Changing SQLServerCentral - Newsletter Layout

  • I never read the newsletter on anything other than desktop so for me the fixed width is a pain.

    If it could have just been the old style but with less of the clutter; as others have said things like links and headlines etc.., QotD etc...

  • Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/6/2013)

    Yes and no. We can allow test to flow, but then layout looks funny at times. If we control it more, we can't easily make it work in Outlook and in other clients. Outlook is really the problem, but since so many people use it, it's a problem.

    You could always revert back to good ol' HTML and forget all that modern CSS stuff--that should work across all platforms then. 🙂

  • I love the editorials, whatever they're about. Always read 'em. Almost every day I click on a link. I even like the pictures.

    I doubt if you'll ever cater for everyone with one design. Shades of Metro. Outlook users are always going to be a problem because the newsletter is rendered as a Word document so you're never going to get a responsive design to work in Outlook.

    What about catering for those of us who like to spread it all out across the screen to have a web-based version of the newsletter that is fully-responsive to the size of the browser window that we can access by clicking on the link in the the current truncated version that's optimized for small screens?.

    Best wishes,
    Phil Factor

  • Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/6/2013)


    WayneS (8/6/2013)


    To go along with this, how about a second section of recently solved questions? Limit it to a few per forum topic - maybe the most active for the prior day?

    That's interesting. Maybe I'll see if we can play with this.

    It would be nice to have some feature on the forum that allows a topic to be "answered". It doesn't need to be tied to the points system, like in Stack Overflow or MSDN, but it would help to construct a very interesting newsletter.

    Need an answer? No, you need a question
    My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
    MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP

  • Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/6/2013)


    WayneS (8/6/2013)


    To go along with this, how about a second section of recently solved questions? Limit it to a few per forum topic - maybe the most active for the prior day?

    That's interesting. Maybe I'll see if we can play with this.

    I really like the looks of the database administrators newsletter that Stackexchange sends out that contains information

    about forum threads. The choice of topics that they made makes it interesting.

    They have:

    Top new questions this week.

    Greatest hits from previous weeks.

    Can you answer these? (unanswered).

    For SQL Server Central I would not have every forum represented in the newsletter, a concept like above is more appealing.

  • I always read the email on my 2 x 1920px wide desktop monitors and since the layout change have given up reading from QOTD onwards as it's just more hassle. I always read the editorial and check the featured content but the rest takes too long. So I've stopped replying forum questions as a result as I don't have time to casually read the forums and used to use the email links to offer help. Have others done the same?

  • Good suggestion re

    Top new questions this week.

    Greatest hits from previous weeks.

    Can you answer these? (unanswered).

  • P Jones (8/7/2013)


    I always read the email on my 2 x 1920px wide desktop monitors and since the layout change have given up reading from QOTD onwards as it's just more hassle. I always read the editorial and check the featured content but the rest takes too long. So I've stopped replying forum questions as a result as I don't have time to casually read the forums and used to use the email links to offer help. Have others done the same?

    I haven't used the e-mail links to the forums for a long time. As someone else pointed out, the questions have often been answered by the time I get there. I use the Latest Forum Posts section at the bottom right of the homepage instead.

    John

  • John Mitchell-245523 (8/7/2013)


    P Jones (8/7/2013)


    I always read the email on my 2 x 1920px wide desktop monitors and since the layout change have given up reading from QOTD onwards as it's just more hassle. I always read the editorial and check the featured content but the rest takes too long. So I've stopped replying forum questions as a result as I don't have time to casually read the forums and used to use the email links to offer help. Have others done the same?

    I haven't used the e-mail links to the forums for a long time. As someone else pointed out, the questions have often been answered by the time I get there. I use the Latest Forum Posts section at the bottom right of the homepage instead.

    John

    I go to the forums and then click Recent Posts at the top (next to Control Panel) and select Posts added today.

    Need an answer? No, you need a question
    My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
    MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP

  • raadee (8/7/2013)


    I really like the looks of the database administrators newsletter that Stackexchange sends out that contains information

    about forum threads. The choice of topics that they made makes it interesting.

    They have:

    Top new questions this week.

    Greatest hits from previous weeks.

    Can you answer these? (unanswered).

    For SQL Server Central I would not have every forum represented in the newsletter, a concept like above is more appealing.

    thanks, interesting ideas.

  • paul.knibbs (8/7/2013)


    Steve Jones - SSC Editor (8/6/2013)

    Yes and no. We can allow test to flow, but then layout looks funny at times. If we control it more, we can't easily make it work in Outlook and in other clients. Outlook is really the problem, but since so many people use it, it's a problem.

    You could always revert back to good ol' HTML and forget all that modern CSS stuff--that should work across all platforms then. 🙂

    It's up in the air, but it's something to consider. Or maybe it's worth considering a less responsive design, with less control.

  • Sarus1984 (8/7/2013)


    Hey Steve,

    multiple newsletter formats to choose from could be great - and if you give the option not only to choose the format but also which block of content should be included /* with the only mandatory block of ads - you have to live on something 😉 */ it would be awesome!

    But have you thought about a poll where you give the community a list of possible options and so you will get know us better...

    because at the moment I would think, most of feedback you receive is asks for change or a globally thank you. The content seldom write letters ^^

    //Sarus

    Good points, but unfortunately, people often don't vote on polls either. Response rates are too low for my taste.

  • Phil Factor (8/7/2013)


    What about catering for those of us who like to spread it all out across the screen to have a web-based version of the newsletter that is fully-responsive to the size of the browser window that we can access by clicking on the link in the the current truncated version that's optimized for small screens?.

    Interesting idea. A link in the NL to pop a browser window? I wonder if people would like that or hate it.

  • Koen Verbeeck (8/7/2013)


    It would be nice to have some feature on the forum that allows a topic to be "answered". It doesn't need to be tied to the points system, like in Stack Overflow or MSDN, but it would help to construct a very interesting newsletter.

    "Answered" is always an issue. It's why SO/SE use a ranking. The OP is not usually qualified to judge if something is correct. If it's not correct, is the question answered? Perhaps a few things are interesting though. most activity, unanswered, additional information provided?

  • In all honesty, I love the site the way it is in format and content. 😎

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