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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
Please keep all discussion here.

Remember, the most important thing is that we are giving you the ability to decide what goes up there. Some categories of non-skiing stuff can't make it to the top right now, but we can work with that in the future.

Above and beyond all else... rate everything.

Let us know what you think!

Oct 30 2012 1:39PM
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TotallyTrevor
Posts: 4379 - Karma: 26,364
I got another question.

is video of the day no more? I realize if a video is doing well enough it will go straight to the front page, which is basically the same thing....but is the video of the day feature gone?
Nov 4 2012 1:43AM
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BWalmer
Posts: 9141 - Karma: 12,883
Nope, link is under the "home" tab on the top of the page now.
Nov 4 2012 7:33AM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,011
As much as I am trying to like it, I think I have finally decided that I don't like the new front page. It seams as though the 'news' is extremely watered down and based on the lack of messages and votes, seeing way less traffic.

On top of that, as it seams to have been discussed here already - the lack of description. Half the stuff up on the front page is a complete mystery. "We're opening Monday!" Where is opening monday? I never bothered to click on it, but I assume it was Killington because the next day there was another 'news article' on the same subject. Really, two news articles about the same thing? That's another problem, seams like the news feed is getting flooded with crap that isn't news, at all. I just clicked on an article that seamed to be nothing but a sentence about Finn Anderson being a maple farmer? What?

I like what you guys are trying, but I think it needs some serious work before it can be called a finished product.
Nov 4 2012 12:41PM
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~~~~~~~~
Posts: 2345 - Karma: 2,104
how feasible would it be to be able to lock in certain tiles? I miss having the video of the day for example in the same spot every day.
Nov 4 2012 12:50PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,201
I was going to bring up the same issues. There are redundant news items on the home feed, and updates that link to other sites don't display the content. That Finn Anderson update from Brobomb is his halloween edit, but you can't see it through NS's link.
Nov 4 2012 12:59PM
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mrupes
Posts: 264 - Karma: 394
i honestly cannot stand it (and i mean this in the nicest way possible). Its really annoying having things unorganized in the newsfeed, and i feel like its mostly videos for some reason. I liked it a ton when you had everything on one page: top pictures, videos, scrolling news, etc. It was also nice having all the columns so you could see the top 5 rated videos and pictures. Its also extremely annoying to have to filter the homepage to the things you want, as opposed to the old homepage where everything (pictures, videos, news, contests) had its own column on the hompeage. I really just don't even wanna take the time to look at the homepage just cuz its so scrambled and unorganized, id rather just have the old NS back!!!!!!!!!!!! it also looks alot like rejib...(and once again, i mean this in the nicest possible way, i still love NS)
Nov 4 2012 8:13PM
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JStrathern
Posts: 8747 - Karma: 1,536
I'm not sure if this question ever got a reply or not but can we have a variety of thumbnails to choose from when uploading a video? Sort of like how Vimeo takes 9 thumbnails from your video when you upload it and you get to pick which one best represents the video
Nov 4 2012 8:23PM
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Puns
Posts: 2052 - Karma: 429
It would be so cool and helpful if you could hover over the videos on the homepage to see their length before you click on them. #highdeas
Nov 4 2012 10:11PM
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pierrot50-50
Posts: 104 - Karma: 17
I dont like the new homepage
Nov 4 2012 11:01PM
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rudager
Posts: 11335 - Karma: 4,624
Mobile is rather cluttered now. With the added searchbar, and all the magazine links at the bottom, there's not much room for content.

Anyway to tone down the links on the bottom of the page?
Nov 5 2012 11:47AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
We have decided to try this, and it is now live.

Nov 5 2012 11:52AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
Downvote what is bad, and it will go away.

Keep giving it a chance.
Nov 5 2012 11:53AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
This is in process for implementation, its just a huge deal to implement.

Nov 5 2012 11:54AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
The links at the bottom of the page are fairly standard, but we removed the ad from the top of the page to make it a bit better.

You like more now?
Nov 5 2012 1:25PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
This is reserved for 'scheduled' programming only.

The key thing here is that we're trying to establish a community voice. So together we vote on what is the most popular stuff, and that is what is displayed at the top. It has to shuffle around to give everything a fair shot at getting the top spots.

Once we've become more comfortable with this, we can figure out additional things to do with polished content.

Nov 5 2012 1:59PM
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rudager
Posts: 11335 - Karma: 4,624
I do like it.

My problem with the links is just how they're centre formatted. I have no actual insight into it, but I think that they'd be able to go from 6 lines to 4. Or anything like that.
Only reason I bring it up is that I keep clicking the links while scrolling.

I'm also just an idiot sometimes.
Nov 5 2012 2:23PM
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MatRich
Posts: 4789 - Karma: 1,813
Im a little tipsy and I have been browsing the homepage and I fucking love it!
Nov 5 2012 7:36PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
That's right... let it consume you. Lose yourself in all that is awesome about NS.

Nov 5 2012 9:00PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,011
See, here's the problem. That 'article' that is on the front page about Instagraming, I looked at it this morning, downvoted it, and now I come on this evening and it's doubled! There are now two of the same article. Not sure what is going on here, but maybe something to look into.

It just seams that now 'news' appears to be open for anything. I could write an 'article' about a grilled cheese sandwich and put it up on the front page. Seams like it's gotten flooded to the point where it's lost it's worth.
Nov 5 2012 9:08PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
I don't quite know what you mean by 'centre formatted' links?

Give more insight, possibly a screen shot and an idea of what kind of device / OS you're browsing from.
Nov 5 2012 9:09PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
That might have been an issue, but it looks pretty corrected now.

You are correct that you could write an article about a grilled cheeese sandwich, and it could make it to the homepage. People would have to care though, and it would need to get upvotes, while staying away from downvotes.

We cranked up the minimum score requirement to get on the homepage earlier. There was a couple of things that didn't deserve to be there, so its a bit more strict now.

We'll play with that a bit... but you have to look at this differently. The homepage is a living, breathing representation of the freeskiing community's interests. It will constantly change throughout the day, and if you see something that you think sucks, downvote it. If you freaking love it, upvote. By doing this, you help make sure that your voice is heard.

Newschoolers is now a content democracy, vs. fascism.

Nov 5 2012 9:43PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,011
Ok, so I'm starting to grasp what things could be. Hard part now is that it's up to us, the community, to make it good. Funny thing, is that in ski gabber right now there are at least 8 threads on the first page that are not thread worthy at all. Interviews, links to videos/movies, tr's, announcements, or just straight up plugs.

Maybe if I get bored today I'll write an article to try to get people into writing articles. hahaha. ok, now I know it's November... on that note, I'm going to go and watch the snowline drop ever so closer to valley bottom.



Side note: I was playing around today with the front page and had a thought. It would be really really cool if we could customise the front page even more. Like, if I want to make it so the 'latest' news AND the 'hottest' videos come up on the front page. If you know what I mean. Just a thought.
Nov 6 2012 4:21PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
Dude you used to do a great job blogging. Its the same idea - you can write opinion pieces about things.

The forums are still getting more ratings going in them as people get used to it. If you also view all forum threads, its a ton of them on there - so it starts to dig a bit deeper into the lower ratings. THis will adjust with time as more and more people rate.

Some of the views would be difficult to mix without re-writing the database queries. However for the most part, we can get creative with them in the future. Right now we're focusing on more features and bug fixes.
Nov 6 2012 4:43PM
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Ski_The_E
Posts: 1036 - Karma: 944
Just an idea, not very important, but can you adjust the pictures page on a member's profile. I just think it would be easier if you could rate a members pictures from one page instead of having to go to multiple pages to view and rate picture.
Nov 6 2012 10:20PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
We are looking at ways that we can implement different layouts / voting spaces on other parts of the site. However, for the time being we wanted to keep most of the site experience true to what it was before.

Nov 6 2012 11:31PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,201
Small issue I'm having, I really don't care for reposted Brobomb articles on my homepage. I log in to NS for NS, not the smut Brobomb passes off as content. While on the topic, the embeds in reposts from other sites on the homepage seem to not work for me..
Nov 7 2012 2:13PM
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squibble
Posts: 4569 - Karma: 104
i really like it, great work. i'd like to be able to customize the feed to show more videos/hot threads/articles
Nov 8 2012 12:35AM
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Ware
Posts: 1758 - Karma: 2,221
the new front page sucks compared to the old one. way less organized, and no current ski news. Who wants to see dumb threads that everyone posts in on the front page? Not me.
Nov 8 2012 9:24AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
There isn't current ski news. Find some. Share it. Vote good stuff up.

Nov 8 2012 10:53AM
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BMskier
Posts: 3363 - Karma: 365
is there any way to save what i want to appear on the homepage?
i like to uncheck pictures and then check latest and its annoying to do that every time i log on.
any way of making that happen?
Nov 8 2012 12:07PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
Same black bar where you make the changes, straight over to the right. Save button for your customization wonderfulness.
Nov 8 2012 12:10PM
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BMskier
Posts: 3363 - Karma: 365
thanks! that was my only concern, otherwise its awesome
Nov 8 2012 12:25PM
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Ware
Posts: 1758 - Karma: 2,221
i guess it does work if you sort it out, but the look of the old page was more professional and clean i thought.
Nov 8 2012 2:42PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
Depends on your definition of professional and clean.
Nov 8 2012 3:20PM
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panojibber.
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 683
First of all just want to say I think the new home page is working out pretty well, like the content thats showing up on it so far.

I think an update to the search function, at least for news, would be huge. I searched "chris pilling" into the news search and came up with like 8 results for an article about chris benchetler but not what I was looking for.
Nov 8 2012 7:15PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,201
Almost thought NS sold out to McDonalds for a couple seconds.. It's a bit of an eyesore.
Nov 11 2012 12:34AM
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eheath
Posts: 61604 - Karma: 123,113
Oh look, another person bitching about an ad. Doug, tell saga to fuck off and remove their ad and refund their money, I don't wanna look at cheeseburgers!!!
Nov 11 2012 2:43AM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,201
Well of course YOU don't mind looking at cheeseburgers
Nov 11 2012 1:19PM
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eheath
Posts: 61604 - Karma: 123,113
Well of course YOU are bitching about something that you don't like, seems to be the only thing that comes out of your mouth.

And who doesn't like cheeseburgers? Just because of my stature, doesn't mean I can or can not like cheese burgers. I'm sure you like them too, unless you're un-American.
Nov 11 2012 2:39PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,201
I just don't see why the ad can't be a sweet skiing-related picture accentuating the brand.. It's more Saga's campaign that I find aversive when paired with NS's new ad placement. I don't get why the association with fastfood is desirable in the first place.. It's cheap, corporate and unhealthy, is that what Saga embodies?

I also enjoy how jarred you are by my complaints (read: constructive criticism). We're in site discussion, what we're you hoping to find?


And I do like cheeseburgers, just not when they overwhelm my homepage. I'm also Canadian, and envy America only for the skiing.
Nov 11 2012 2:56PM
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eheath
Posts: 61604 - Karma: 123,113
They're trying different marketing techniques, just having a sweet picture is what you'd expect. Doing shit thats normals doesn't stick out, they're just trying different shit, they pay for the space, fuck they could make it all white if they wanted. And cheeseburgers =/= fast food.

Your complaints aren't constructive, they're just you spitting your terrible opinion expecting NS and others (ie saga and their ads) to change what they're doing because YOU don't think its the right thing. I only get so jarred because people like you drive me fucking crazy, fucking let go dude, saga wants to pay for an ad on the front page and fill it with cheeseburgers, who cares? How does it effect you? It doesn't.

Feel free to respond to me but I'm done arguing with a complete idiot.
Nov 11 2012 3:37PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,201
Cheeseburgers in that quantity, coupled with fries on their site, conjures fastfood associations.

Regardless, it affects me because I use NS, and see their eyesore of an ad. Hence my original reason for posting.

Also, I'm Saga's target demographic, they're goal is to affect me. Why am I explaining this to you? Anyways, I find their advertising aversive, and am now less likely to purchase their product as a result. They spend money to attract customers, but instead have deterred one; this is counterproductive. My complaints sought to bring this to light.


Nov 11 2012 4:22PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
I got the saga add pretty quickly. I was like cheeseburgers, what is skiing related that involves burgers, oh yeah saga, why does saga have this whole fast food thing going on again? I think the burger page is pretty funny though.
Nov 12 2012 1:08AM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,201
Two things that are somewhat related. News links on the homepage that redirect to other sites often have no commenting option. The little drop down 'comments' tab disappears, and even when it doesn't, it easily goes unnoticed.

Related to this, I think the old NS comment system on pictures/news/videos needs to be changed to the forum's format. This way there can be more discussion, attention and rating of content. Also, we won't need the superfluous threads people are forced to make in order to properly discuss a frontpage item.

Lastly, I do not care for Brobomb. I intentionally frequent NS and not Brobomb, I do not need NS's homepage to link me to Brobomb's filth. I realize there's probably some agreement between the two sites, but I still just wanted to say it.
Dec 5 2012 4:36PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
agreed
Dec 5 2012 4:48PM
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Mar-O
Posts: 960 - Karma: 827
One thing with the new lay out that I don't know why I care about but it still annoys me is when the big ads are white so you almost cant see the NS logo up in the left corner. Probably not the easiest thing to fix but maybe it is an easy way to make the logo black whenever the background are white or something.
Click for larger image
Dec 6 2012 1:32PM
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prosnurfer
Posts: 1842 - Karma: 83
well now all my background is grey and its hard to read any blue txt. noooooo maybe its just my browser. i sure hope so.......
Dec 8 2012 11:35AM
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Yung_Gnarley
Posts: 9092 - Karma: 3,022
Still looks like poooo.
Dec 19 2012 6:07PM
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