As per Adina's request.... here is a place for us to discuss our thoughts on the new front page. I am still navigating and trying to see how I like it... I will say though - that I miss having the slide show up top!
I love the slideshow too and I always look at all the pictures. If one picture catches my eye I do click on it to go to the profile and often find even more beautiful pictures and get in contact with new people. I probably never would have found those great profiles, beautiful doodles and lovely owners otherwise. I just don't always have the time to browse through the photos in the photo section. The slideshow gives me a great opportunity to see who else is out there. And I am a regular partipator and every week it is exciting to see one of my boys suddenly appearing in the slideshow.
I wouldn't look through the whole slideshow anymore if it would not appear on the front page anymore I fear.
I also love the birthday section. I love to wish everyone a happy birthday and it is nice to see what surprised and lovely comments you often receive back from this.
So to cut a long story short, my MUST HAVES on the front page are:
- slideshow
- Birthday
- discussions
- blogs
I don't necessarily need the comments because I barely look at them.
Adina, is there any way to move the finder section up on the main page? Maybe in the left or right columns? I know you are probably really tired of everyone whining about their cheese being moved.
BTW, Don't you just love the book 'Who Moved My Cheese'? I have probably read it 10 times...every time there is a "reorg" my teams want to read it together. =D
I just realized one of the reasons that recent activity is important. It would be totally overwhelming to belong to or be updated on all groups. most of them would be irrelevant to me, either because they are related to locale, a breeder I didn't get my dog from, etc. Yet every now and again someone has a comment relating to a discussion that has been posted in one of these groups that is of interest to me. I then can go and read that particular discussion.
I LOVE the slideshow! I've only entered it once (maybe twice) because I haven't had photos that have matched the theme.
I have a couple suggestions that I think will get people to participate more:
1. Allow members to submit one favorite photo each week. They could tag it "homepagestarweek20" or whatever.
2. Have the photos come up in "random" order rather than sequential so that everyone has an equal chance of seeing their doodle as a front page star. :)