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Welcome to New AN!

Oakland_tiny by Blez on

I just wanted to write a quick note to welcome everyone to the brand new Athletics Nation.  We've added a ton of functionality to things. Some of the things you won't see until the season itself starts, but we'll actually have statistics updating regularly on this site.

 There's other great items like being able to easily insert photos and videos in FanPosts and FanShots.  Much more easily than ever before.

 That being said, this is still a work in progress and we're going to continue to make a number of tweaks.  In the meantime, we're going to leave Trei's post on the front page for a few days just to make sure that ANers who haven't had a chance to swing by yet will see what they need to do.

You can use this thread now as a place to leave more feedback or you can continue to use Trei's thread on the front page.

 Lastly, I want to thank Trei and his team for putting in nearly a year of unbelievable work to get this site up and running.  We've come a long and strange road, gentlemen.  Thank you for all your dedication to making such an amazing blogging platform.  I hope ANers embrace all it has to offer. 

  

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great job, guys

I know there are probably still some things to work out, but overall it looks great to me.

"Oakland has now increased its payroll to the point that it now ranks third in the Bay Area among all McDonald's franchises.”

-Sandy Alderson, former A’s general manager.

by 67MARQUEZ on Feb 11, 2008 10:57 PM PST   0 recs

Impressive

I wasn't expecting this big of an overhaul, but it looks really nice.

Can't wait for spring training to start.

"...we don't score six, seven runs. We score three, four runs and play defense and pitch" - Eric Chavez (2006)

by pickinmachine on Feb 11, 2008 11:00 PM PST   0 recs

I'm about ready to shoot that Windows Mobile ad

and I freaking HAVE a WM phone.

I totally understand the necessity of ads, but they really shouldn't be the primary focus of the page, right?

by mikev on Feb 11, 2008 11:09 PM PST   0 recs

Still a great site

I've been reading for almost a year. The new look and everything motivated me to finally sign up for an account. Hope to not offend anyone

"Whether they find life there or not, I think Jupiter should be called an enemy planet." - Jack Handey

by bluthbanana20 on Feb 11, 2008 11:11 PM PST   0 recs

With a username like that,

you'll make friends around here quickly.

stat-addled alien overlord

by salb918 on Feb 12, 2008 5:57 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Well, he certainly has a type.

It's Rhodes Scholar Night at the Coliseum tonight.

by Scottbass on Feb 14, 2008 3:35 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

glad to be here

Reactions to the new AN:
The bad: The general busy-ness, the word "fanposts" instead of "diaries," the bigger print all seem to suggest a general dumbing-down.
The good: Getting team stats, box scores and that stuff into the site seems to address a lot of the concerns people had about the game recaps; no need now to go visit ESPN for that stuff.
Obviously a lot of hard work was done; this stuff should help the site draw advertising and maybe will make it more profitable. I would like to urge you, Blez, to reinvest the profits into signing future prospects. The farm system is bare!

Brainless Automaton #439

by rubin sierra on Feb 11, 2008 11:17 PM PST   0 recs

Disagree on the "diaries" thing...

the word "fanposts" instead of "diaries,"

I think this might be a case of just being more familiar with something. I always thought "diaries" was kinda weenieish. Like, if I wanted to write about my crush on Jenny McRebecca in the third row, I'd be all set to write a diary. Writing about the amateur draft, though? A "diary" just always sounded wrong to me.

I got used to "diaries", but I always wondered what new visitors thought about the name.

by Grant on Feb 11, 2008 11:36 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Fanposts

sounds ok to me. Diaires sounded a little too girlish.

by IM4Oakgal on Feb 11, 2008 11:42 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I don't like either

It starts with rule No. 1 from coach Don Nelson: Shoot the ball.

by mikeA on Feb 11, 2008 11:57 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I told Blez we should call them "clowns"

The best that can be said about this is that it's imaginative. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 12, 2008 6:54 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

KlownKolumn has a nice ring

It starts with rule No. 1 from coach Don Nelson: Shoot the ball.

by mikeA on Feb 12, 2008 10:04 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

How about "Fan Blogs?"

Posts is too generic a word...most people consider a simple comment like this to be a "post." And I agree that "Diaries" was never a good fit.

But "Fan Blogs" actually says what the thing is: a fan's writings on a subject as if they had a blog of their own. Anyone can write a "Post;" it takes some thought and work to write a "Blog."

There is an A in Whimsy.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Feb 12, 2008 10:13 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Actually I think the technical

term for this is comment, not a post. What you put up in the former diary section is called a "post". The site as a whole is called a blog.

by Blez on Feb 12, 2008 11:49 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

I guess

though it seems to me the terms have much more fluid definitions as commonly used. People very often use "post" to mean "comment," and blog as a noun referring to an individual new entry (Like, "I wrote a new blog about Donnie Murphy") as well as one referring to the collective site.

I can't remember if it was your old about AN write up, or someone else writing about AN, which referred to what we used to call diaries as the chance for community members to in effect have their own blogs. That's a nice way of looking at it, and gives users a kind of community buy-in which builds serious loyalty. As you see all around you here today.

Fan Posts is generic. Fan Blogs is rewarding. IMHO.

There is an A in Whimsy.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Feb 12, 2008 3:13 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Agree on FanPosts.

That's a name that needs more development, because honestly, I'd be just as embarassed telling someone to read that. Not everything needs to use "Fan-" as a prefix for us to know that it's a blog for fans. I like the mentioned Fan Blog idea. Or just something less gimmicky.

The live stats and scores is going to be SWEEEEET and be a fabulous compliment to game threads. Plus, saving a computer from going to ESPN.com saves kittens.

Having that kind of accessibility will be a damn fine thing.

Would like the option to turn off avatars to speed loading time, though.

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on Feb 12, 2008 5:45 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

before everyone gets too excited

in this first release we only have a regularly updating line score - that's like every minute or so. it's definitely not pitch-by-pitch like MLB or ESPN. we're headed in that direction, but we're just providing the basics first.

I'm one of the guys that built the new SB Nation

by clockwerks on Feb 12, 2008 7:11 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Don't mind me

Just testing a bit.

The Phinsider: SBN's Miami Dolphins blog

by Matty I on Feb 12, 2008 9:16 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

So how do you tell who has

recommended a fanpost? It used to list the people.

by IM4Oakgal on Feb 11, 2008 11:25 PM PST   0 recs

The biggest thing

I would like to see is changing the c function so that the highlighted comment is at the bottom of the page instead of the top. When I tab through, I keep having to scroll back up to see what the comment is replying to.

It starts with rule No. 1 from coach Don Nelson: Shoot the ball.

by mikeA on Feb 12, 2008 12:01 AM PST   0 recs

when I press C on my keyboard,

nothing happens

Brainless Automaton #439

by rubin sierra on Feb 12, 2008 12:42 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

buy a new keyboard

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Feb 12, 2008 1:05 AM PST to parent up   1 recs

lol...

I almost spit coffee on my keyboard. I would have sent you a bill.

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Feb 12, 2008 8:48 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

what browser / OS are you using?

I'm one of the guys that built the new SB Nation

by clockwerks on Feb 12, 2008 9:59 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Firefox 2.0.0.12

Brainless Automaton #439

by rubin sierra on Feb 12, 2008 8:08 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

it's not that bad...

I was afraid it was going to be really bad, like MySpace kind of bad, but it's not so bad. Just keep on having AN day, and I'll be happy.

"They can do it if they want to do it. They just have to believe they can. Maybe it's our job to make them believe they can."-Gerrard

by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on Feb 12, 2008 1:09 AM PST   0 recs

hey now

whats wrong with myspace!

"Mommy and Daddy are going to take a nap before the baseball game starts..."

by Devyn on Feb 12, 2008 1:11 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Was that tongue in cheek?

MySpace serves a very useful function... but most MySpace pages have the design appeal of something created by a color-blind person in a mid 90's euro dance-club while on an acid trip.

by RickeySteals on Feb 12, 2008 9:34 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

very pleased so far

Blez, for what it's worth, I think it's great so far. Everybody will have a different opinion on the design, that's just the nature of the beast. I personally like it a lot - it's more professional looking, though still feels fan friendly to me.

It's impressive how far this has come since AN v1, you should be very proud of yourself and your crew.

by Eric in Atlanta on Feb 12, 2008 4:35 AM PST   0 recs

My random thoughts....

First, I don't like "FanPosts". I don't know why, but I just don't. When I can figure out why, I'll let y'all know....

Second, once you are looking at a specific "FanPost", the list on the right says "Recent Headlines", and only includes postings from the mainpage, not the diaries/FanPosts. I like having a list of all the diaries that are posted, rather than having to go back to the main page to look for them.

Thirdly, once a diary/FanPost becomes recommended, it disappears from the list of recent diaries/FanPosts. Why? Does it really cause that much more for it to be listed in both places? Because for some of us, we don't care if a diary was recommended, but we remember that it was posted before the one-line diary/FanPost and after the pictures of bobby crosby's backside diary/FanPost.

That's my two cents worth....

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Feb 12, 2008 9:37 AM PST   0 recs

oh, one more thing

the site is slooooooooooooooooow now. I don't know if this is just because of upgrades and such going on, but it loads and posts much slower than before....this will be a real problem when game threads start soon....

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Feb 12, 2008 9:39 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, my post took

forever to show up

So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one

by baseballgirl on Feb 12, 2008 9:43 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Actually it was faster this time

So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one

by baseballgirl on Feb 12, 2008 9:43 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

we're working on teh slow issues

I'm one of the guys that built the new SB Nation

by clockwerks on Feb 12, 2008 10:21 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Agreed

And for some reason when i clicked on "reply" I got teleported to the top of the page and took about 20 seconds to scroll down to find this box. Me no likey the new version yet. But, I remember feeling this way with the last update and I grew to like that one so we'll see.

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on Feb 12, 2008 8:25 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I like that recommended diaries

disappear from the regular diary section. It's kind of like getting called up to the big club. You can't be playing for Rivercats and A's at the same time ;-)

by Blez on Feb 12, 2008 11:50 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Overall, as someone who designs/builds web software daily...

... I am seriously impressed. This is no minor undertaking, and it looks like it is going to be an amazing system, especially as you add the other SB Nation sites.

I think the upgrade calls for a change though - it is time for a new AN Logo to go with the new digs.

AN Logo 3.0 - animate that puppy so it spins and is surrounded by flames. Metaphorically, it will fit our next season, no matter how we do!

by RickeySteals on Feb 12, 2008 10:46 AM PST   0 recs

Oh, and even more impressive...

... is the choice to make AN one of your first test sites. It would've been a lot easier (and safer) to pick a less popular SB Nation member...

by RickeySteals on Feb 12, 2008 2:14 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I am impressed too.

Both with the quality of what you've put together, and your gathering of feedback. Most of the complaints have been very minor considering the scope of the changes.

[ a.k.a. mkt a.k.a. whiny douchebag ]

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on Feb 12, 2008 11:03 AM PST   0 recs

One potential issue I have seen

(and I already mentioned it elsewhere but wanted to be safe) is that, when you look at someone's profile, in addition to showing the fanposts and comments they have posted, it shows what they voted in polls. Doesn't bother me, but I could imagine it bothering others.

Other than that-WOW! I'm getting used to it already and really like some of the new features.

by 5Aces on Feb 12, 2008 11:33 AM PST   0 recs

BANNED?

Somehow I was banned in the transition? Is this supposed to happen? My former user name was SwisherSweet33. I thought if I were to banned I would receive some sort of notification?

by 33SwisherSweet on Feb 12, 2008 12:15 PM PST   0 recs

What did you see that made you think you were banned?

Were you able to claim your blog account?

I'm one of the guys that built the new SB Nation

by clockwerks on Feb 12, 2008 12:25 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I was able to claim my blog account

which I posted on 2 days ago (nothing controversial that I know of), but when I logged in it said I had been banned and could browse but couldn't post. Strange.

by 33SwisherSweet on Feb 12, 2008 1:18 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

You weren't banned, Swisher with some 3's

Sounds like a "system glitch," but don't worry - you weren't banned. Traded, maybe, but not banned.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Feb 13, 2008 11:29 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

On AN 2.0, I could leave AN...

then come back and still be logged on. Now it seems I have to log on every time I return and in addition, I'm bumped to the parent SBNation website first then have to click to go back to AN.

Waahh!!

I want my Mommy!!

Bubble Gum

by Ice Cream on Feb 12, 2008 1:20 PM PST   0 recs

in former Soviet Russia, new new AN leaves and logs off of *you*

Think of it as an athletic version of the Hokey Pokey. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 12, 2008 1:51 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Leaving me concerned of course with our developing "Log-Off Gap"

"Not in your wildest alcoholic nightmare would you ever imagines such events unfolding!" Bill King

by Buck Turgidson on Feb 13, 2008 12:25 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I like to think of the third-deck tarp as a "doomsday shroud"

Great new username. We need someone to step up and moniker themselves "Merkin Muffley" or "Group Captain Lionel Mandrake."

Even if they're clever, they become stupid with repetition. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 13, 2008 12:31 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

On another widely known blog,

whose name I dare not speak for fear of provoking anger or CGVs, but which shares much lineage in common with this very blog, and includes the appelation "Daily," I have the username Colonel Bat Guano.

There is an A in Whimsy.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Feb 13, 2008 1:19 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

there I am the name from my other blog

Even if they're clever, they become stupid with repetition. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 13, 2008 5:31 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Hmm... on the other hand...

by RickeySteals on Feb 12, 2008 2:13 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

What happened?!?

It showed a subject line twice that long when I first posted it. Weird. Your reply broke my subject line.

Think of it as an athletic version of the Hokey Pokey. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 12, 2008 2:26 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

you can make a blank comment as well... no subject line, no text.

"The hard... is what makes it great."

by Jjjsixsix on Feb 12, 2008 3:06 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

this is a bug

I'm one of the guys that built the new SB Nation

by clockwerks on Feb 12, 2008 3:28 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Okay, that is weird...

It isn't a layout bug - it actually truncated the subject line after I posted.

Even weirder - it truncated it at 256 chars - I would expect that kind of a limit when you typed it, not after a comment appears below it...

by RickeySteals on Feb 12, 2008 3:26 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

this is a bug too

I'm one of the guys that built the new SB Nation

by clockwerks on Feb 12, 2008 3:28 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I wish I was smart enough to have planned the break as aptly as where it broke

Think of it as an athletic version of the Hokey Pokey. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 12, 2008 3:50 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Lost my username...

But it's not like I was at all known any way. Just an annoyance I guess.

I'm also part of the "way too much grayspace" on a widescreen monitor, but unless my monitor can magically flip the screen vertically with some sort of magic flipping spatula, I (we!) will just have to deal with it.

It's nice to be back, in any case! Kudos to clockwerks, Blez, and everyone else that put all this work into the place.

by RenoTy on Feb 12, 2008 4:48 PM PST   0 recs

"Fanpost"

If we're voting on this, count me in favor of the term "fanpost". It makes so much more sense than "diaries". They aren't diaries, and they aren't blogs; they're posts, so calling them posts is perfectly logical. Calling them fanblogs would be totally bizarre. If you had a special page showing all the posts by one member, I suppose you could call that a "fanblog", but one post is certainly not a blog.

formerly "mdl" (on AN)

by iglew on Feb 12, 2008 7:53 PM PST   0 recs

well said!

funny, the SB Nation team just said all the same things to ourselves in our chat room :)

I'm the SB Nation visual designer, so blame me!

by sixfoot6 on Feb 12, 2008 7:59 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

It's not that blog is such a great name,

because it's not. It's just that "post" has so many different common uses as to be meaningless. But it's not that big a deal either way.

The details of the upgrade are of far less consequence than whether it was worth doing at all, which is something each user can only answer for themselves. It'll be interesting to watch what the "feel" on AN becomes, because for good or bad it ain't gonna stay the same.

There is an A in Whimsy.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Feb 12, 2008 9:32 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Right

"Post" has many different common meanings, one of which is exactly what former diaries are.

"Blog" has exactly one specific meaning, and it's not what former diaries are.

formerly known as mdl

by iglew on Feb 13, 2008 12:29 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

But FanPost sounds bad ...

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Feb 12, 2008 10:10 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

FanPost

formerly known as mdl

by iglew on Feb 13, 2008 12:34 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

"Fan post" sounds like something

you hitch your horse to. Count me in as among those voting that we find a new more betterer term.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Feb 13, 2008 11:31 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

I'm excited about this new thing

Looks great!

I just joined the AN (the enemy) cause LSB is not ready yet. I really like this. Good job so far.

This is going to be really nice!

Now fixin to try and get use to this is another project :)

by hurlerhurley on Feb 12, 2008 9:51 PM PST   0 recs

Looks Great

It will take some getting used to but within 2 weeks or so I'm sure I'll love all the new features. Can't wait to see the updated stats once the games begin.

We can be considered David, David knocks out Goliath. -Eric Chavez PT-42

by norcaldevilasu on Feb 12, 2008 9:55 PM PST   0 recs

Blez, a little help here

I think I have screwed up. I can't us my real name (toolboxer) because it is taken. In a nutshell I can't remember my password, and I signed up on a defunct email. I have tried to fix it but SB nation sends me in a loop. Can you hook me up? Even though I'm a Sabres fan?

by DAVE THE ANGRY on Feb 12, 2008 9:58 PM PST   0 recs

I don't know what to tell you

I don't think I can change it. You don't have access to that email at all? And I love the Sabres this year. They've given the Devils seven out of a possible eight points so far!

by Blez on Feb 12, 2008 10:16 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Fine then!

I have a new name, but my sig is the same.

Change is hard, but I do appreciate the work you put in. I'll get used to it.

"Not in your wildest alcoholic nightmare would you ever imagines such events unfolding!" Bill King

by Buck Turgidson on Feb 13, 2008 12:19 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Looks great

Though it seems a little busy, I'm sure I'll get used to it. Love the avatars, but I wish you'd ditch the signatures. It's annoying to see the same quotes over and over; and even if they're clever, they become stupid with repetition.

by Brian in 317 on Feb 13, 2008 7:31 AM PST   0 recs

sigline!

Even if they're clever, they become stupid with repetition. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 13, 2008 7:54 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

ack!

I've been monkeyballed!

by Brian in 317 on Feb 13, 2008 8:00 AM PST to parent up