Silicon Chip Magazine - new website - thoughts?

[Agent24]

It's been known for a while (at least by me) that Silicon Chip wanted to "Upgrade\Update" their website.
Today I noticed this has finally happened.

Personally I think the old site looked better than the new one. The new one looks like it came straight out of 1998 and should be hosted on Geocities.

Functionality wise it works OK, but it sure doesn't look as nice as the old one. I fail to see what was even so wrong and "outdated" about the old one anyway...

Old: http://archive.siliconchip.com.au/  New: http://siliconchip.com.au/

What do you think?

[Uncle Vernon]

Both sights are deep into the category "SUCKY"!

Although they are trying hard I don't think Silicon Chip HQ have quite worked out how to have a site on the Interweb that enhances their print offering. They are so hung up on what they perceive may detract from their existing revenue model that they've missed the boat completely on the potential earner a web site could be.

On the positive side their recent efforts to make PCBs and front panels available for their projects is a good move.

[Agent24]

On the positive side their recent efforts to make PCBs and front panels available for their projects is a good move.

I think they were forced to after RCS closed.

[Uncle Vernon]

On the positive side their recent efforts to make PCBs and front panels available for their projects is a good move.

I think they were forced to after RCS closed.

That may well be true, however the current situation has many possible benefits for SC.

[ttp]

In my opinion it went from bad to worse. I never considered their web contents usable except for downloads section. Now this is gone, you have to scroll through articles and everything pops up in new tab/window... I don't have printed December issue, is the "Circuit Ideas" section in December? Not according to new website.

Thumbs down, sorry SC.

[EEVblog]

Very old school indeed! 
I do like how it shows the first page or two of every article in back issues, with the text scaling depending on how big your screen is.

Dave.

[EEVblog]

They don't tell you if purchased back issues come as PDF's or not.

Dave.

[ttp]

They don't tell you if purchased back issues come as PDF's or not.

Dave.

As far as my experience goes they think .PDF format is evil.

[ttp]

I do like how it shows the first page or two of every article in back issues, with the text scaling depending on how big your screen is.

Not so hot on netbook's 10 inch screen, I'm not going to try it on my phone....

[N TYPE]

Yeah I think the older site is actually better than the new one.
#83 "Do You Suck At Hardware Or Software?" - I think the website was designed by a hardware engineer 

[steve30]

I had a look at both and thought the new one is quite good. It is informative and easy to use.

Only issue is it looks really old fashioned . Much more so than the old site .

[Circuitous]

I've long wanted to say something nice about the Silicon Chip site, and I had hoped the new site would give me that opportunity.
But, no chance.  The best I can do is agree with the previous comment of "from bad to worse" and throw in a "FAIL!".
I've only had the digital version of the magazine, unless I see it in a store (which is rare in Kansas City).  The previous site wasn't great, but the new site is pretty much unreadable on a laptop.
So, unless they really do make improvements, then this is my last year of supporting them.

[aldar]

I find the new web site very dissapointing, virtually unuseable. I can't use it on my tablet or netbook and even on the laptop it does not work properly.   I can zoom in but then I can't turn the pages! Even on the "full screen"view there is still half the page taken up with a red index.

This website would have been poor 5 years ago.

I will be asking for a refund of my subscription if it is not improved.

[Circuitous]

I sent an email to Silicon Chip magazine last week.  No response so far.

[larry42]

Wow the new site is an aesthetic cluster frig and does not scale correctly on my Jelly Bean powered phone.

The old one was at least slightly less amateur-hour looking.

--

Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

[EEVblog]

FYI, I got a call from Leo Simpson the other day and he mentioned the site. He wanted people to know that it's in early "beta" (and not formally announced) and they are aware of all the feedback on it, and are looking to hire someone to improve it.

Dave.

[johnboxall]

SC is run by less than a handful of people, so considering the resources they have available it's a good start. Give them a few months to work with feedback and see what happens.

[vk6hdx]

I think its great that they are finally going to offer the "full" version of the publication on the web, rather than what was previously on offer.  Although the website does look like it needs a lot of work!

Though is it just me or is the font quality of the standard text on sample pages extremely blurry?  Really fatiguing on the eyes.

They seem to be using PDF files somehow embedded in the website, I do hope that you will be able to download & read them offline somehow.

[johnboxall]

In paid mode you can zoom in and out. This is four times zoom - looks ok:

[vk6hdx]

In paid mode you can zoom in and out. This is four times zoom - looks ok:

Ahh much nicer, thanks

[Psychaotix]

I have to admit, the old site was better, by quite a significant amount! It was nigh perfect for viewing on an iPad, mostly because of the fact that it didn't need flash or anything to do it.

As for downloading issues, you can't do that at all, as mentioned in their FAQ...

Q: Can I save the online edition to my computer as a PDF file?

A: Not currently. We would like to provide such features but are concerned that they would encourage unauthorised distribution of the magazine.

So, I honestly don't see this happening at all, which is sad, because that's one of the features that would definitely convince me to use the digital edition, so I didn't have to wreck the magazine.

[ttp]

Just visited Silicon Chip website to see what's in June issue. June issue is not there (1st of June today...) so I've browsed May and noticed there is no more free downloads.

For years you could download PCB layouts (PDF, not gerbers), firmware as hex files and sometimes source for free. No more, it's $3.00 per file now. I wonder what they expect to achieve?

[Bored@Work]

I wonder what they expect to achieve?

To make a bit of money, milking the cow as long as it isn't dead.

[johnboxall]

To all the people who aren't happy with the new SC site - what would you do differently (bearing in mind it's a for-profit magazine)?

Sent from my GT-N8020 using Tapatalk 2

[Circuitous]

To be blunt, just make the online magazine readable.  The site design is pure crap.
I do want the site to be profitable, but the only way that can happen is if it's usable.

There's been a lot of similar feedback about the site.  Why ask for comments when no improvements have been made?

I tried the site again today, and I repeat the request I made months ago... please refund my subscription.  The digital edition has been worthless since the day the new site went online.