Websites changing formats for no reason

[Rett Mikhal]

If any of you are IMDB surfers, you know the movie database website has been trying to break out of its shell as of late. For the last ten years the format has remained largely unchanged, save for a few additions.

A few months ago they introduced a new format that used LARGE OBNOXIOUS ICONS everywhere. For example, when you went to an actor's page, all his movies were displayed in large bulky icons of the movie posters instead of the old list. Everyone cried foul to the point they changed it.

Now, this was a change of addition. I don't have anything wrong with experimenting with changes of addition as long as you realize it's an experiment and don't take the facebook route of "Don't like it? Cry me a river."

Now the format has changed again. When viewing a movie's page it no longer displays the cast, trivia, goofs and quotes on the main page. The only thing there is the synopsis and reviews. You can find the trivia, goofs and quotes on the sidebar (and possibly cast, but I can't seem to find it yet...).

This is a change of subtraction. More specifically, it's a change of subtraction of something that worked. Something that worked for ten years. This makes absolutely no sense and whoever first thought of it should just be dragged into the street and beat with the big book of bureaucracy.

Imdb is a tool for finding things, and by making the information in sidebars instead of just all there in its glory, it dulls the usefulness of the tools.

So, any thoughts, comments, horror stories about awful and unnecessary website revisions?

 

[RJDiogenes]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it-- unfortunately, we live in culture that thrives on novelty, so we see a lot of change for the sake of change.

 

[Smiley]

I can understand moving some of those things for the sake of faster page loading, but cast information is one of the major things people look up on IMDB, so that should still be on the main page of a movie.

 

[trampledamage]

The change that's been annoying me most recently is that Wikipedia have moved their search box from the left hand side of the screen to the right.

I'm having to retrain myself not to automatically scroll to the left hand side after clicking on the bookmark

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, I agree. I hate when websites change things. I find it often leads to the website being more difficult to use. There's one important thing in webdesign, and it's usability. If someone can't find something easily, more than likely, they won't be back. This is especially important for websites that sell things. I think a lot of designers forget that or don't take it into account.

 

[Australis]

The change that's been annoying me most recently is that Wikipedia have moved their search box from the left hand side of the screen to the right.

I'm having to retrain myself not to automatically scroll to the left hand side after clicking on the bookmark

+ 1

 

[Rett Mikhal]

There's one important thing in webdesign, and it's usability.

Logically, yes, but that seems to have given way to "The most important thing in web design is to cram as much shit into the code as possible. Semi-transparent floating dockable tabs WITHIN semi-transparent flashing floating dockable tabs? WHY NOT?! Don't forget to put the RSS symbol in the corner to signify we're web two point oh."

 

[B.J.]

The change that's been annoying me most recently is that Wikipedia have moved their search box from the left hand side of the screen to the right.

I'm having to retrain myself not to automatically scroll to the left hand side after clicking on the bookmark

I use the built-in search bar in Firefox, so I've been going to the upper right for a long time anyway.

 

[trampledamage]

The change that's been annoying me most recently is that Wikipedia have moved their search box from the left hand side of the screen to the right.

I'm having to retrain myself not to automatically scroll to the left hand side after clicking on the bookmark

I use the built-in search bar in Firefox, so I've been going to the upper right for a long time anyway.

Yeah, that search bar is one thing I miss since I've switched to Chrome.

Of course, if there is one for Chrome - people should feel free to leap in here and tell me

 

[Starbreaker]

Don't see the problem with IMDB. They never showed more than a few characters of trivia anyway. All they did was move the link directly over the left. You don't even have to scroll on most computers.

 

[Rett Mikhal]

I miss the one piece of trivia, one goof, one quote on the front page of the movie/show. It was more charming that way, gave each page some personality and if you really liked one piece of trivia/quote/goof, you would click for more. That's how I got addicted to trivia in the first place.

Plus the font on the left side is deplorably small.

 

[McCoy]

Weird. I just went to IMDB and it looks the same to me.

 

[bigdaddy]

IMDB seems EXACTLY the same as always.

 

[Capn Flukie]

Yeah, that search bar is one thing I miss since I've switched to Chrome.

Of course, if there is one for Chrome - people should feel free to leap in here and tell me

Chrome essentially is Google, just type whatever you're searching for in the 'address bar' and it does the same as a dedicated search box.

 

[Mike Farley]

IMDB seems EXACTLY the same as always.

I think they might have reordered the items on the page a bit, but otherwise all the info that has always been on the first page is still there including cast, quotes, and trivia. I've looked up four or five things there over the course of the day and nothings changed.

 

[Owain Taggart]

There's one important thing in webdesign, and it's usability.

Logically, yes, but that seems to have given way to "The most important thing in web design is to cram as much shit into the code as possible. Semi-transparent floating dockable tabs WITHIN semi-transparent flashing floating dockable tabs? WHY NOT?! Don't forget to put the RSS symbol in the corner to signify we're web two point oh."

Yeah, and that's another mistake that designers are making. Sites that are too crammed for info to the point that it becomes hard to read. I used to love Lifehacker, but they changed their design and now it looks too cluttered. Too many headlines with images being crammed in and no headlines catching the eye because of it.

 

[sidious618]

Change is the constant in life, my friends. Web life is no exception to that. I don't understand why people always get in an uproar when things change.

 

[RJDiogenes]

It's not a problem when things change for the better. It's a problem when things change for the worse.

 

[trampledamage]

Yeah, that search bar is one thing I miss since I've switched to Chrome.

Of course, if there is one for Chrome - people should feel free to leap in here and tell me

Chrome essentially is Google, just type whatever you're searching for in the 'address bar' and it does the same as a dedicated search box.

Oh yeah, I know that (and love it!) but the google search bar in Firefox had a drop down list that you could specify which site it searched - like Wiki.

 

[Rett Mikhal]

IMDB seems EXACTLY the same as always.

I think they might have reordered the items on the page a bit, but otherwise all the info that has always been on the first page is still there including cast, quotes, and trivia. I've looked up four or five things there over the course of the day and nothings changed.

Yes, like I said they've been trying to break out of their shell, but every time they change something the community cries out and it gets changed back. The first change I mentioned, the large icons, were also quickly reverted. I suspect it's only a matter of time before they get tired of paying their web guys to do nothing and change the format so they feel good about spending the money.

It's not a problem when things change for the better. It's a problem when things change for the worse.

Truer words are rarely spoken, my good chum.