Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Well to go along with the new maemo.org and the new talk.maemo.org I will be doing a redesign of minimalist theme. I will also be adding some of the missing features missing in the minimalist theme. One of the new features will be the ability to view and add new subscriptions. If you have any ideas or wishes for the theme please post theme here as i will be reading this thread and while working on it and updating the progress here.

Status of New Theme:

• Recolored Theme

Private Message Changes:

• Recolored
• Added link for INbox
• Added link for Outbox
• Added link for Track Messages
• Added link for Edit Folders

Header Changes:

• Chagnes name and Recolored Header
• Removed links from header(Moved to page nav)
• Add Search box to New Posts Page/Maybe all pages

Page Nav Changes:

• Add Viaspy link /vaispy.php
• Added link New Posts
• Added link Today's Posts
• Added link Mark Read
• Added link User CP
• Added link Buddy List
• Added link Member List
• Added link Subscriptions
• Added link Talk FAQ
• Added link Report a Forum Bug
• Removed Quick Menu

Thread View Changes

• Added Go Advanced Link
• Added Polls
• Add Report Link
• Add Post Numbers

Misc Changes

• Add links in user cp

New Post/New Reply Changes

• Add toolbar in advanced posting
• Add Additional Options to advanced posting

Todo:

• Add Full Size Image Links
• Add Forum Name in thread view
• Add Search this thread link
• Finish Recolor
• Resize fonts

Sample Screenshots:

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...black/SS-2.png

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...fblack/SS2.png

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...fblack/SS3.png

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...fblack/SS4.png

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

When linked to http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/vaispy.php, Minimalistic Theme does not refresh the screen for updated posts at the same rate as the Normal Theme. I have seen as much as 15 minute delays.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I will take a look at it the minimalist theme started off as a iPhone theme that I modified heavily I would assume it might be slowed down to save on bandwidth. It shouldn't be that hard to speed it up.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Sorry for the long list, but I use the Minimalistic theme all the time:

- Ability to see Polls
- Ability to see full-size images (maybe with a click to open a popup window?)
- Ability to see which forum a thread is in (maybe between the Page Number box and the actual content)
- A link to "See all subscribed threads" in the User CP
- A link to "Go Advanced" next to "Post Quick Reply"
- A way to report threads (like Quote | Thanks! | Report)
- A way to see post number in a thread


Thanks!

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

one thing thats somewhat bothersome with minimalist (tho im not sure if its limited to that particular theme), is that when you have a code block with a single line thats longer then the width of the screen, and your using echowb (the maemo theme that gives extra wide scrollbars), the scrollbar will cover the content of the code box...

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I would like to have a minimalist theme with white background and black text.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Can "Quote | Thanks" be placed on the header just like the User and the date? That will reduce the screen space each post uses.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I also use the minimalistic theme all the time. Here are a few other suggestions:&lt;br /&gt;<br />
&lt;br /&gt;<br />
1. Under quick links, an option to see 'Today's posts' rather than or in addition to 'New Posts'. &lt;br /&gt;<br />
&lt;br /&gt;<br />
2. Ability to see sent messages in the private message area. I have not seen a way to do this yet with this theme.<br />
<br />
3. The theme switcher that is present in the normal theme allows you to chose any of the themes listed. From the minimal theme, I can only go back to the normal theme. It would be nice to have the option to switch to any theme if there are more than two.
4. Sometimes, quoting someone else in replies causes thing slike <br> , etc to show up in the post. Not sure why,

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

maybe give that "mark read" entry in the quick links menu a yes/no dialog. i wonder how many times i have hit it when going for either "new posts" or "user cp"...

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I'll see if I can do anything about that it might be because the echo wide scrollbars is kinda a hack on the regular echo theme. I don't know that is it a problem with the minimalist theme. Never the less I'll add it to my list.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

New minimalist theme will follow new maemo.org color scheme so you will get black on light gray and white lite main site. I'm going to do a dark variant with a darker gray background and white/orange text. I don't know if they will use both so no promises yet.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I'll take a look at it but if I add things like post count that other people want it might be a little crowded.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I'll add ability to see sent messages to my list of things to add. Also quick links is going away since some people have had trouble with it, but I will add Todays posts to the links. As far as I know there will only be the talk.maemo.org theme and minimalist theme so I don't think there will more then the two to choose from. I'll add quick replay thing to my list of bugs aswell.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

New menu system should fix the problem, if not I'll add dialog box.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

minimalist theme makes using the forums on the tablets so much better so thank you for taking this on.

In terms of new features I'd like to see there isn't much. Working polls would be nice. I'd also love to see the font size for links to the next pages of threads increased as currently they are a little too small to be finger friendly. There is just so little link to press with a single number that a larger font would be much appreciated. I don't know about others but I'm happy to switch to the main theme to use more advanced functions I only use on occasion.

Given the choice between getting new features and keeping existing ones I'd take existing ones every time. I can live with the bizarre (IMO) new colour scheme and may even come to like it in time but I don't think I can live without fully zoomable fit to width (in tear anyway) and static page-like render times. Keep those 2 things and I will extol your virtues every time I use the forums from my tablet

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Thanks, nothing that works will be getting changed some everything will be just as fast and zoomable. Also I'll be working on polls as well as making the theme more finger friendly.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

You are a wonderful, wonderful man (woman? third option? ;))

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Thanks Andrew for keeping this feature alive. I've been using "Minimalist" exclusively on the tablets ever since it became available, and been grateful for it. I'd hate to see it disappear like "Classic" (which I was still using on desktops) just did.

As for features, I only ever missed one thing (but frequently) : a search box directly on the "New posts" page somewhere...

I use that page 99.99% of the time (which is why I'm not too disoriented by the new "maemo" skin, even if I don't like it aesthetically). But when I need to dig up an old thread, "Search" is two (unnecessary) page loads from there...

TIA,
fp

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

First off I'm a man lol.

Second I'll take a look at a small search box on top of New Posts Page.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Oh, I forgot one thing: would it be possible to have a "Search This Thread" link somewhere (even if it's not-easily accessible).

Thanks.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I think so

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

No! Please don't!

Please let those of us who don't like the new colors have a reprieve when we come to the Minimalist Theme! I now use Minimalist in part to get away from the orange on white.

Also, a number of people have already asked for a white text on dark background even for the non-Minimalist themes. Please leave the current Minimalist color scheme as is.

(If you agree, please hit this post with a Thank You.)

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Well I don't get to pick the colors I just get to code it so its really not up to me. I am going to work on a new Dark Version of Minimalist as well but I can't promise they will use it. Thats up to Reggie and those in charge of talk.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

What exactly is the point of the minimalist theme? I like the color scheme, and I realize your talking about adding features and making it more usable.

Is it to provide a dark color option, or provide a minimalist, low resource front end?

I personally am looking for someone to copy the default theme, and change its colors to look like the minimalist theme. I can deal with the layout, if this darn headache would go away.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Hi andrewflewback. Thank you for your good work and goodwill.

I also use the minimalistic all the time on the tablet and like the color scheme. May I suggest a couple of small improvements that would make it more readable?

- the list of threats has very big titles and very small characters for the description below. It would be better if you could slightly decrease the former and increase the latter.

- reduce the need of vertical scrolling by reducing the space between posts and the header in each page. In general, any vertical space saving change would be appreciated.

Regards,
Antonio

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

andrewfblack, please, be very careful with the color issues.
Think of the color impaired people, old people, visually impaired people.
Colors and font sizes are very very important issues.
If you plan to provide alternate colors, at least please test the site using this online tool
http://www.vischeck.com

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Make all of the horrible themes you want, but don't delete or change the existing ones. Let us keep and use the old themes! Nothing was wrong with them. Why chase away users/members? There are more productive things that can be done here. Put the old themes back as options available to users and spend the rest of the month making all the faint orange, grey and white themes you want, this way everyone will be happy.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

penguinbait: The Minimalist theme has always been designed for a super fast loading version of the site. Its main purpose is for fast browsing over data connection. It is not to provde a dark color scheme the only reason it has a dark color scheme to begin with is because that is what itT has at the time.

noventa98: the titles are large for better finger browsing, but I will be working on font sizes in part of the upgrade some things will get bigger (ie things you have to click on.) and some things will get smaller.

Everyone else: Please read a thread before you post in it. As stated above I have no control over the color Scheme. This color scheme has been worked on for months and designed by the community not just one person. We are lucky we got to keep the minimalist theme for the reason it is faster over cell connection. I am not the person to be pleading to if you a new color scheme or multi you need to bring it up to the Community Council at one of there meetings. Maybe there is a way to convince them for multiple color schemes using same layout and have it users selectable. This thread is not a place for that and I have stated that I will design a dark variant of the same colors (Basicly replace light gray/white with darker grays. and make text white.), but I can not make them using it and I will only start work on it after the maemo.org color scheme one is completed.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I just wanted to be clear that this was not going to solve my problem (hating new ITT site)

And it is not

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Has the reasoning for the color choices been disclosed?

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Ask the designer/see the maemo-community archives.

(FWIW, I don't think there's a "rationale" been put forward for the colour choices. The orange features in the maemo.org logo, and carrying it through the rest of the site was, presumably, seen as an attempt to have a unifying brand/simple colour scheme)

I would be interested to know if anybody had a general suggestion for the colour of links in the body text which fit with the rest of the theme.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

People please stop complaining about colors in this thread it is not the place. This theme will match what ever maemo.org color scheme is.

If you really hate it that much write a then use a addon to change the style of a site don't remember the name of the one for tablets my mind is blank right now. Someone reply with the name of it.

Now can we get back on topic, are there anymore bugs or features you would like added to minimalist theme.


Edit: Its a Greasemokey script just remembered.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Greasemonkey does not work with tear.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Thank you andrewflewback. I was personally not complaining with you, but just wanted to signal to whoever wants/happens to read that the current color scheme was ok for me. Maybe we should open a new threat, but is it worth?

Anyway you are doing a great job.

Regards,
Antonio

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

The theme change issue is going so far as threats now? Eep!

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Then use micro b or get tear programmer to add support.


Thanks I know everyone isn't complaining. Just some.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

User Styles support is sufficient for this task, dunno why javascript should be needed for that.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

Andrew, is there any way/place we will be able to see your work-in-progress as it matures, or do we have to wait until the new Minimalist goes live and replaces the current one on ItT ?

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I've been talking with Reggie about letting a few people beta test it on our sandbox site. I'll post about it if we do.

Re: Redesign of Minimalist Theme
 

I think that would be very helpful since it would allow for feedback before it goes live.

And having the option of a theme with good functionality and a white on dark colorscheme hopefully will be acceptable to other people who are not so happy with the default scheme. I also would appreciate continuing with the minimalist colorscheme or something equivalent. Especially on the tablet itself which I use 95% of the time to visit the forum.

Regards,
Antonio