ATS's new shroud of creepiness

I never thought I would find myself posting to the rant forum. But recently I can hardly bear to login. I've never seen such an unwelcoming website design. I've never felt a website draw me toward a dark mood like this one does. Why?

As soon as I reach this site and the whole time I am here, I have a full page of nothing but angry beasts, angry or creepy men and very creepy clowns starring at me.

Horrible feng shui! The mood is like something from an animal abuse site.

If I was a psy-op agent tasked with discouraging people from attending a website this is exactly how I would go about it.

ATS has generally been one of the most professional and impressive looking sites. But this is not the feel of the ATS I know.

SkepticOverlord, you are obviously a very talented coder. For years I have used your site as the example to others for how a professional, high tech site should look. But for some reason I'm having a lot of trouble handling the present decor.

Complementary animated creepiness gif!!

a reply to: CraftBuilder

clowns are creepy , plus why should Ronald McDonald be getting free advertising, ah ,... I think I understand the strapline now

maybe a creepy Santa/satan will chill you



funbox

a reply to: CraftBuilder

Man I don't get how you can deal with the white background!

While I disagree with your stance, as I usually go without even noticing the side bar stuff, I dig the gif

a reply to: CraftBuilder

Now that you point it out I can see why you think it's creepy.

Personally I Don't log out often so never see that crap. I also use no squint because of my eyesight so I zoom in about 130% and never see this stuff on the sides..

And yes...Clowns are creepy...ALL OF THEM!

Man I hate clowns!

Peace

a reply to: Sremmos80
I can't stand the white background either but recently it is what I'm always faced with until I log in.

a reply to: CraftBuilder

Oh ya, it is the default till you log in.

I never log out unless the site does it to me, I don't get how any one could surf this place like that!.

I count 16 angry beasts, six angry men, two creepy men, two creepy clowns and not a single nice looking thing on the entire page.

a reply to: CraftBuilder

so what do you suppose, is the meaning to all this ?

funbox

a reply to: funbox
I really don't know. Marketing strategies gone astray maybe?

a reply to: CraftBuilder

as one that's dabbled with websites, I see too many inputs, reading between the gifs and poetic strap lines , I smell too many cooks

chief cook need to get the recipe balanced

funbox

At first I thought you were going to rant about avatars. Don't get creeped out by trimmings. If the content doesn't creep up on you, nothing will.

I never see any of that stuff. I don't know why. My screen is nice and charcoal.

I think ATS is beautiful. We have these nice big avy's, while other's have a postage-stamp, if that. The screens we post on are nice and clean-looking. I think it's great.

a reply to: CraftBuilder

We live in "angry" times.

I mean, you could call for fluffy bunnies, but frankly that would give more of the wrong impression.

I do, however, think you are being over sensitive, especially given the subject matters that are discussed on ATS, and have been discussed over the years.

a reply to: CraftBuilder

Hold down the control key and scroll your mouse wheel up. Your screen will zoom in until the crap on the left and right sides, which I agree is overly pushy, is no longer viewable. This is what I do, and apparently Jude too. For whatever reason, I always assumed most ATSers did, but apparently not from the responses on this thread.

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
I never see any of that stuff. I don't know why. My screen is nice and charcoal.

I think ATS is beautiful. We have these nice big avy's, while other's have a postage-stamp, if that. The screens we post on are nice and clean-looking. I think it's great.

You are very lucky. All of the aggressive, creepy faces begin to wear on me when I have watch them stare back at me the whole time I'm reading threads. I agree that ATS was very impressive looking before this happened.

If a software company made us stare at things like that while we were working I don't think they would sell very much.

originally posted by: neformore
a reply to: CraftBuilder

We live in "angry" times.

I mean, you could call for fluffy bunnies, but frankly that would give more of the wrong impression.

I do, however, think you are being over sensitive, especially given the subject matters that are discussed on ATS, and have been discussed over the years.

I do find myself very sensitive to it. ATS covers a great spectrum of topics and its visual theme used to be very neutral. What you would expect to see if working with software. I have a choice about what topics I can click on and read but now I have no choice about a bunch of aggressive, creepy faces staring at me the entire time I'm on ATS. Its a little bizarre actually. And very unprofessional looking.

originally posted by: Ameilia
a reply to: CraftBuilder

Hold down the control key and scroll your mouse wheel up. Your screen will zoom in until the crap on the left and right sides, which I agree is overly pushy, is no longer viewable. This is what I do, and apparently Jude too. For whatever reason, I always assumed most ATSers did, but apparently not from the responses on this thread.

That seems like really good advice. I'll give it a try. I work on a lot of projects and usually have many browser windows/tabs open while on ATS so it might get messy. So far it seems to be working well though. Thanks!

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: CraftBuilder

Oh ya, it is the default till you log in.

I never log out unless the site does it to me, I don't get how any one could surf this place like that!.

For security and privacy reasons I keep a very clean browser cache. My login info for sites is not stored. I'm condemned to a life of endless passwords, continuous logins, and the ATS creepy welcome page with a crazy bright on dark theme.

ATS needs to simplify their interface. Get rid of the NLBS bloat and clean it up.. The Ad's are all over the place, im not against 3rd party Advertisements, but they need to be more organized and consistent.

Its starting to look like a geocities site. More is not always better...SIMPLIFY!!

eta; by simplify I don't mean its too complicated, its just messy, lacks aesthetics, and really needs to be cleaner looking.

At least there is a nice ad of a child giving dad a hug today. It is my day with my son today so the synchronicity...
I agree about the pics not being conducive to a pleasant trip though.