Blog theme update

After two years with a default look, Dangerous Prototypes finally has as new theme. It’s based on Starkers blank theme with custom styling.

Here’s our design goals, stolen shamelessly from our favorite sites:

1. A smaller header with less fluff before the content.
2. A couple bold, direct links at the top to different parts of the site. This will be worked into updated forum and wiki themes too. Inspiration: SparkFun.
3. A place for rotating project announcements that link directly to the how-to. Inspiration: SparkFun.
4. Three column layout. New left-hand column links to projects and sales pages. Inspiration: SparkFun, Adafruit.
5. 600px wide center column for bigger, clearer pictures.  That’s 19% bigger than before. Inspiration: Adafruit.
6. Still no ads, no social ‘like this’ malware, no paid referrals, no crap promise

If you notice any bugs, annoyances, or just hate the new design, please hit us up in the comments below. Compliments welcome too. The forum, wiki, and free PCB store will get the same header and color scheme in the coming weeks. All the updated themes will be released under the GPL.

Here’s a couple opportunities to get free PCB coupon or two. Make a banner for your favorite project, free PCB day, whatever, and you’ll get a free PCB code if it runs on the blog. We also need a dedicated organizer to clean up that mess of categories over here on the left. That could be worth a free project too.

A huge thanks to Robert for the amazing theme. This is the first big thing we hired-out instead of doing in-house.  The random schematic symbols in the title line and microphone over the comments were a total surprise. There’s some other Easter Eggs out there too.

Forum design goals:

• Better coloring. There’s blue on blue text in some places
• Less bubbly and rounded, more like the blog
• Easier-to-click unread message buttons
• Maybe some electronics inspired status icons
• Same menu and header as the blog

The forum probably won’t change too much. A new color scheme, different header, maybe a few new icons.

Wiki design goals:

• Sidebar box styling similar to the blog
• Fixed-width column for more professional documentation-like look
• Maybe some schematic symbols in the header lines
• Same menu and header as the blog

The wiki serves as our project showcase and it really sucks at that. Saying we’re a soft-sell is an understatement. Things aren’t presented attractively. A wiki isn’t a great sales page.  Some styling will help, but we’re still brainstorming some ideas to better display each project without being too offensive.

Free PCB store design goal:

• Sidebar box styling similar to the blog
• Same menu and header as the blog
• Better coloring

The free PCB store is ugly, ugly, ugly. Zen cart ships with the worst default theme ever. That said, the update isn’t a huge priority because we don’t actually sell anything from the store.