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not bad.  like the layout some a little better then the old way and the hotlinks off the toolbar are pretty good.  i would like to see more ties to related articles so that one story can lead to another.  Not big on the light colors but visually they are appealing, just not to me. oh and maybe a different font for the lower part of the home page. the one there now is way too boring and unappealing

Seems like making change for changes sake, why don't you just tweak thinks instead of changing the whole thing.

I like it! Looks more like a newspaper than a cut and paste document

Oyegi. I agree on doing something about the excessive rights the deleters have.

Sometimes it's 30% to 50% of the comments on certain posters, or some days 50% on all the posters.

Perhaps frivolous excessive deleters simply need non access ie thru their iq address. 

What it really amounts too: is the current trend of excess deletions simply pushes the SF news readers here and comment posters towards Other papers ie Other comment sites that work.

 

I like the current format, however, I would like to see some changes, such as:

• When opening a link to read the full article, I'd like the "Post a Comment" & the comments open at the same time.  Less point & clicking all around.
• If a comment is deleted for what ever reason, then somehow show who wanted the comment deleted with the reason why.  No more anonymous deleters.
• I'd like to see the "Native America" link for all articles relevant to Indian Country back.  Same goes for any other grouping that was previously eliminated.

Okay Henry.  I'm sure it will be fine.  Thanks for your efforts.  Derek

In general, I prefer the old layout. It has made it easy to select which stories I want to read and which to bypass.

Also (in general), and while I'm not a complete Luddite by any means, I'm getting tired of my role in the never-ending parade of so-called information technology "upgrades". Some psychologists believe a sense of mastery of the environment is a basic human need, and this process is definitely anti-mastery. I get to learn it, and then learn it over again, and then . . . etc.

Derek,
Thanks the comment. And you're right. What matters most is the news and information. That's our mission, design is but a tool.
What's important to note is that the design helps us deliver the news better. We can keep topics better organized and for people looking for specific information, they will find it easier.
Behind the scenes, the design comes hand in hand with a new infrastructure that helps facilitate a shift in our newsroom, involving more folks in the Web. The benefit to readers is that we are transitioning toward being the type of newsroom we need to be in order to meet the challenges of a more demanding news cycle.
You might have already noticed that we are moving news to the Web faster than we previously had.
Also, the search function in the new design and infrastructure.will work much better.
Thanks,
Henry M. Lopez

As I said once before but got deleted,  "Whatever".

To elaborate, for the benefit of those who need everything spelled out in detail.  Whatever pictures and colors Mr. Lopez wishes to decorate his newspaper with to make it pretty, will not matter very much to me.  Actually, the most important thing about a newspaper is, guess what?  NEWS.  Yes, news, presented in a straightforward and unbiased manner with unending attention to detail and content.  Regarding the format, the colors, the font, the header picture, about all I can say is (YAWN),  whatever.

Get it?

Henry Lopez the site is okay to me but I'll wait to see how it wears after a few readings to early to make a decision.

Dave Wade has some points but sounds too much like a belligerent reviewer for a scientific paper.

Why can`t you leave well enough alone. To much time on your hands I guess. Sitting around reading that AP wire gotta be tough work.

I think it looks great! As this site has evolved, I always think to myself, why mess with perfection? Then, when I see the new product, I am continually impressed. I would also submit that I think involving your readers in constructive criticism and asking their opinion is quite honorable and one of the keys to success!

You are making a mistake in thinking of that page as a newspaper page, sometimes.

1) The "Home Page" shouldn't have a link to the "Home Page" on it. Do you think I need that link? Who do you think you are designing this for? Someone who doesn't know where he is?

2) Form follows Function. There is no way you should be putting that border there and throwing away all that brown area, (except for the redundant index at the bottom. I know how to work the index at the top, do you think I don't know how to get back to the top of the page?)

3) It is a WebPage, not a printed page. All elements should be fitted to "My Monitor" not your pretty little border. Run that border around the edge of my screen. Every piece (paragraph) should be variable so if I am using a 23" Macintosh monitor (i.e. widescreen) I don't see the same image you do on your 19" LCD or I see on my laptop. This is trivial with CSS coding. Don't show me something that I have to click drag three times to see the whole page just because you want it to look like a paper newspaper.

4) back to the Temperature. You are wrong. There is absolutely no reason why I would care whether I could read the temperatures of thirty cities while I am manipulating the index; or vice-versa. That screen area can be used for multiple things, all at the same time.

Bev-
Thanks for the note. Making it easier to find information was the top priority of the redesign and, IMHO, it has been a weakness of our current site.
We will be 'starting' more than 20 stories from the homepage, the topic home pages are more more orderly and we will be better able to point out what are the top stories of the moment (look for the next preview pic this afternoon).
Even after the new design is launched, we'll be maintaining the Web editor's blog to keep the conversation about design and content ongoing.
Another area we'll be improving is presenting our feature sections --Taste, Pasatiempo, Outdoors, Pecos, El Dorado, and Pojoaque, etc. Take a look near the bottom of the mockup. You'll see four vertical sections, those will change on a daily basis to highlight daily features and such features as reader fotos, multimedia etc.

Take a look at the top of the mock up as well, world news and local news have direct links right atop the page, so we can get you into those sections easily.

We've been gearing up in the newsroom to be more sensitive and responsive to the demands of an elongated news cycle. I hope you've noticed in recent months that we move news faster than ever before.

And, just as a clarifier, in case anyone misinterpreted your message, we're not a Gannett paper, rather we are a locally owned independent.


Keep the comments rolling in.

Henry, It resembles other Gannett sites - a lot like Az Republic. My only concern is how easily topics can be located and accessed...versus the current format. Hopefully, it won't take on the superficial...refined marketing look of larger papers...keeping up with the Gannetts could ruin the very unique neighborhood. (JMHO)

Accessibility is a big issue. I easily find local, national, and international stories on the current site...not so with our local paper, even if they are on the same day as the New Mex ( you often beat them out, BTW). Looks good, but navigating will tell.

Dave Wade,
Thanks for your input. There's no move to decrease the amount of talk on the site. Actually, we are trying to highlight the interplay between the news and readers. Take a look at the middle of the page where the opinion section is. There you will see that we'll be highlighting reader comments by taking quotes from various comments throughout the day.

Readers will have the option use our commenting system as well the chat room.
What in the design would have made that clearer? Let me know, so we can take a look at what your suggestions might be.

As for ad space, our current site today had 8 ads on it today of various sizes. The new site is designed to accommodate fewer on the home page. They will each be larger in size but with fewer button-style ads, the page should continue to remain looking uncluttered.

And, in response to your contention that we're wasting prime real-estate with date and weather, it should be said that weather information is a well sought-after piece of information on our current site. When fully implemented you're going to see extensive weather information available. Take a look again at the mockup, when hovering above the main topic bar, the horizontal drop-down menu actually covers that line, making that line unusable while navigating from the main navigation bar.

I hope I responded to all your concerns. Again, I want your suggestions as to how this might be re-worked.

Henry M. Lopez
Web editor

Chris and Paul,
News is Brief is an integral part of the news report and that won't change with the new design. I can tell you that on a daily basis the News in Brief is one of the most read items by our online audience. You might notice that on out current site, we routinely post news in brief in the top 'breaking news' box. That was a decision I made when taking over as Web editor as a nod to the popularity of news in brief.
Thanks for the input,
Henry M. Lopez
Web editor.

I agree with Paul

You are wasting a line of Prime real estate to print the day, time, and temperature. Why? Fully 98% of the computers accessing your site already (and constantly) display everything except possibly the Santa Fe Temperature, and that Temperature isn't news or worth wasting a line.

Clearly you no longer desire Community Discussion because you have censored the life right out of the Community Discussion Area and you have made it impossible to even "find" something interesting. This entire Design looks like the Prime Design Objective is "Santa Fe Chic," not Discussion. More Ad Space, Less Talk.

I like the old format of "news in brief", where several stories can be quickly scrolled through with just one mouse click. I live out of town most of the time and particularly like this feature to keep up with local news. So, here's one vote for a feature called "local news in brief" that with one mouse click takes the reader to a page with half-a-dozen quick one paragraph items catching up on what's going on in town.

Henry, It resembles other Gannett sites - a lot like Az Republic.  My only concern is how easily topics can be located and accessed...versus the current format.  Hopefully, it won't take on the superficial...refined marketing look of larger papers...keeping up with the Gannetts could ruin the very unique neighborhood. (JMHO)

Accessibility is a big issue.  I easily find local, national, and international stories on the current site...not so with our local paper, even if they are on the same day as the New Mex ( you often beat them out, BTW).  Looks good, but navigating will tell.

Looks good to me. i relly like the calender... but, i hope the quick links are still in place! JG, GDI

I like it. Sure seems to load easily.

The version we currently use is OK , but some of the ads literally try to take the computer around the world while loading, so it's a big time waster.

Hi folks,
Thanks for checking in. Please leave your questions, comments for us on the new design and how we can make the site better for you.
You can also visit the redesign blog, which I'll be updating a few times a day. And, I'll post here replies to questions as I can in this forum.

Henry M. Lopez
Web editor, santafenewmexican.com

I have enjoyed reading the New Mexican on line. If I have to jump through hoops to read in the future then I will not be reading it in the future. I think that the old adage holds true, "if aint broke then don't fix it",

Bob in Edgewood

Someone dropped the ball this morning, the roads are HORRIBLE!!!!
 
can you post where you are at and tell us specifics?

I'm wondering why I can no longer see the Live Web cam, there is an outline for it but no view. Also on the email version the pictures no longer appear automatically in the body of the email. Know why? Thanks

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Oh no! The Sky is NOT falling!

Ray, find me one sentence where I said all those ills were due to the Bush presidence.

I did say that our falling behind in the Sciences is not surprising, given that we have a President who wants creationism rather than evolution taught in the public schools.

Other than that, you are, as the far right continually does, telling lies about what other people think and say.

Of course, I also notice that you haven't directly addressed the substance contained in those statistics. How telling.

Okay r. I will get rid of that pesky mortgage soon enough. So much for president Bush's "ownership society"--IT'S ONLY FOR THE RICH!!

r. martinez: while you are telling us all what's right and wrong, remember how to spell my last name. It is LEYBA not Layba!!!!

And as for American Dreams, well mine will be lost to foreclosure soon thanks to your STUPID PRESIDENT! Like I said until this hits one of YOUR family, you KNOW NOTHING!!!!

Ignorance is bliss is your motto? You think the president CARES about the little people in this country? Do you think he might give my family some of that free no-bid money he gave to Halliburton since they are wealthy and I am less fortunate. Quit spinning lady, you are totally lost and hopeless. And since we have so many just like you, our country is in sad, sad shape.

It's nice that you are able to travel for sporting events for your son, all my teens are working just to help us out. You really don't have any idea about the real world do you and how many of us WORKING adults are struggling? Just keep following blindly along with the rest of the Bushies, honey, you'll get yours too. LOL!!!

Isn't it interesting how the far right refers to a group of bulleted fact points "name calling"?

Cuba with a better infant mortality rate!

Bush is responsible for your neighbor's son's death - he lied. Get over it.

And we're to believe that all of the countries ills enumerated in Kaaren's posts are the result of GW's presidency. The trends have been downward in these areas for decades.

Let's get busy and reverse some of these trends. However, copying France, Germany and Sweden and becoming more socialist or liberal is not going to do it. There might be some room for some progressive ideas.

Talk to your health care provider today - perhaps the Santa Fe water system can be laced with Prozac today!! When you all resort to name-calling I realize you "know not what you do". This story was bout the false story of mistreatment of a book, a BOOK, paper with ink. To resort to calling OUR president names, to calling others who post names, serves only to fuel your own misguided anger. Rather than admit the mistreatment of the innocent people who have been murdered for their anti-"government" actions/words is less of a tragedy then the (alleged) treatment of a book and then to jump on that as an "excuse" to bash someone who supports OUR President is the pathetic part.

I am indeed grateful "we" (Americans) have offered help to these people - while we weep for the lost lives, their lives are not lost in vain. I just cannot understand how anyone can place sole blame on President Bush - "he lied, he lied". .. get a grip - our neighbor's son was among the latest fatalities - I thank them for their sacrifice - he died doing what he felt was right - service to others. Our nation has long been the nation of privilege and we have to help those who live in fear and stop the terrorists from another 9/11 murder spree.

What an eye-opener when country-men support "anyone" expect their own country (that does mean leadership). I didn't like Clinton - the dude's an idiot, but while in offic

Oh, and in terms of helping the needy, Ms. Martinez?

-U.S. childhood poverty now ranks 22nd, or second to last, among the developed nations. Only Mexico scores lower" (The European Dream, p.81).

· Twelve million American families--more than 10 percent of all U.S. households--"continue to struggle, and not always successfully, to feed themselves." Families that "had members who actually went hungry at some point last year" numbered 3.9 million (NYT, Nov. 22, 2004).

· The United States is 41st in the world in infant mortality. Cuba scores higher (NYT, Jan. 12, 2005).

· Women are 70 percent more likely to die in childbirth in America than in Europe (NYT, Jan. 12, 2005).

But you go ahead and defend the indefensible, whose got such a good heart and Christian temperament that he let thousands of people die (no one close to him, of course) on falsely presented intelligence and lies.

These are facts contained in an article called "America by the Numbers" that ran in the Austin Chronicle in March 2004:

· The United States is 49th in the world in literacy (the New York Times, Dec. 12, 2004).

· The United States ranked 28th out of 40 countries in mathematical literacy (NYT, Dec. 12, 2004).

· Twenty percent of Americans think the sun orbits the earth. Seventeen percent believe the earth revolves around the sun once a day (The Week, Jan. 7, 2005).

· "The International Adult Literacy Survey...found that Americans with less than nine years of education 'score worse than virtually all of the other countries'" (Jeremy Rifkin's superbly documented book The European Dream: How Europe's Vision of the Future Is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream, p.78).

· Our workers are so ignorant and lack so many basic skills that American businesses spend $30 billion a year on remedial training (NYT, Dec. 12, 2004).

· "The European Union leads the U.S. in...the number of science and engineering graduates; public research and development (R&D) expenditures; and new capital raised" (The European Dream: How Europe's Vision of the Future Is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream", Jeremy Rifkin, p.70).

· "Europe surpassed the United States in the mid-1990s as the largest producer of scientific literature" (The European Dream, p.70).

· Nevertheless, Congress cut funds to the National Science Foundation. The agency will issue 1,000 fewer research grants this year (NYT, Dec. 21, 2004).

· Foreign applications to U.S. grad schools declined 28 percent last year. Foreign student enrollment on all levels fell for the first time in three decades, but increased greatly in Europe and China. Last year Chinese grad-school graduates in the U.S. dropped 56 percent, Indians 51 percent, South Koreans 28 percent (NYT, Dec. 21, 2004)."

Yeah, well, when you've got a dozen states arguing about whether "creationism" should be taught factually along with evolution, or substituted for evolution, what can you expect? We have a Secretary of Education in the President's cabinet who can't complain about evolution and creationism being taught side by side "factually" in the Texas schools without losing her job.

Yeah, we're doin' great right here, never mind Jerusalem.

r-bot.

R Martinez, we will never have world peace if Bush keeps invading Nations on the basis of lies. Maria, ignore Martinez's solution of cutting down your lifestyle. Just because r martinez thinks spending you and my tax money to the tune of $300,000,000,000.00 for Bush's illegal/bogus Oil War doesn't mean we should suffer.

R Martinez the only spoiled Americans I am aware of are the Bush's of Connecticut and Maine...with other residences sprinkled about in accordance with their political agenda.

Finally r martinez in regard to your "dark world", Bush brought it upon you, not me!

"That is what our country does - what our President has done. He tries to keep us safe and shares our good fortune with those in need."

That's the funniest thing you have EVER said Ms. Martinez - since Bush deliberately created a huge deficit as soon as he got into office by shoving a benefit-the-rich tax cut through, and then beginning his scheme of paying for it by cutting social programs for the poor.

You are hopeless.

In asnwer to your question (and Mr. Scott's lame joke) - when one lives a content life - it's not necessary. Perhpas some Prozak could be shared by others - might bring a ray of hope in that dark world shared.

Life is indeed good in the glorious USA, Ms. Layba. I say simplify life if bills are overwhelming. We are spoiled Americans, we feel we have to "have it all". Living within ones means bring better health (don't have to worry about credit card bills for the extra stuff). Only in America can you call our leader "stupid", perhaps a reflections of oneself. I live a happy life, my home is not the largest, my cars are not the fastest but my charities are the ones I feel most deserving, my time is shared in my community and my children's schools and I still find time to spend with my family - we do this together. We still find time & passion to enjoy the arts (participants & supporters) and put funds aside for investing in our children (many hours traveling through out the US for sports competitions - an investment really - scholarship offers for our 16-yr. old son already coming in). We live happy, but not disillusioned - there are many who do not enjoy the American Dream - but the American Dream is being attacked because we've created a materialistic society - we all have to keep up with someone else. I chose to keep my family safe & happy - that can be done without material pressure & by sharing of oneself. That is what our country does - what our President has done. He tries to keep us safe and shares our good fortune with those in need. If you see things different - well I suppose while my glass if half full (and for that I am grateful & appreciative) others view their glass as half empty (and damn it - want to know who's the #$%^&* who stole it?!?) We have never had world peace - and unfortunately never will, but thank goodness some of us recognize the attempts made.

Maria, it must be crack or maybe an assortment of pain pills, the kind Rush Limbaugh was on when he was hypnotizing r. martinez and the rest of those in denial.

R. Martinez: what are you smoking this morning? Positive Change from Dubya? Hahahaha. Please wake up and smell the stink!! You and your ilk are doing MORE damage to this country than our stupid President is. You are totally hoodwinked into believing he's doing this for their good. What about the US? How much worse does it have to get in the US for our working families before any of you neocons will admit you were wrong? I hope it happens before these troubling times hit your family and they have to decide whether to eat or pay the bills. Get real!!!

Narrow minds bring narrow opinions. I read from posts that war is wrong, President Bush is killing innocent people and our war is unjust. But then I read suggestions that the US should be involved in other areas where innocent people are being killed. I suppose the Iraqi & Afghan innocents don't matter because the people posting here didn't vote for Bush. Someone would have a "problem" anywhere US Military is sent - sometimes you have to work on the bigger problem first. This does not lessen a life lost elsewhere.

Too bad so many spend so much of their time feeling sorry for themselves because "their guy" didn't win an election they feel they have to bash the winner at any opportunity. In life, tough decisions have to be made, OUR President is making painful & often times "unpopular" decisions. He's the first politician in a long time who is really trying to bring positive change to our world. Every other politician is trying so hard to please everyone they don't know where they stand (sound familiar- it loses elections). President Bush is not trying to be popular because he wants to run for political office - that's the beauty of this. President Bush was re-elected - the American people knew what he was about and still voted him back into office - to continue what he started in his first term. So he didn't go to Vietnam - he wasn't the only one (regardless of party) - at least he didn't skip the country. As for his drinking - I think we should worry more about our current drunks - the man has been sober for years and didn't hold office during that time.

As a parent, I often have to make decisions I know my children won't be pleased with - but should I take the easy way because I don't want to piss-off my kids? Should I turn a deaf-ear because I don't like what I hear? Should I pretend there aren't dangers I need to protect my children from? Should I place my children in danger (even perceived) because I'm waiting for more details? I THINK NOT. I would do everything I could to keep them safe - even (oh my goodness) get them mad at me. We are so concerned with dotting all the "i's" & crossing all the "t's" that we've forgotten the enemy has been putting us at risk for years. We must keep our country safe - sometimes doing that brings pain.

Any theory that Dubya is motivated by a desire to preserve life, surely died with the first bomb intentionally dropped in a residential area of Bagdhad two years ago. The commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" does not come with a bunch of codicils outlining loopholes like, "unless there are rumors of WMD", or "it's ok if a few innocents happen do get caught between the gun and the target", or "As long as we kill in the name of bringing peace." How can so-called Christians buy into this stuff unless it's a punishment for the infidels kind of argument?

Kaaren, I have not had time yet to read your memo but I will tonight I promise.

If George Bush had said that the world was flat he would not have gotten my vote. That comment made by GW might have been whacky enough to entice some of the other posters here to vote for him though.

You didn't read the memo, did you, Jim, outlining clearly that Bush and his regime created intelligence to fit with what they wanted to do.

If Bush is fighting for freedom why didn't he go into Darfur where people are dying in concentration camps? Why didn't he declare a pre-emptive war on North Korea, which really DOES have WMDs, and where Kim Jong Il starved more than 1,000,000 to death to build up that military?

If George Bush values life, why did he ignore all the intelligence that told him what would REALLY happen if went into Iraq - not to mention the intelligence he ignored about an impending terrorist attack during April-September 2001.

You would believe George Bush if he told you the earth was flat.

The only life they valued, Jim was their own. That is why none of your hero neocons went to Vietnam. They all had deferrments and Bush well he was AWOL and Drunk most of the time. They are liars, hypocrites and chickenshit.