Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The new AW CMS: features you'd like to see

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #91
    Hi Neary, welcome to the boards.
    Give the new look some time. I love it and will not miss the old site. The new CMS is going to make it easier for you to find the content you are looking for. Using your example made for a fun search result. I searched for models age 18-22, and between 145 and 155 cm height. CMS 2 returned just 40 models that matched that criteria. Which I then sorted by age to look through, youngest first.
    Attached Files

    Comment


      #92
      Originally posted by FloridaRob View Post
      Well-said, neary39! Welcome!

      Haven't I seen Google searches "built-in" to some web sites? Might be a decent "stop-gap" while the organizational and search features I've read are coming, are still being worked-on!

      Rob
      thanks; as well would like to say (although im not much of a poster myself) i enjoy reading your frequent posts, FB.

      another thing has come to mind (in the 5 min since my last post) -- one reason i havent posted much is that (at least for me, perhaps im doing something "wrong") whenever i go to make a post im always being asked to "log in" although im ALREADY logged in. although this seems a rather minor inconvenience i find it painful to log in repeatedly and thus this "barrier" limits my desire to post.

      Comment


        #93
        Originally posted by neary39 View Post
        the new screen color is very bright/white compared to the old background (blue) -- i prefer the darker backround as well i imagine the darker background was less of an energy drain on monitor/battery consumption.
        I'm inclined to agree with neary on this one. While I like "bright and crisp" on a site and while I'm not "married" to the familiar light-blue theme we've enjoyed over these years, the overall effect of the portal page, in particular, which combines the white background with, at least for now, some rather pale or overexposed flesh both in the standard top picture and in the particular model displayed, in a large image below, is just too much "white-ness". I want to turn down the "gamma", or whatever, on my screen. Perhaps, in the passage of time, we might experiment with a softer, "neutral" background and to watch that the models, so clearly Photoshopped in the upper image, don't appear too pale, especially on a page with so much whiteness, already.

        Perhaps some fun could be had inviting submissions of color themes!?

        Comment


          #94
          One more "frequent post" and I'm outta here!

          As seen, below, poor Rosanna looks, nearly, like a ghost! I wish we could warm up these skin tones a wee bit?? And yes, I know that model, below, is a "true blond", but couldn't she use a bit more contrast or less "fill" or whatever?
          Attached Files

          Comment


            #95
            Ok. One more and, then, I'm really outta here!

            And, with apologies if it has been discussed, somewhere, already, but I should think the lovely "Upcoming Shoots" could be brought to the top of the page and "merged" with, to replace the now, nearly redundant, "Latest Updates". Just add the dates to the "Upcoming Shoots" entries and the overall visual balance of the page might, even, be enhanced by having images left and right in the uppermost part of the overall page.

            Rob

            Comment


              #96
              FloridaRob,
              You can collapse your widget! And make Latest Updates widget go away by clicking the - (minus) sign.
              Try this organizing trick Frans noted...
              Attached Files

              Comment


                #97
                Originally posted by bookmanz View Post
                FloridaRob,
                You can collapse your widget! And make Latest Updates widget go away by clicking the - (minus) sign.
                Try this organizing trick Frans noted...
                http://forums.abbywinters.com/vbulle...682#post332682
                ...

                Thanks, Bookmanz! I'm so "three years ago". Collapsible widgets, indeed! I didn't even see that!

                Rob

                Comment


                  #98
                  Originally posted by bookmanz View Post
                  FloridaRob,
                  You can collapse your widget! And make Latest Updates widget go away by clicking the - (minus) sign.
                  Try this organizing trick Frans noted...
                  http://forums.abbywinters.com/vbulle...682#post332682
                  ...Uh oh! I got this nastygram when I clicked on that link. Not to worry. You told me what I really need to know!

                  $bbuserinfo[username], you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:
                  1. Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. This probably a Private Forum, with access allowed only to certain users.
                  2. You need to be logged into the website first before attempting to log in to the boards. This measure was added to the site to prevent attacks on our servers from evildoers via the messageboards that have inconvenienced our members in the past. We appreciate your patience over this issue.
                  3. If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.
                  (I DO, now, have access to the new beta site, so I'm not sure what I did to deserve THIS!)

                  Comment


                    #99
                    Originally posted by FloridaRob View Post
                    ...Uh oh! I got this nastygram when I clicked on that link. Not to worry. You told me what I really need to know!
                    $bbuserinfo[username], you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:...
                    (I DO, now, have access to the new beta site, so I'm not sure what I did to deserve THIS!)
                    Yikes! That's what you get. You've angered the goddess with your post about the whiteness.
                    BTW - Frans stated "You can minimize the widgets, then move them to the bottom of either left or right column. If you place Upcoming Shoots left #2 and Behind The Scene right #1 you won't see anything of the other items on the first/no-scroll screen"

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by FloridaRob View Post
                      I DO, now, have access to the new beta site, so I'm not sure what I did to deserve THIS!)
                      That links goes to a pre-beta (pre RC1 anyway) test-forum, RC1 testers don't have access to it.

                      Please note that collapsing and moving widgets does have some intermittent problems, specifically remembering between views. Bugs have been filed for that, so it will be fixed not to worry.

                      Comment


                        A desired enhancement, a complaint

                        Just perusing the CMS2 version of the site today. I noticed there is no analogue to the full model catalogue in the new site. That was nice for jumping to pages as well as seeing at a glance what shoots a model had done. Once it was downloaded, it was a very efficient (CPU, my time, bandwidth) way for browsing the whole collection (in part because no graphics download). This is a feature I would like to see in CMS2. (Perhaps an option to not load images while browsing models/shoots would be sufficient for my use case.)

                        The main thing I did not like about the new site is the pop-up samples of the images in the shoot. To me these are just a waste of CPU and bandwidth. I would rather just go to the image set pages with all the thumbnails if I am curious about a picture. Moreover, they pop-up even if I just happen to move my mouse over them on the way to something else which is distracting and unnecessary. A delay between hovering (not moving) over the picture and popping up the sample would fix this.

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by sergeiFrancois View Post
                          Just perusing the CMS2 version of the site today. I noticed there is no analogue to the full model catalogue in the new site. That was nice for jumping to pages as well as seeing at a glance what shoots a model had done.
                          Full model catalog: http://beta-www.abbywinters.com/browse/models

                          Full shoot catalog: http://beta-www.abbywinters.com/browse/shoots

                          Furthermore every model now has her own page which shows all the shoots she's been in, for example: Chloe B

                          The site hardly consumes CPU on your end, unless you are viewing one of the videos. What network connection do you have?

                          Comment


                            Home Page Image and Listings

                            Two things I don't like.

                            In terms of functionality, the fact that the video listing now returns every individual video file instead of just one result for each shoot isn't very user-friendly. You have to look a lot harder for a particular shoot.

                            On a design level, I agree the news pages are rather too busy but I can live with that. What really puts me off is the badly Photoshopped home page banner image. Cutting out differently lit models and dropping them on a background never, ever, ever works. I think this matters because it bears absolutely no relation to the incredibly high quality of all your shoots and will put people off.

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by Pottoman View Post
                              In terms of functionality, the fact that the video listing now returns every individual video file instead of just one result for each shoot isn't very user-friendly. You have to look a lot harder for a particular shoot.
                              You get that result when you click on 'show all videos from this model' and it does exactly that. If you don't want that, simply click on 'Shoot' in the 'Type' filter on the left in the search screen and the current search will be redone for shoots instead of videos.

                              But if you ASK for a listing of videos, well.. you get a listing of videos

                              Comment


                                Originally posted by Pottoman View Post
                                What really puts me off is the badly Photoshopped home page banner image. Cutting out differently lit models and dropping them on a background never, ever, ever works. I think this matters because it bears absolutely no relation to the incredibly high quality of all your shoots and will put people off.
                                That shot is real, as in, the models are in that location (and we have pics of the models standing in cow poo to prove it). Not sure if you're aware, but we never use photoshop to touch up images on our site, with two exceptions:

                                (1) these banner images (they appear on several pages, scattered around the new site), the lettering is made of polystyrene, and had a metal bar supporting the letters. We have photoshopped out the bar.

                                (2) We adjust the colour balance and density in most image sets.

                                What you're referring to is the color balance, and I agree it's off for these images, looks too surreal. Thanks for the reminder.

                                Comment


                                  Apology

                                  Sorry for the tone of my post, and thank you for the explanations. I sent it at the worst possible time and should have known better. I've been a web developer for 12 years and had just finished a couple of days testing a site where I probably spent more time writing up the bugs than actually using the site. Having to repeatedly shout across the room to developers "do I record this as a bug or have you just not finished it yet?" isn't the most relaxing way to work.

                                  I'd selected videos for search expecting 'shoots with videos' because I regard the video files in a shoot as just being a single video divided into parts just to make downloads easier. I suppose whichever way you make it work, there'll always be people who expect it to be the other way.

                                  Sorry for impugning your image manipulation policy. I accept I jumped to the wrong conclusion but one thing I still feel strongly. As a teaser for what people will find on your site it bears no realation to your content. Your shoots are all about intimacy and involvement in everyday surroundings. Bedrooms that really could be (and I understand often are) the model's own with no need to suspend disbelief. I would have expected something far more involving, erotic and personal, like a still from one of your regular shoots. As a page three photographer once said to me, it's the eyes he looks at when picking his shots. The current image looks like something from a far cruder site where it's just naked bodies, and the more the better. As you know full well, the thing that really stands out with this site is the recognition of the women as individual personalities we can relate to and even become online friends with.

                                  Just my two pennorth worth.

                                  Comment


                                    Originally posted by Frans View Post
                                    That links goes to a pre-beta (pre RC1 anyway) test-forum, RC1 testers don't have access to it.

                                    Please note that collapsing and moving widgets does have some intermittent problems, specifically remembering between views. Bugs have been filed for that, so it will be fixed not to worry.
                                    Widgets are cool and something relatively "new" in web design, (past five years maybe?) I'm glad they have come to the site.

                                    More importantly, humble apologies to Garion and the ladies, all standing in the poo, as Garion has promised! At least I was not alone in assuming I was looking at leaping ladies "shopped" into the picture. Something about color intensity seems to be to blame!

                                    Rob
                                    P.S. Does this mean the "abbbywinters.com" sign was, really, there in the grass? I think I can make out grass blades in front of it! No PS there, either?
                                    Last edited by FloridaRob; 21 March 2010, 08:40 PM. Reason: P.S.

                                    Comment


                                      Originally posted by Pottoman View Post
                                      ...just finished a couple of days testing a site where I probably spent more time writing up the bugs than actually using the site. Having to repeatedly shout across the room to developers "do I record this as a bug or have you just not finished it yet?" isn't the most relaxing way to work.
                                      Nor for the web developers, either, I would imagine.

                                      As a teaser for what people will find on your site it bears no realation to your content. Your shoots are all about intimacy and involvement in everyday surroundings. Bedrooms that really could be (and I understand often are) the model's own with no need to suspend disbelief. I would have expected something far more involving, erotic and personal, like a still from one of your regular shoots.
                                      That's really valuable feedback, thanks. I think we maybe got a bit tied up in the idea, rather than the message.

                                      Comment


                                        Originally posted by FloridaRob View Post
                                        P.S. Does this mean the "abbbywinters.com" sign was, really, there in the grass? I think I can make out grass blades in front of it! No PS there, either?
                                        Attached, the image we used straight from the camera (if not the exact image, one pretty close)
                                        Attached Files

                                        Comment


                                          message boards

                                          Would it be possible to allow for regional adjustments to GMT?
                                          i.e for Eastern Australia GMT +10hrs?

                                          Comment


                                            Originally posted by martys1979 View Post
                                            Would it be possible to allow for regional adjustments to GMT?
                                            i.e for Eastern Australia GMT +10hrs?
                                            The forums do provide that setting, though DayLight Saving does not always correctly (which I why I don't have it on 'automatic')

                                            Settings can done here: http://forums.abbywinters.com/vbulle...do=editoptions

                                            Comment


                                              Thanks Frans, never noticed that before?!?

                                              One more suggestion, maybe an AW watermark placed in a position, so that others can-not crop AW images and claim that work as their own?

                                              Comment


                                                martys, We place watermarks on all site images and video. Or have you found some that do not have a watermark?

                                                Comment


                                                  Maybe I'm alone in this, but I hate having to go through 2 steps before I'm able to view a photo set. Let's say I'm on a model page (ex: /model/chloe_b). I can see all of Chloe's shoots, and there's a bit of info about the image sets and videos (ex: 179 images, 3 clips | 54m 38s). My suggestion: why not have direct links to the content from there? Turn the small "L" or "XL" icons for images and the "LQ", "SQ", "HQ", "HD" for videos clickable. I kinda feel like going through a shoot page (ex: /shoot/chloe_b_marigold_2) to access the content at this point is an unnecessary step.

                                                  Comment


                                                    picture size in preferrences

                                                    I would like to see the view size of the pictures as a preference. Now I have to click on a pic to open it in a small size and click again to open it in a normal/large size. Why not configure your personal preferences and open pictures directly in the desired format. Other sites give you the option to open different sizes from the overview.
                                                    lay out and working of CMS2 are fine. I'm just learning the tricks of the new site and still have a lot to discover.
                                                    However, I liked the blue of the old site. it seemed more friendly, the all white has a more harsh feel to it.

                                                    Comment


                                                      Originally posted by wies125 View Post
                                                      I would like to see the view size of the pictures as a preference. Now I have to click on a pic to open it in a small size and click again to open it in a normal/large size. Why not configure your personal preferences and open pictures directly in the desired format.
                                                      Good idea, I've filed a Feature Request for it. Without resizing the pic the navigational arrows on the right will harder to reach with a landscape pic. That's your decision then though

                                                      Comment


                                                        this feature has now been added.

                                                        Comment


                                                          Originally posted by garionhall View Post
                                                          this feature has now been added.
                                                          Yep, that was fast. It was added before I got the FR confirmation even

                                                          It seems it does something smart with landscape pics too, arrows always stay in window. Nice.

                                                          Comment


                                                            Wow Garionhall,
                                                            thats fast and it works like magic. I am more and more switching over to CMS2 now

                                                            Comment


                                                              Originally posted by garionhall View Post
                                                              see, it's true, we really do listen, and more importantly, act! (the page colour thing, not so much)
                                                              Not even personalized page color changes? Bummer.

                                                              I know it's possible on some other sites. For example http://www.mugglenet.com/layouts/ has themes which change the color scheme and the page banner with great effect. (Blatant digression: How awesome would it be to always have a favorite model greet you when you first log in? )

                                                              Just having a few options for the color scheme would be a big plus in my book, so I hope you consider adding personalized color schemes at some point in the future (and maybe themes in CMS3).

                                                              Comment

                                                              Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter

                                                               
                                                              Sign up for the abby newsletter. Don't worry, we'll NEVER share your email address with anyone.
                                                              Working...
                                                              X