Till then,

Jean

The purpose of having a magazine style design is for people to be able to quickly see the latest posts at a glance and click on the ones that interest them to read further. On a multi-topic Blog like this one I think that will provide a lot of value once people get used to the initial change in design. Like I said above, you still have the option of seeing my latest Blog posts in full just by bookmarking my “/blog” page – and it only takes 2 seconds to update that bookmark. Of course if your read my site via RSS reader that’s not an issue, but I know in your case you prefer to read from the site itself.

Also, even though I know you don’t like the magazine style design and the Blog being a “/blog” menu tab, there is a reason why the top Blogs on the Internet utilize them (JohnChow.com, ProBlogger.net, StevePavlina.com etc.) They offer people 2 choices – (1) See the latest Blog posts at a glance on the home page, or (2) See the full Blog post in traditional Blog format on the /Blog page. It allows the reader to choose which they prefer.

The wide sidebar is the same as it was in my previous design. I think it only seems wide to you because you’re used to your 3 column design with the 2 narrow sidebars on the LEFT / RIGHT, whereas my design is a 2 column design. I don’t think my sidebar takes up any more room than your right and left sidebars combined… maybe a few pixels, but not much.

As far as the header is concerned, I think it kicks ass. I think Lucas did a really good job on it. I don’t think it’s too big at all… your top header takes up just as much space, except on yours you plastered a big giant banner up top. Instead of having a big giant banner up top promoting someone else’s brand, I chose instead to utilize the real estate for my header. Nothing wrong with having a banner there, it’s just not what I wanted for my design.

Just for the record, you think your TylerCruz.com design is the best out there and is pretty much perfect, right?

It’s funny how we’re all biased towards our own designs, and we think everyone else’s designs are inferior.

Think of it this way though — if I made my site design just like yours with the 3 columns, banner near the top etc, you’d be bloody pissed saying that I copied your design. You were already pointing out that my mascot was wearing blue jeans and a red shirt just like yours, even though my mascot has always worn blue jeans and a red shirt even in the previous design.

Face it, as a fellow blogger you’ll never be happy with my design or John Chows or anyone else’s, because if the design is different from yours you don’t like it because it’s different, but if the design was identical to yours you’d be screaming that we copied you.

And, to be honest, I really don’t like the quality design of the header either. I mean, it’s decent, but it seriously does look rather awkward to me. The books, laptop, and phones look good, but the rest just looks strange to me.

Your social media buttons are nice, but I really hate the front page and think that the header and sidebar take up too much room.

My main criticism mostly lies in the front page… I just really really really hate that magazine/summary style. Make your home/index page what you currently have at /blog and relieve my stress. I’m working on fixing my comment button so you fix this. It’s only fair.

-Paul