Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: ronm on July 23, 2012, 04:19:42 PM
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Absolutely loving the new look SRGC site. 8) 8)
Congratulations to all concerned in updating and upgrading the welcome that greets us all and potential new members.
For me a great success ;D
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Thanks Ron..... the Web Team is looking a lot older these days : wondering if we can put in a claim for wrinkle cream and headache pills! ;)
There is LOTS more still to come on the new site - we hope that it will continue to amaze and delight all who visit!
Our main recommendation for viewing the new site is NOT to use Internet Explorer. It simply does not support the features we have at srgc.net
Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, and Safari, (for those with MACS) are all capable of showing you the site in its full version.
We hope we have got most things tested and so on, but you will all doubtless let us know what you think! :o
Enjoy!
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Note from 'Fabulously Fast Fred' : Please do not attempt to register on the new site. It has been disabled and is pointless right now in any case as it will not access anything you can't already see.
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As Maggi said if you use Internet Explorer you will NOT get the benefit of the full functionality of the new site which uses the most up to date web technologies. For Windows users the latest versions of Firefox, Google Chrome and Opera have all been tested with the new site and work perfectly. Safari will work for iPad and Mac.
As ever, the SRGC likes to stay ahead of the game and to provide plants people with the very best web experience.
The CMS (content management system) we are using makes updating the new site less reliant on myself not being run over by a bus.
The site, as with any, is dependent entirely on fresh quality content. Please do consider submitting articles if you possibly can by contacting Maggi or Ian.
Just a reminder the new site is at
http://www.srgc.net (http://www.srgc.net)
Miss it, miss out. ;D
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Congratulations , great job . The new website looks fantastic !
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The new site is very good.
I don't like MicroSoft and Internet Explorer is a horror that has held back improvements to the web - it would be interesting to know exactly what you're doing that IE can't handle - perhaps writing web pages that stick to the rules :)
Ah. I see (has a look using IE8), the drop down menus don't work and the moving pictures.
I'd not be brave enough to penalise IE users. But maybe it is time things changed.
NALS used to have pictures of lilies that moved - motion sickness :)
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I'd not be brave enough to penalise IE users. But maybe it is time things changed.
I sympathize but it is Microsoft who are penalizing their users, not the SRGC. We cannot have Microsoft deciding what we provide for our membership and the wider plant community.
Every Windows user has the option of dumping IE and moving to a modern browser: Firefox, Chrome, Opera etc - all work wonderfully well and won't cost them a penny!
;)
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Online SRGC Journals
There are 113 SRGC Journals on the new site down-loadable as pdf files. More will be added in time.
An fantastic resource, freely available to anyone, not only to SRGC members.
This attitude defines the SRGC.
http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/extensions/journal (http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/extensions/journal)
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I have just tidied up the logo jpeg for you, I have removed all the grey and the background colour of it
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Very kind of you Neil - but I thought the background was white already...... :-\ ???
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I have removed the back ground colour of the jpeg so that it can be replaced on any colour page and you will see that page colour through it. It only show up white here because that is the default colour that goes behind a picture.
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Thanks, Neil 8) Doubtless Fred will understand that and appreciate it - it's a bit beyond my level of understanding! :-[
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In reply to some confirmed IE users :
You will still be able to access all the items on the site, from the main top menus, but you will not see all the slide shows and moving pictures and ancillary features.
For those of you familar with the SRGC and what we do, then that may not be a drawback though it would certainly be so for anyone coming new to the site and wanting to learn as much as possible and get an overview of what we do and how!
I hoped we had made it clear that we were recommending not to use IE because it will not support all the features - not that users of IE would be denied access altogether.
Yes, we could have made the whole site accessible to those using IE, but why deny the approx. 51% of folks using other browsers from enjoying a fuller experience ?
We would liken it to riding a penny farthing after the invention of the motor bike.
The technology exists, if we want to attract more folk to the club then it must be up to date. :)
PS We have all sorts of browsers loaded to our machines, so we can test new items. Some time ago I would have been positively against any changes to what I used, fearing change for change sake, but I have come to realise that the other systems are every bit as easy to use as IE (if that is what one is used to - and at one stage, I was!) and I find them more useful and less bother.
One need not abandon IE if one does not wish to - there can be little harm in downloading an alternativer browser to try it out, I suggest you do try it - free and simple.
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Thanks, Neil 8) Doubtless Fred will understand that and appreciate it - it's a bit beyond my level of understanding! :-[
Indeed I do, elementary stuff, but as it's on a white page and won't be going onto any other page I didn't really see the point in deflecting our effort away from providing all these wonderful resources. ;)
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Magnificent effort (but I'd expect that given the quality of our team ;D). You do realise though that I'm going to have to spend even more time in these pages exploring all the new goodies. The Jim Archibald pages are a particular case in point, all those lovely Seed Lists and all of those "pithy" comments of Jims.
Many thanks to all of you, much appreciated.
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Magnificent effort (but I'd expect that given the quality of our team
Flattery will get you absolutely everywhere David.
But boy, it IS good isn't it. ;D
This platform will make the provision of unique resources like The Archibald Archive, Journal Archive etc SO much more doable. 8)
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I was reminded of an amusing video clip, see here:
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8994.msg246270#msg246270 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8994.msg246270#msg246270)
;)
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Latest stats from a number of sources show IE use at between 17 and 30% and declining month on month. More alarming is some are still using IE6. To browse the web with these old browsers is a bit like crossing a busy road wearing a blindfold. Microsoft is being left behind in the browser wars in large part because their product just doesn't cut it compared to the competition.
IE 10 MAY support the new technologies but will only be available for Windows 7 and 8. If you use XP it's the 2 finger Microsoft salute I'm afraid. No worries though, there are lots of top class free alternatives that take only minutes to download an install. 8)
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Wonderful! The Archibald & Journal archives are invaluable. Thanks & congratulations to all concerned.
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Some people have to use IE - because the companies/organisations they work for insist they do, often a very old version. Some people are MicroSoft supporters.
You have to tread a fine line between encouraging people to upgrade to other browsers and not making those stuck with IE or who like it, click away.
Then again, since your site knows I'm using Chrome, why is it talking to me about IE :)
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Some people have to use IE - because the companies/organisations they work for insist they do, often a very old version.
You mean people browse the SRGC sites when they should be working! :o
My God, no wonder the UK economy has gone down the tubes. I feel partly responsible. ;D
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The new site looks really good but I have to say the moving pictures make me queasy. :'(
Is there a way for an individual to turn them off?
Even the marquee does me in if I don't get it out of my viewing area.
Hate to sound like an old stick in the mud but I doubt I am the only person who would be affected by moving pics.
I'd also hate to have to use IE just to avoid them.
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At the moment, the only page with the moving pictures is the new front page.
They are there to capture attention and interest folks- it is highly unlikely that any regulars will be spending much time at all on the front page.
If you scroll to any other section you will probably not even have them on screen.
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Some people have to use IE - because the companies/organisations they work for insist they do, often a very old version. Some people are MicroSoft supporters.
You have to tread a fine line between encouraging people to upgrade to other browsers and not making those stuck with IE or who like it, click away.
Then again, since your site knows I'm using Chrome, why is it talking to me about IE :)
Again, I clarify: IE users will see MOST of the new site, we are simply suggesting that they will see MORE of the fun stuff with other browsers.
If people are used to IE then they will be accustomed to such deficits so I cannot see they will be greatly deterred.
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At the moment, the only page with the moving pictures is the new front page.
They are there to capture attention and interest folks- it is highly unlikely that any regulars will be spending much time at all on the front page.
If you scroll to any other section you will probably not even have them on screen.
On close inspection, it is possible to read most of the items on the front page with the moving pictures out of view.
For the right hand section alongside the larger moving picture area, I suggest increasing the size of the page (using a left click and the scroll button on the mouse) to allow you to read that section without being impinged upon by the moving photos. ;)
You know, some folks like to read lying down in bed. Some folk like to read propped up on pillows, some on their back, some on their sides....... to mix a metaphor, "one size does not fit all"..... it is for us all to seek out what makes us comfortable.
Your WebTeam have been beavering to deliver the most interesting site possible, with a snazzy front page to catch the eye of new readers and let everyone know all the facets of the site and forum.
Please use it for a while - it'll probably grow on you !
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I have made several modifications today to help overcome the issues with IE. Most of the functionality should now be available to those who cannot move away from IE for whatever reason.
The new site should now be compatible with modern browsers and also Internet Explorer8 and 9.
A modern browser is, however, still recommended.
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I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this (it hardly seems deserving of a whole new thread though)... When I attempt to do a search on the site, I get a message saying that my last search was less than 5 minutes ago (false) and that I can't do it. ???
Any suggestions, please?
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Lori, are you using the search button that is found between 'help' and 'profile', or the one at the top right corner of the screen just above 'news' ?
I find the first one works well, the second sends me all over the place!
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Hi, Ronm,
Yes, I was trying the button in the upper right corner of the screen. I've just followed your advice and used the other button (in the "menu" list) and it worked perfectly. Thanks!
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I now use tapatalk on my smartphone and that's a great feature. I can read posts with an appropriate format and follow conversations anywhere.
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Can I give a different view about IE? Out in the "real" commercial world most organisations were brought up on Microsoft IE and Office. Most commercial organisations are very risk-adverse so of course they continue to use what has always worked. They also employ many staff who are not computer buffs, so there is a significant overhead in teaching staff to use a a new program every 10 minutes. Most also use a "reverse-beta-testing" approach where they let other organisations go through the pain of dealing with bug-filled software releases and only upgrade once the product has settled down.
I just wonder about our online readership profile sometimes. Many are of the (ahem) older age profile, and are not likely to keep changing browsers just because Foxfire or Chrome has recently leapfrogged the other with some new feature, and is the latest thing to have. They do not have hangups about world domination by Microsoft, they just want to see the text and some good photos. Others like me are forced to use IE9 (or earlier) when we view the Forum at work (at lunchtimes only, Fred!).
Don't get me wrong, I use other browsers on my iPad and mobile/cellphone. I think we need to keep all of our readers in mind and not be too far ahead of the curve, hoping they will catch up in technology, but actually cater to the many of them who will not keep up with new technology. However we must still foster the interest of our younger tech-savvy readers, keep up with other organisations' websites and not be too far behind the curve either.
It's a very difficult thing to judge, and all credit must to the Web Team for being so proactive in these matters rather than maintaining the status quo!