FOFRedux Redesign
Honestly this sort of thing doesn’t happen to me very often. I subscribed to the FOFRedux mailing list and started talking interface design. Shortly after joining the list Joe Shaw gave this scathing review of the application:
I didn’t even try this. It has the scariest user-interface I’ve ever seen in a feed reader. I’m a hacker, but these days I just don’t want to deal with complicated software anymore.
See the problem with Joe is that he lacks vision ;) . I know a diamond in the rough when I see one. After all if I was quick to judge then I wouldn’t be using WordPress. However he is right in some ways. Traditionally open source applications are seriously FUGLY. It’s mainly due to the fact that coders don’t really care for what something looks like. So long as it works. Here is a screenshot of the current application in use:
Today I decided to sit down and have a crack at redesigning the interface. Now based on previous experience, this sort of thing takes months. I’ve been dealing with Shuttle for over a year and a half. Even though we’re getting closer it’s been very tough to keep the motivation of everyone in the group up. I’m going to see it through no matter what. I decided to play around with FOFRedux because I really want a good RSS aggregator that sits on my server and because I needed a bit of a break from Shuttle.
4 hours is all it took to come up with a design that I’m pretty happy with. That’s it. Sure there are several elements that could use some work but this is my first stab at it. I’ve never used the famfamfam icons in any of my projects so that scratches an itch I’ve had for a while. Here’s a screen shot of version 0.3 of the redesign:
You can see a larger version of that image right here.
So if you think you can or want to help out, do join the mailing list as this is going to be something you will be using in the near future.
Well done, Khaled! Since you have the menu bar icons on a black background, what do you think about adding a small reflection under each one? For some reason, the image reflection effect seems like it is starting to become rather popular these days.
↓ Quote | 23/2/2006
Image reflection in a menu bar sounds like a big no-no to me. Whilst it looks good for content use it would just make the icons lose distinction and shape, fundamental things needed in a menu bar.
↓ Quote | 23/2/2006
I’d second the no-no on image reflection. The design is looking hot, by the way - definite improvement over the original. I’m happy with Bloglines, but let us know when this design “goes live,” because I’d love to try it out with your interface.
↓ Quote | 23/2/2006
It looks sexy. Good job. I’d love to use a feed aggregator that looked like that. Bloglines is dull.
↓ Quote | 23/2/2006
Very very very nice indeed Khaled…
And thanx for directing me to the FamFamFam icons I was needing something like these…
↓ Quote | 23/2/2006
Big improvement. That is something I would definately ditch bloglines for.
↓ Quote | 23/2/2006
James, that’s why it’s not there :). Nah it wouldn’t really work in this case, and I’m not really keen on trying to make a web 2.0 looking thing, because in 1 year when that’s all done to death (hell I’m seeing more people complain about that look nowadays) it will look dated. I think it’s important to provide a design that is classic and unobtrusive to the user.
From the sounds of things (Omar, Nathan, Kristin) Bloglines seems to be the rss aggregator of choice, I’ve not actually ever looked at that service but it always struck me as slightly ugly, and like I said I like having that information on my own server. In fact the only thing that I’m happy to have on someone else’s server are my emails, but that’s only because gmail is so good. A couple of years ago that was not the case either.
↓ Quote | 23/2/2006
Stop it Khaled; stop tempting me with interesting projects when I’m already over-burdened with work;-)
BTW, I love what you’ve done and you’ve definitely piqued my interest (yet again):)
↓ Quote | 23/2/2006
Good point, guys. The reflection effect looks nice, but it really has no place in a functional GUI which is meant to be efficient and unobtrusive.
↓ Quote | 24/2/2006
Bloglines has a horrid interface, but I’ve found nothing else that does a better job. Everything else is just bloated.
↓ Quote | 24/2/2006
Nice timing, and ouch regarding the lack of vision. I actually looked at FOFRedux yesterday because Gregarius seems a bit random at updating feeds sometimes, but I skipped it after a quick glance at the FOF GUI. I’ll definitely check it out again now.
↓ Quote | 24/2/2006
That’s all very good and the redesign is very nice but….
Do you not hear everyone complaining about mixed themes in MacOSX?
The brief of the design should include that it is based upon the design of the browser.
↓ Quote | 24/2/2006
Zack mate, I don’t use Mac osx. The buttons will be OS dependant. As a windows user I am using windows buttons and scrollbars and that is what my markups are based on. I take it that’s what you’re talking about right?
↓ Quote | 24/2/2006
ok this seems like a big bang!.
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
Close Khaled bud.
A common Mac annoyance is that many apps have different skins. Apple’s own software have around 4 different designs depending on the software.
The thing I was getting at is, while it IS nice. I really like it, if it’s too different from the browsers looks it doesn’t fly right. It just seems like 2 different programs. Someone with better App UI will probally tell me i’m wrong mind :)
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
To be fair I don’t think it’s possible to integrate the look of an online application with the browser look people are using. Who gives a shit anyway? I use a different skin for firefox nearly every week and it’s cool, the programmes I use don’t really matter. I don’t really see that as a problem :).
Xmion, it definitely feels that way. I’ve got to write a follow up post.
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
Wow, I have never heard of FOFREdux before, but now I definitely want to give it a try. Good job. :)
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
Why isn’t the world flat gonna hit the bed now 04.30 Znark then i see v8 17:50 nice!. I have been looking for a nice rss reader to have on my local server for a long long time.. tryed to many that im sick fucked up because of them sometimes when i been playing around and waste my time to many hours :) why cant people code beauty… Even start build hybrids of some that had what i wanted but then i saw the flaws with them damn and i waste my time on designing them and add code.. Been playing around a lot with Backbase 3.1 Rssreader latley.. But HEYY! thx for this little friend been playing around a lot now kinda fall in love.. But i most say i dont wanna be an idot “just gonna say it” Good work but i really like v7 left sidebar more, titles without the flags, and the second header menu then in v8, yeah i know it’s a final but just wanted to give my opinion “just free your minds back man :)”. You gonna make a big change to this little baby and things is going to be huge, people need this kinda stuff now more then ever..
I trying out something my self now like to have an icon before each post or somewhere that indicate this is from http://www.thecpl.com etc.. just to make it easy for the eye to see where the post is from fast picture tells faster than words.
Just trying to code this now under Add Feed just to try it out. Should be nice but i rememberd that just adding “http://www.site.com/favicon.ico” etc and each time the system has to read it not good takes more time so has to be a cash system for the icon. instead to have it like Backbase 3.1 Rssreader.. you have to download it by our self and put it somewhere in a folder, yeah it’s so overkilling not even worth it but looks god :).
/Puuura Viiiida
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
The last one is a beauty i can see why shuttle has been
taking so long time :D it aint just a suit. If you going on a party be shore to have the best outfit.
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
Xmion, you really should get onto the mailing list. Most of the guys and gals here don’t actually know that we’re on version 0.9 for FOFR. I need to write a post about that.
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
Ohh man!, Xmion i know it’s you? Xmion aka Starjive and you gifted man i most say you the most talent designer i ever have seen in the flash scen. So i most dig into this program to. Nice to see that you commenting on somebody eles work then it most really be great gonna follow up on this to from now on. Xmi* can’t you make a wp theme anyway allways been on your speech seen you on almost every conference but i most say is said that you stop you heavy flashmaking… :/ you was the god and ground breaking man in years.. read your book anyway..
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
Bloglines is ugly, but it’s also really fast. Every other aggregator I’ve tried is simply too slow.
↓ Quote | 25/2/2006
I totally respect that, but I personally and I know a ton of others who don’t change skin ‘every other week’ so I think that’s a personal thing really. :)
↓ Quote | 25/7/2006