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Not sure where to put this, but I was looking at the footer of for instance StackOverflow. The bottom portion font is very hard to read, the colors should be looked at:

enter image description here

This:

site design / logo © 2013 stack exchange inc; user contributions licensed under cc-wiki with attribution required

for simplicity should be white just like the links.

Also the footer is inconsistent, all other categories have one column except Technology it causes a gap between the various categories and just looks odd:

enter image description here

All categories should indicate a max # of sites ( say 5-7) and then include a link to more(n).

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  • 8
    Because science and other do not span multiple columns. Did you read my post?
    – JonH
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:19
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    But there are more technology related sites that are high profile enough to warrant being in the footer. I wouldn't want to have to add several clicks just to satisfy your OCD of having one column per category. It looks just fine.
    – Servy
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:21
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    So, how would you show the 21 graduated technology sites, considering that next highest number of graduated sites in a category is 4 (science)?
    – Oded StaffMod
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:26
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    @Oded what happens to your footer when you graduate 21 more technology sites?
    – JonH
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:27
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    That would totally break my workflow. I use the footer all the time to switch between my favorites.
    – Mat
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:27
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    Well thats because you're the Fresh Prince :). The colors of cc-wiki and attribution required is probably what is killing it, but I'd prefer it was #fff.
    – JonH
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:02
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    me-a user who has used the stack sites probably more than you - why do you think you have used the sites more than @Servy? And even if you did, why does that qualify you to have better judgment about how the footer should look / function? Why do you care more about how it looks than how it functions? If you used the footer and your favorite site was now an extra click away, is that "better"? Why should I be forced to use bookmarks instead? What if I already have plenty, or if I have 30 favorite stack sites that are currently all shown in the footer? It's just clutter elsewhere.
    – Aaron Bertrand Staff
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:02
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    @AaronBertrand - NO specific reason my point being is I know the sites to navigate them. A new person to the site doesn't, that is all. Don't think I was looking for any entitlement so calm down buddy. As for bookmarks bar/favorite versus all the sites on the footer, that is your personal preference. From a UX point it isn't consistent. The folks coming on here trying to stir some sort of controversy please stop with the drama, discussion and change is good. It's what makes companies successful, that is why we have admins on the site. So please I am just looking for discussion.
    – JonH
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:04
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    Wow, you brought up that you used the sites more than @Servy. shrug
    – Aaron Bertrand Staff
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:08
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    @AaronBertrand Oh no, I need to look at the SE footer; better take some Dramamine.
    – Servy
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:12
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    I've only ever looked at the footer because this meta question was posted. Before that, you couldn't have convinced me that it actually existed.
    – swasheck
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:16
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    @JonH the irony is that you seem to think you do
    – swasheck
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:22
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    @swasheck - Because I brought up a discussion? Boy what would we have done had meta never existed?
    – JonH
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:23
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    I'm still waiting on an answer to my previous comment. What problems are you asserting exist as a result of the way the site currently is. Keep in mind you're the one proposing a change; I'm not here to justify why the site is the way it is; the burden is on you to demonstrate that there is a problem if you would like it to be addressed.
    – Servy
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:26
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    @JonH usually for a "discussion" to gain traction on Meta it has to have some sort of clear benefit. I would say be looking at the overall reacion to this thread that it does not.
    – Zane
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 20:38

2 Answers 2

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For me:

  • Yes, change the font color. It's kinda weird like this; nowhere else in the footer this color is used.

  • No, don't change the columns. There are more technology sites, so I guess there's more interest for technology. So it should get a larger place in the footer, nothing wrong with that. How else do you want to show 21 technology sites and 4 science sites? Hiding a lot good technology sites under a 'more' is not a good idea IMO.

    What would be a good idea though, in my opinion, is TronicZomB's idea of using vertical lines between the different columns:

    It is suggested here: SE Footer Changes/Update

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6
  • For point 2 look at it just by reading up and down the columns - turn off your programmer mind for a minute. Look at it from a new person. The gap is odd. For additional sites what are the issues with using your bookmarks bar? If this was the case why didn't Jeff Atwood support both "Favorite" questions and "Watch" questions. His argument was there is a favorites / bookmarks bar to handle that.
    – JonH
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:45
  • @JonH I sincerely don't have a problem with the gap. Perhaps we could move technology to the left to make it look less odd to you, but I wouldn't like that: technology is the major part of the network, it shouldn't be listed last.
    – user65560
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:47
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    Fair enough, this is personal preference.
    – JonH
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:48
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    @JonH You can create a userscript if it bothers you that much.
    – Servy
    Commented May 14, 2013 at 19:50
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    "Hiding a lot good technology sites under a 'more' is not a good idea IMO." there is more than one way of 'hiding' a link: putting a link in a list of 20 other links is an excellent way of hiding them all. I'd rather have 5 visible than none!
    – Jack Douglas
    Commented May 15, 2013 at 7:41
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    @JackDouglas I disagree. Of the sites you use a lot, you know where they are in the footer, so you don't have to search.
    – user65560
    Commented May 15, 2013 at 8:02
5

Font color: YES!

Categories: I don't like the idea of making them all one column, but I can see where the confusion could possibly arise. What about a small dividing line of sorts between the last column of Technology, the only columns of Life/Arts, Cultrue/Recreation, Science, and Other (4 lines in total)? There is the division that JonH seems should be there as well as we keep all 21 Technology sites in the footer.

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