Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013

Thoughts toward a LibraryThing redesign

Labels: design

41 Comments:

  1. jjmcgaffey says:

    LOL! Just don’t go to neon instead…

    I’ve no idea, really. LT in, say, blue, or yellow, or green – just wouldn’t look right.

  2. runa says:

    *sigh* I really do feel like I’m the only one who loves the iconic salmon color. When the redesign happens, I hope the option to revert back to the original is available…

  3. Yet, I’m actually partial to the salmon — but then, I like earth-tones in the background.

    A thought: shouldn’t a website devoted to books take its palette from the beiges and creams of parchment and paper?

  4. Nora says:

    Save the salmon!

  5. Susanne says:

    I’ve grown fond of the salmon…maybe amp up the intensity so it’s not so…lifeless? Also, I would rather see a tab that says “my books” rather than “your books”.

  6. Stephanie says:

    Save the salmon!

  7. KUIPERDOLIN says:

    Keep the salmon please !

  8. Debbie says:

    Is that salmon? It has that classic pantyhose nude color on my monitor. So kill the salmon. We need a new fish mascot!

    And I totally agree with the poster who said my books instead of your books. I never understood that one. The rest of it I love.

    You will never make us all happy. Good luck trying though! ;o)

  9. Paul says:

    I vote for earth tones reminiscent of books. The salmon is too bland.

    I also suggest you rough out some candidates and let the LThingers give you feedback.

  10. Brann says:

    It is that “nude” colour on my computer as well. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest

    I do agree with the commenter that said that the pallett should probably come from the colours of paper and parchment–minus the optic white of some newer books.

  11. Lorin says:

    I’m glad there are others who love the salmon too. I thought I was the only one! It’s a color I’ve come to associate very strongly with LT, and I’d be sad to see it go. But as long as you don’t change it to anything too flashy, I suppose I will get used to it (eventually). 🙂

  12. Joe says:

    I can’t explain why I just spent 10 minutes researching whether Clan Spalding has a registered tartan (it doesn’t), but I’m just saying, that’d show them.

    That’d show them all….

  13. Laytonwoman3rd says:

    No, no, no…I never thought of it as “salmon”…I think of it as “LibraryThing”. It must not change! Now the “Your books” to “My books” idea is a winner.

  14. Laura Quilter says:

    Earth tones, I don’t mind, but there needs to be something earthy with them … greens and dark browns. Not just pale insipid washed-out pastel so-called earth tones.

    Anyway, people, even if you *LOVE* a color scheme, sometimes you just have to mix it up, you know?

  15. Deb Morrissey says:

    Yes, a palette reminiscent of old books. Parchment & black, burgundy, hunter green, tan, oxblood – those old leather bindings.

  16. Benuathanasia says:

    So long as the colors aren’t *BAM* in your face. Keep it rather neutral. The more vibrant colors are far easier to hate; whereas neutral colors, if you don’t like ’em, they’re easier to just ignore.

    Honestly, it took me a minute to figure out what everyone was talking about becuase my eyes no longer notice the salmon.

  17. Noisy says:

    Salmon = LT

    Keep the salmon!!

  18. vy0123 says:

    Make the next new look of stone with colors from earliest art, 50,000+yo.

  19. Elisa says:

    Thanks for a bit of Friday humor! 😀

  20. Chuck Gilbert says:

    I thought that the post was a “NO FISHING” notice…Keep the color, it is neutral and easy on the eyes.

  21. BookLizard says:

    I thought it was supposed to be a red herring. I was wondering what the mystery readers had done to earn your wrath.

    I like the salmon color just fine.

  22. Lee Swetnika says:

    I love the idea of tones of books, creams, beige, browns, some rich deep reds and greens to accent.
    Bandaid pink just isn’t my thing.

  23. Jill ONeill says:

    I vote for a move away from “salmon”. I think you want something a bit stronger or livelier than that.

  24. Oscar says:

    Please Librarything, don’t change! Until I came across this I had never thought about the colours on the site, which shows they are well done. Same principle as well designed lamps – they should not be noticed, but should light to good effect and be pleasing if the eye should settle on them. This is a site for readers and book lovers and does not need distracting colours. As to ‘your’ books, it’s perfectly understandable and has the pleasingly collegiate feeling of Librarything looking out towards the user rather than the implicit separateness of a ‘my’ books site. The endless isolationist self obsession of things which accentuate me-Me-ME! is so depressing.

  25. Melora says:

    I like the color! I wouldn’t have said “salmon,” though. Isn’t salmon much brighter? Maybe it is just lox that is bright. Or my computer monitor is muting the color. Anyway, it is a very nice color.

  26. Diane says:

    PLEASE don’t change “Your books” to “My books” as someone suggested above. Please don’t redesign. Please.

  27. Valari says:

    Hello!

    I have joined LibraryThing only a couple months ago but I like the current look. It was one of things which attracted me to LT and which I couldn’t stand on other book sites.

    Please don’t change it or at least give us the option to choose between the old and new look.

  28. Maureen says:

    It was a combination of salmon and green that gave such an iconic look to the Nastassja Kinski remake of the 1980s movie remake of Cat People. Of course, the David Bowie songs and Giorgio Moroder soundtrack didn’t hurt, either.

  29. Maureen says:

    a redesign would be great. salmon is ok I wouldn’t mind seeing another color or font. modernize it a bit.

  30. JLS Hall says:

    When we say “redesign,” exactly what are we talking about here? I’m thinking it’s more than just changing the shade of the header, right? And that makes my blood run cold. After having lived through a couple of disastrous “new and improved” redesigns (most notably Flickr), I’m really not ready for any major changes here at LT. I like the way it looks and the way it works, and while I don’t mind a little updating now and then, I’m really hoping it doesn’t turn into just another “social network” site with lots of pointless bells and whistles.

  31. Change for the sake of change is just irritating. Why not change something that needs to be fixed (like adopting Amazon style comment threads beside reviews).

  32. Nicole says:

    In the words of Garth Algar, “We fear change.”

  33. I’d stick with the salmon for sure!

  34. Ian says:

    Too many options and features up front can be off-putting (and confusing). Keep it clean and simple. Google rose to the top for a reason.

  35. Curtis Hedgepeth says:

    I’m from the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school and I don’t think LT is broke.

  36. esta1923 says:

    AHAFirst view of the new, and I think it handsome!

  37. esta1923 says:

    please read the above as AHA!!

  38. Anthony says:

    Way too late now, but I like the “your books” instead of “my books”. It’s LibraryThing telling me “these are *your* books”, acknowledging that there’s a distinction between me and a website which I use.

  39. Alanna says:

    Ignore the old fogies. Change already. The old design is off-putting.

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