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After several months of black-theme UsingMac, we've decided to transform into white-theme design. Perhaps, some of you might feel surprised by this sudden change, but we hope that you feel comfortable with our new design.
Having browsed through most of the websites that contain guide or information, rarely can we see them using white-on-black layout. That's when we think of changing into white-on-black layout.
If you have visited our site before, you would notice that the look-and-feel of several places have been tweaked, for example: mini highlights on the top now is incorporated with simple round button, you can browse through those highlights by clicking on the button.
Besides that change, we have also made changes to
And the biggest change would be the change from Black to White.
We believe that we are still far from perfect. It's really appreciated if you can give us any constructive feedback or comment on this new design. Not only for giving feedback, you can also try out our new comment box.
Hope you enjoy this new experience with UsingMac.
Some articles taken from our resource base, tightly related to current article, to empower you with more knowledge on tweaking the most out of your Mac.
I really like the new look, although I think content is the most important aspect of a website. But here on Usingmac, content is great =) Chears, Navi
Nice change! Caught me by surprise though - when I logged on, I was like.... "Am I on the right website??" I really liked the old leave-a-comment form though - looked really slick - can you tell me where I can get the codes or what you used before? Thanks!
Yes, white on black is rather rare in that field That's why it made you stand out. Now usingmac looks like any other website. I think its plain boring.
i like the old website this is boring.
look great and UE friendly. But a little bit not stand out.
@Clifford The old comment form is done in mephisto template, we still have the mephisto template but we forget to save the html.
Although I can follow your argumentation on the changes done, I still like the old design better. Without a question black on white is a more common contrast scenario on news sites, but still for usingmac.com I found it much more fitting. Don't be afraid to be different!!!
why heading in blue??? I dont like
the site does look a bit boring and a little more amateurish in white. I preferred the black look much more.
Hmmm, Blue on white headlines, blue on white links, and black on grey bar sub headers… I LOVED the black site so much better. this site now looks dislodged and incomplete. It's just not well thought out - to me. The sidebar is nice, though!
Loved the other one... it was stylish
I really dislike new design. It looks like a crappy free WordPress theme. Very inelegant. I much preferred the old design. Note: You misspelled address in the comment section.
Guys, it's boring. Seriously.
But some of your entries still show up more than once in Google Reader after some time. Thats annoying, maybe you could fix this.
Sorry if the new design give a feeling of boredom. I've added a nebula space background to the design, hope this helps. However, I also love the black design. But I try to change it to common design for easy reading: the white theme.
White on Black is much better, it made your site unique. This one is really boring.. Bring it back please.
I love it, thanks for not getting rid of the top latest/featured boxes, I love those little boxes under the header.
black on white: huge improvement. blue headers, text logo, nebula background: I fell like I'm looking at a website archived from 1995.
Bring back black! Loved the old look, this is a bit too ordinary!
I really like a lot. Its is much more easier to read.. Way to go. Thank you
i dont like the blue heandings, looks like ugly standard html... but couldnt white on black save batterylife?
Guy, Comeon, your previous design was incredibly sleek. just look at the categories on the right, they don't have the X factor anymore. This looks very very amateur as compared to the previous website. I am serious. I was in love with the previous design, and used to commend and compliment you on the earlier design. I have even written a blog post about how awesome your earlier design was. http://andykashyap.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/usingmac-a-great-blog-to-tweak-and-mod-your-mac/ I have one suggestion, can you give the user the option to select the type of website he wants to view? I mean, this doesn't feel like 'UsingMac'. An extremely sad avid fan!
I liked the original for it's originality. BUT, I like this better from a usability factor. I like what you DID, but like this better. Well done.
I liked the black better. I felt that it was easier to read and put less strain on the eyes, being that my atmosphere is ofter dark and unlit. Plus it made you different from most everyone else.
It's good, but I'd make it a tad more sleek with text gradients and the like Nice job!
I'm more of a fan of the old layout, to tell the truth. Less grey and blue colors in the body will help, and so will gradients in the logo of UsingMac.
Very nice. No problem with the change. Its even great. all the best.
Readability √ Clarity √ Layout √ Attention grabbing ~ Basically, it's easy to read and get the info that we want. I thought you could improve on the fonts for the reading text, the size and the type. I guess why most people don't like it because the colors are a bit of a mismatch? I thought the wallpaper behind does not suit the white theme. Well, don't be disheartened. Think about FaceBook. People always complain about the new layout or news feed or whatever but most still continue using it after all. So that goes for UsingMac too! :)
Wow. This site looks awesome. It's my one stop for friendly Mac resources online. Way to go guys, you rock!
Your previous layout has made you stand out. It was unique, consistent, and done in a 'MAC spirit'. Now you look like a (poor) imitation of MacWorld. Sorry. Black on white is for people reading news. Your site is for getting tips, mostly, so readability is not an issue here. Even though you were pretty readable white on black, no complaints on my part so far. And by the way, if everyone is black on white, it doesn't mean you have to be like everyone else. Don't.
Much better! Very slick design, easy on the eyes. Nice work guys!
I can understand the change to make it easier and practical but it was cool in black. Still, what's important is the site and this site is great!
It's not offensive, I quite like it. Very similar to the new Cult of Mac (www.cultofmac.com) theme/layout.
Hallo from enzo (Italy) I follow your beauty and good site 'cause have a lot wonderful part for use my love: macbook pro... :) Well every day i use my computer for about 14/16 hours!!! This give sometime suffering to my heyes. For me the wite color is too "fire" for eyes :( Well the black was more relax for me... I think that the grey color is a neutral color (look at the standard kodak grey) and so all we can be more relaxeted during the reader. Can also say that it will be an wonderful think if the site usingmac.com can be with trasparency level page inside... ciao enzo
Funny you changed- want to post a tutorial of how you did the old site- it was the epitome of web design and now everything is gone and it looks like a so-so Wordpress theme. Bring back the different colors in the menu, noticeable rounded corners etc. This looks like you went a few years back. Unless you're changing your content- your audience is designers and people who want to make their Mac pretty and have great applications. Your site isn't pretty in my eyes anymore I'd refer to your site with pride that it would be great, the content is there the design is lacking now. The bottom of this page doesn't have rounded corners. If it's not broken... Your articles are longer and I'd happily linger and read through, the harsh white isn't great for what you do, which is a great job!
Look at the Pixelmator, Clean My Mac, and Tidy Up! websites! You were doing a slightly better job than Pixelmator, which I purchased, a design software company website. If hosting costs of a nice site were getting too high, post a paypal donate and I'll gladly pitch in. There are many websites that do what you do, I came here because I enjoyed my time. Try making the post background an off white and have the best of both worlds. So much heartbreak I had to post twice. (don't loose your advertisers who were drawn to similar design in the first place) What did you use to create the white on black website? Was there a change?
I loved the Black version but I will learn to love this too.. it sorta matches the theme of my mac... Grey is good ... You are full of information I have learned alot from you guys .. thankz
Black was good, this is good to. I do think the colour was less an issues than layout and design was. If this new site was black or white it IS better than the old one - well done. To put my green hat on for a moment though, black websites are more environmentally friendlier. Social responsibility in design is under appreciated by the web designers. I use Blackle instead of google for e.g., every little it helps.
Excellent change! Upon my first visit to the site, I thought the black was a bit odd. I got used to it, but I still wasn't a fan. I absolutely love the white. And the Leopard-like background takes it over the top. Nice work, web design staff!! Love Long and Prosper!
I don't know how people can insist on black on white being easier to read. The contrast is no different at all. I am not a designer but a programmer and I read and write on screen all day long and with hours and hours of doing so I find white on black *much* easier on the eyes. Nebula background is nice but sadly helps very little regarding recognition value. Remember: Apple - Think different. No offense! Best regards! John
I do like it overall, maybe a new background image
Black is always not preferred by Website Designing Tutorials and Experts Guide! But, Usingmac.com shines in Black, now, its gloomy! Kindly Switch back! Or atleast change the background Color (Violet Space), Not at all match with the Professional White look! Anyway, i love using mac and usingmac.com
Please bring back the black! it looked much better and looked more in tune with the Snow Leopard look..(even though yours was out way before Snow Leopard....:)
Using Mac just looks so much better then before. It just might be me, but its a lot easier to read now that its white on black. Love Using Mac!
Bring back black!
Huge improvement. The white background makes the site a lot easier to read.
Plastic hit the nail on the head - so much easier on the eyes now, much more inviting.
I prefer the previous website, This web looks just too easy and those buttons, bars, titles,... are so big that even my grandma can read from her sofa... The background image and title 'UsingMac.com" is great but thats about it. Put a poll or do something about the interface. actually since the new web i don't check it as frequently as I used too... But still the content is great just the looks and feels ain't anymore. all this is very personal ...
Best designed blog on the net just got boring... Bring back the old design, much classier.
i still prefer the previous version. lest anyone thinks i'm the typical kind who'd resist change to almost anything, the old version was much easier to navigate, find stuff, and basically move around. not because i'm used to it, but because it just is.
This is a HUGE improvement! Light on dark is great for photos and portfolio sites, but informational sites are much easier on the eyes (and to print) dark on light.
the apple site has this white and black background swapping thing happening a lot.. white is also the new itunes background color.. i suppose white is the new black .. looks nice though.. but can work on the details a bit more for a more minimalist apple look.
I don't like the new design. It's boring, because now it looks just likeany other macsite. I really loved the black :(
I prefer the previous theme. This is almost as boring as appleinsider.com. Never change for the sake of change. If you have a successful brand, improve upon it; don't imitate others. The previous design had flair, color, and panache - it was a treat for the eyes. This "new" look is tired and old. Sorry.
It is so much faster now! I can actually scroll to the bottom of an article without Safari pausing to render the page. Way to optimize.
Ugh! I loved the black site, it's what got me reading UsingMac.com in the first place. This is drab and almost depressing, not to mention (for me) harder to read. I hope you decide to change it back, sooner than later.
WOW!! I love the new look. Shine and Bright! It's been a long time since my last official visit here. Glad I came and take a look. ^_^
*PERSONALLY*, i liked the Old design better. This one is nice, and it's usability is better; I see the logic there. However, the black text on a white background is no easier than a vise-versa look; heck, I liked the old look so much more, I hit 'ctrl+option+(command)' just to get that old feel back. of course it wasn't quite the same-lol. If anything, I think there would be a lot of programmers who visit that would be willing to incorporate this usability, but change it back to its old sleek, retro, one-of-a-kind look. i mean, that is the whole principle that brings Mac users together; being different!
Can't please everyone, oh well! Maybe you can give an option to choose between black or white? The space theme in the sides throws everything off, should put something else to compliment the new colors ;)
Guys, first you went from good to bad, now from bad to worse. Restore the first (black) theme already!
I really like the new look. It makes for a more pleasant viewing experience, imho. Keep up the good work!
Like the current site. Much easier on the eyes. I cannot read for extended periods with white on black, so thanks for changing it, it does wonders for eye strain.
I too enjoyed the black themed site much better. Gave it that sleek creative feel. Like, well, like a mac. I only noticed once post regarding the environmental aspects of a white themed site. It does cost more for crt displays to show white than black, so if you're environmentally minded, perhaps you should change back as there are sure to be some crt's still out there. Also, there are millions of other colors in the spectrum...white and black are sometimes just too simple. Love the content though! http://ecoiron.blogspot.com/2007/01/black-google-would-save-3000-megawatts.html
This web looks just too easy and those buttons, bars, titles,... are so big that even my grandma can read from her sofa... The background image and title 'UsingMac.com" is great but thats about it. Put a poll or do something about the interface.
i thought i clicked the wrong bookmark tab. nice change tho, it's like the milky way in a vast galaxy
Hey what happened to the nebula theme background? It was there when i posted my last comment.
Great post in this. I really like the new look. This one is nice, and it's usability is better. The background image and title 'Using Mac.com" is great but that about it. This is wonderful post of this. Thanks to this.
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