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You may have noticed some changes at Bridger.us/MINI recently.
Over the last year we've strived to make this website as usable as possible. This started with creating a frame work that allows the site to be updated quickly and from anywhere and any computer (with a connection) in the world. Secondly I attempted to design an interface that was so simple that it was almost transparent to the user. Information could either be found in the right hand column or in the news archive (which contains the entire post history of the site).
But with more content comes more challenges in trying to keep the site simple and easy to navigate. Because of this the first of our recent changes was altering the font throughout the website to something (A) more readable in small sizes and (B) more common on more systems. Secondly we introduced a small top navigation that will replicate or in some cases replace links that have been on the right side of all the site's pages. And be sure to look for more small changes in the coming weeks along these same lines.
As always if you have suggestions and/or feedback for the site please feel free to contact us via the link above.
<p>BTW Bridger.us/MINI is one year old today.</p>
<p>Okay well not one year old in it's current form. While I did have a MINI related site up at this address one year ago it wasn't the current weblog format you see today. Thus real one year anniversary festivities don't begin until early January.</p>
<p>Gabe,</p>
<p>The design of your site makes using it a pleasure. It can be easily read, with the white background, by us older folks. Always informative…. Thanks Gabe.
May there be many more anniversaries.</p>
<p>taw in Kansas City</p>
<p>Gabe,</p>
<p>Yours is the first site I check when I look for MINI information (which is every day). It is intuitive and very user friendly as well as being “The” source for the latest information. Thank you for providing such a great resource.</p>
<p>Richard</p>
<p>I look at (what seems to be) a million web sites a week. It is difficult to keep a fresh exciting look while maintaining good usability. You have done an excellent job of keeping that freshness, and of course your content is first class. I find it much easier to get new information here than anywhere else. Nice job.</p>
<p>I am constantly amazed that you can keep turning your site one more notch to “11” and making it easier to read and use..</p>
<p>Gabe:
I have a MCS DS/B on order and now scheduled for production. I consider your site the single best resource of information and I decided on how to equip my MINI. You provide both the most comprehensive information and have the most user-friendly interface. I check your site daily for the latest and you have never disappointed. Keep up the good work!
Mo</p>
<p>gabe.
you really set the standard for mini related sites, keep it up!
the redesign is wicked! :)</p>
<p>This was and is a great site.</p>
<p>Information Architecture issue:
Now, there's one category for all posts: 'the news archive'.</p>
<p>Perhaps you could split this into 1. news and 2. review and 3. howtos. 4. meets</p>
<p>Usability:</p>
<p>May use a font color other than orange to indicate membership in
some category.
Or use orange for updated in last N days (or use cookies, and since last visit).</p>
<p>The archives list</p>
<p>2003</p>
<p>October
September
August</p>
<p>etc</p>
<p>more informative would be to
have a one or two line precis
of each post,</p>
<p>eg
2003 May
– Salon.com's Italian Job Review
– The Chicago Italian Job Pre-Screening… Photos!
– The Italian Job… Is Here!
– The Chicago MINI Motoring Club Update</p>
<p>Lastly, a page or column
or few column inches
with the latest
M comments, each under the linked
title of the post to which it refers.</p>
<p>Add 'max comment size 3000 characters' for the correct value of 3000
to the fine print below.</p>
<p>then re-size this box I'm composing
this comment in now
to show many more characters.</p>
<p>12345678901234567890123456789012</p>
<p>32 by 10 is <em>small</em></p>
<p>on <a href="https://www.motoringfile.com/search.php">seach results</a></p>
<p>put a search box so I can easily
revise my search.</p>
<p>populate the text entry box with the target I just searched for.</p>
<p>make the text box wide so I
can add a term without the text scrolling out of the box because it's so wide.</p>
<p>maybe also allow comment preview.</p>
<p>Just what ever you do, don't get rid of the orange!… Orange is such the unwanted child of the color spectrum, it's nice to see when someone uses it…</p>
<p>dc: We're working on all those issues as we speak. Believe they all drive me nuts and I'd like to get them taken care of sooner rather than later. In fact your list is almost identical to my “to do” list for this site. Thanks for the thoughts – great feedback.</p>
<p>A big thanks all who continue to offer support of the site. It's a lot of work but having great people commenting and contributing makes it a great deal of fun as well.</p>
<p>You have a great site. From the news, to the how to guides (which is what brought me here first), pictures AND great color scheme (which happen to be similar to mine). I hope to have my site as user friendly as yours someday. You provide a great service to the MINI communities everywhere.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>