 6.4 challenger, And a few of the compitition’s vehicles. Mopar needs NEW, models, new TECHNOLIGY, soft INTERIORS, better MPG’S. ( P _ D _ Q ) Keep up the great work DAVE.
Well the new (or revised) site seems just fine to me…except that it seems rather difficult for us of advanced geezer-dom to return to the home page. Especially from this here area. Maybe the “HOME” in the header should be reinstalled.
Other than that, good job Dave.
My comments about the lousy new TV ads (My name is Ram is the worst!!!) and the senseless waste of critical funds on NASCAR will wait for more appropriate postings.
Give them a break on the TV ads for the moment, that’s the last gasp of BBDO Detroit … click on the allpar icon to go home. Might return HOME as you say.
Last gasp or death rattle? If that’s the best BBDO Detroit could do, it was time to take them off life support.
I suppose that running these ads at least get Chryslers name on the small screen so people know they are still alive and in business. But…. Then again, the “My name is Ram…” has to have been filmed after the decision to change the name came out of Fiat.
Only the 300 ad has any appeal to potential buyers in my humble opinion.
Still in all, the ads are better than watching the Dodges struggle to get one car in the top ten in the weekly wrestling…. oops, I mean NASCAR show.
Yes, these commercials were approved by the new guys; but they were stuck with BBDO still, they were still shopping around for new agencies, which apparently they’ve found.
I am not at all enarmored by the “new” ads for RAM, JEEP or the JOURNEY. Seeing them more often does count for something, but, they are “lame” in MHO! And FIAT is buying this? Italian or something that I don’t see?