Site Post » User Page Update · 6:14pm Dec 21st, 2013
Over the last few days, my primary job has been updating user pages. Anyone who has been around on the site long enough knows there were a lot of problems here. A lot of people had fundamentally broken pages where it was almost impossible to find the report button or block button which is a serious usability issue. To address this, I've changed user pages somewhat to add a little more coherency to them.
First of all, there is no longer a "bio" module. Technically there is but you cant edit it and it's always on the right column at the top of your page. This means whenever you go to someone's page it will feel somewhat familiar enough, at least to let you interact with them.
I've also changed the layout of the page to be in line with the rest of the site. This means the right column is now fixed at 300px wide and the left column is flexible. Almost every module can go in both columns and will change its look depending on which one it is in. The only restriction is comments which must be in the left module because there's no way to logically fit them in 300px, and again it gives some added coherency between pages. Different widths for custom boxes will also allow you to do different types of content in each. A smaller box on the right is useful for things like lists of items.
Some of the modules have new options too. "Latest" stories can be ordered by date, heat, rating or view. Comments can show 5, 10 or 20 per page.
There's still a bit more work to do on a few things (the group module on the left is bad right now but then it was garbage anyway...) and I have some ideas for new modules to but for now I think a lot of you will need to do up your pages a bit again.....
edit: If you want some more good reasons for why I did this, things like blog posts did *not* work well in 500px wide columns which is what you'd get a 1024 x 768 with the old layout which is my base line for the site's design. Now they'll get a 700px wide column at that res which is much better.
edit 2: For those concerned they lost the information from their old bio module: If you go to edit your userpage, your bio module should have a little green Edit button on it. I don't think anything you type in the box that shows up will be shown on your page, but you should be able to dig up all your old bio information from there. You can transfer that then to a custom module, or whatever else might suit your fancy.
edit 3: For those who feel as though their page has been "randomized" or "made ugly" by the update, please try first to move some modules around and readjust your page before you take issue with the new format. Your userpage was built for the old format, and the switch to the new format may not have accounted for any effects you were trying to go for with your old page. Try to play around with your userpage a little with the new format in mind, and see if perhaps you can find something you're comfortable with, before deciding you don't like it.
Looks ugly.
Like my scrotum.
AGH, CHANGE BAD
I kid
Why did you have to mess with what worked?!
The user pages were fine just the way they were, and then you had to go and mess it up. Way to go. 
fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/092/f/9/son_i_am_disappoint_by_songoharotto-d4uq9e4.png
I'd love to be able to move all the stuff on the right sidebar, to a sidebar on the left. It feels awkward with everything on the right.
Knighty, with respect, these changes are really, really terrible.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it..."
-Nobody Ever
I know people will complain about this, but personally I'm happy to see it. I didn't like when the user pages became full width in the first place
I don't know how to react to this.
My first feeling is more:
24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc5siyqR2F1rse5fco1_r1_500.png
[urge to slap intensifies]
Okay. I do not like this. I normally back up decisions you make. But this is complete bogus.
I am not for this one bit.
My user page is an ugly knockoff of a story page.
[edit] Just noticed. My long Bio is gone. I'd really like that back.
I don't know what people are complaining about, looks good to me.
knighty, it's awful
usually I support your updates because they actually look nice
but this is a disaster
fix this please
revert it back to the old
the old was fine
please knighty
I beg of you
search yourself, and listen to the cries of Fimfic
it's not too late
While I liked the old pages, I like the new ones as well.
#BoycottKnighty
Whoaaa, so trippy. Gotta get used to the change in ratios. It looks pretty neat, though! A lot more streamlined and fitting the site's design. The only thing I'd like is having a bit more customization options, like width and amount of stories in the latest stories module, but I'd probably have to make my own site to have something exactly fitting my further wishes.
1631342
You can already choose the number in that module (5, 10 or 15)
The change completely removed the long description (Edit: I mean the biography) , something many people want and need. Also it seems to focus more on comments and blogs rather than the stories, which leads me to worry that we are moving towards yet another social networking site, though I am sure this is just an irrational fear that has come about through youtube
Still, don't like the new layout, and that's my two cents
1631324 1631332 1631330
YES.
I quite like it, actually. Looks neater.
I see many changes. I see little coherence. Due to Western reading patterns, our eyes naturally go left to right. Sticking everything on the right side makes precious little sense from a design standpoint.
Is anybody else getting a blank white screen when they try to drag and re-arrange the comments module now? It doesn't seem to be working for me, using Google Chrome btw.
1631332
Hm. I'll miss the ability to reposition one's bio module. I never made use of it, but I loved some profiles I've seen that did use it, and to good effect: "This user page isn't about me, really—look at the fics I've recommended in the modules at the top of the page! You should check those out; they deserve some love." sort of thing.
1631349
Pear! How much did Knighty pay you to say that?
Yeah, even with the very real problems with the way userpages were before (and believe me, people DID notice them), this...this isn't fixing anything. This is BREAKING something.
Also, and this is just a suggestion: would it kill you to warn people before just dumping these changes onto the server? Like, say, a site blog post that says "This thing is changing in x hours..." I had just finished reading a chapter of a fic, went AFK to get lunch, came back 5 minutes later, loaded a new group thread, and was slapped in the face by THIS mess. Nobody likes getting slapped in the face with unexpected things, knighty. PLEASE warn us the next time you're going to do something like this?
So much for the content in my bio field.
I cannot say that I am a fan of this change.
1631345
Oh. I-I knew that, I was just uh... being not dumb and testing you if you knew about the thing that you made and you totally passed the test. It's definitely not because I'm too stupid to check myself before I wreck myself.
1631335
1631338
YES. (Again.)
1631362
I've left the content in there. If you want to have it on your page just go to edit the bio module and drop the code in a custom box.
1631341 I concur. To hell with this new layout!
1631359
yes that is right
i have been bribed with blowjobs
Mmm, 's got that new update smell.
1631367 I edited my page twice and the text disappeared.
Edit: As in, if I go to edit it again, the content is missing and appears to be unretrievable.
This. Is.TERRIBLE.
1631365 oh yeah, my long bio; I liked that thing
knighty please
I don't like the new update. I've always felt the old layout allowed us users to see a description of the author, check out his/her stories, see their favorites, and see which groups they were in quite easily. Now, it's very confusing and I think minor readjustments to fix some of the problems would be needed. Okay, not minor but major.
Please stop.
This has gone past 'trying to improve the site' and is firmly in the realm of I CAN CODE U GUISE SEE LOOKIT I'M CHANGING THINGS SEE THAT'S CODING!
You're sacrificing functionality in the name of 'innovation', and it's quite simply not working. Things don't need to be changed simply because you haven't changed them.
1631349 Don't lie, you'll upset Applejack.
1631375
Why do you think I made this change huh?
1631367
I dislike the changes, but....
You have one saving grace!
You're admitting they need work. Fix the Groups and Followers lists again, that's al I ask. the rest honestly isn't that bad.
1631369
I knew it
I am very disappointed in you pear, you should rename yourself peach for your crimes
1631366
Same.
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1631351
Yeah.
1631374
YES.
1631375
I liked it too.
1631354 Yeah, that's been happening to me, too. I also agree with 1631361 here, this kinda came out of nowhere. I mean, wasn't terrible once I did some redecoration, but it did catch me off-guard and made me quite confused.
DON'T "FIX" WHAT ISN'T BROKEN!
If there is problems with buttons being unclickable, just put them in a safe area!
i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7838424832/h44135E74/
There are some people who has no idea of what they're thinking, and are actually supporting the crappy changes!
cdn2.planetminecraft.com/files/resource_media/screenshot/1215/82720-20angry20macro20twilight_sparkle_1961987.jpg
media.tumblr.com/tumblr_li4mpmjfNj1qg77b4.jpg
memeorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Fucking-STtop-Meme-Rage-Face-300x276.png
This isn't HELPING ANYTHING! There is no coherency and everything is randomized and confuses the average reader on your site. I NEVER complain about changes, but here you went too far.
1631377
Who said I was lying? I absolutely HATE the new layout.
1631393
Exactly!