Comments on: Preview: CNET's new, improved look

After more than a dozen years of bringing you our content surrounded by yellow and green, CNET is getting a makeover. Check out beta screenshots of the new look.

[jfly1977]

How can you get rid of your trademark colors? I DON'T LIKE IT! I visit CNET because of how unique is. CNET is one of the pioneer sites out there. How can you give that up?
Whoever decided to make these changes hasn't been with CNET since the begining and doesn't appreciate it.
Change the back-end infrastructure to deliver faster content but keep the look and feel of the site!

[Renegade Knight]

Turns out there is a beta of sorts. I did a google search on a laptop and found a c|net review. In doing this I got the magic cookie or whatever it is that allowed me to see the new site. It took me awhile to figure out that I was actually visiting c|net instead of some other website. I don't have an opinion one way or the other on the new layout. I do think the colors and graphics should tell me I'm on c|net as opposed to somewhere else.

[Beeks1]

YOUR NEW FORMAT IS W A Y TO S M A L L TO READ FOR FOLKS OVER 45!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU NEED BIGGER LETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTERS!!!!!!!!!!!

[make_or_break]

I'd just be happy if I could play more than 2 videos in a row. As for the new design...sort of reminds me TOO MUCH of your kissin' cousin, ZDNet.

[pkennedy]

CBS..CBS...CBS... it started already... no matter how long they say it has been planned for... 'good spin'

the CNET site was an institution on the web... logo also.. e-z recognizable... now it'll be just another PC site that 'blends'.. sad.. so very sad.. :(

really sorry to see what's happening...

[viditbhargava]

is this inspired from the new opera 9.50 design???
well...i like it

[c|net Reader]

The new design looks fine, so far as I can see from the screen captures. I'm all for faster page loads. I didn't have any problems with the old look, however.

I just hope this revamp spells the end of getting so many duplicate RSS posts when one subscribes to multiple RSS channels!

[dirtyharry45]

DF - Been following the comments. As someone who has some practice filtering out constructive comments from the noise, I think the biggest takeaway from the 120+ posts is the decision to ditch the yellow. You wouldnt be previewing the redesign if it wasnt close to launch. So for the logo - you've probably got the new logo prepped for so much collateral at this point, to be consistent with the relaunch, that there is no turning back. Business cards, sales material, etc. would be my guess. So for now, you might as well ignore the comments about the pipe. Personally, in a year - I'd shop it around to a few design agencies to see if they can make it a little more refined & characteristic. [the 3D rendering is unrefined, and the typeface is a poor choice]. And the UI & layout changes are great. As for the yellow, you still have a chance to bring this back into the website. If you bring it back to the site, it may not match whatever other collateral you have - but the site is your product, the primary vehicle for the brand. People liked the yellow b/c it made CNET distinct - and in a sense, made them (users) feel a little distinct. They're familiar with it, and [insert branding 101 principles here]. For the commenters who say "how long can one possibly design with yellow?" - it's a poor argument to ditch 15 years of brand equity over. And, yellow... schlocky? Juvenile? Tell it to National Geographic. With correct usage, you can make that color do whatever you want. Anyway, from a practical standpoint - you can still bring it back to the site - it's a few images and some CSS. Good luck.

[Moonlight Gambler]

But will it load quicker?

[5000!]

I don't have anything bad to say about the site redesign (though I do think ditching a very signature color for a bland gray is a great way to ruin years of brand equity), but that new logo is a HUGE misstep. There are EIGHTY other designers, including people from some very high profile studios, in the comment thread of this post at Brand New that agree:

http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/less_pipe_more_shading_for_cne.php

[milky703]

Woah. Is it just me or is this new layout missing the most important aspect of CNET. WHERE ARE THE RATINGS ON THE 10.0 SCALE. If a product is rated at 8.0, I can relate to that, but if a product is "Very Good", i have no point of reference. C'mon CNET. I see banners and ads on the web (When i'm not using Adblock Plus of course) from companies like Samsung saying that CNET rated their new cell phone an 8.3. That is saying to people, "Oh, wow, that is the highest rating I have ever seen on a phone. This must be worth it." Keep the new layout CNET, but definitely bring back the 10.0 rating scale.

[punterjoe]

Apparently I was one of the random users who got the beta redesign, and I was immediately won over. Alas, when I return to the site, I get the classic scheme - which now seems more like something targeted to preschoolers. I want to ditch the ketchup/mustard scheme & get back to the more businesslike motif. Is there anyway to set this preference, or am I just at the whim of the spirits of industrial design?

[mnovickar]

looks decent, but there was something about the yellow color on cnet that seems inseparable.

[bohiker]

The new design doesn't look much different from most website skins. I prefer the present one. It has a more distinctive look, not a copycat design.

[ehbsguru--2008]

Why am I able to see your web pages prototype on one machine but I a not able to see it
on another machine? This is in spite of the fact that I login with the same id??

[Andoy_d-5th]

Can i use my cell phone for downloading anything, do you have cell phone site for browsing

[nikondavid]

Can we have an option to keep the old layout of CNET or are we forced to use the new design layout, whether we like it or not. I got to "experience" the new website yesterday, and to tell you the truth, it was a overused type of layout. Kind of like when I had my macbook, at first it was cool, then everyone got it, so it didn't look so great.

[maidensolo]

for all you guys who seem to hate it: let's remember, people tend to resist change. Maybe that is what you are doing. Instead of letting yourself enjoy a positive update, your human resistance is kicking in. Well, push it back where it came from!!!!!!
This site is beautiful!!!!
It's clean, simple, intuitive, has good usability; It's all there.
COME ON!!!!!!
Give it another chance! I don't want that ugly green and yellow thing back. I hate it. This site just flows like it should.
Cnet, you past your own test. Good job!!!

[cosmosjoshys]

I really hate the new cnet. Is there a way I can revert back?

[Old Dog New Tricks]

The "Traditionalists" would clearly like to retain the existing colour yellow and its' logo with most of them prepared to vote with their feet (& go elsewhere). A statistician will no doubt claim that 90+ negative votes represent ??? million other viewers.
The Editorial staff appear to favour the "New style" or perhaps are simply searching for ways to increase membership activity (& profitability).
Whatever the rationale behind the decision to revamp, it is fundamently clear that there will be one, but I do urge the decision maker(s) to not reinvent the wheel. History clearly shows us that most people do NOT like change, but do like to feel comfortable wih something they can relate to (perhaps the colour yellow ?)
So why not COMPROMISE?

Keep the logo, colour, fonts etc - they're window dressing!
Improve the CONTENT & NAVIGABILITY of the site.
Become more ORIGINAL & CREATIVE in displaying the content
Remove the RANDOM CLUTTER, and .....finally,

Introduce change slowly (no Big Bangs) eg:- change the banner with logo etc for 3/4 weeks & offer a YES/NO Preference box to click on;

Good luck with whatever you do - I'm staying with you because I DONT LIKE CHANGE & that includes looking for a new website.