Great New Look

[hostmedic]

The team @ cPanel has always worked hard for us...
I am very pleased with the new look of the website - and would love to see what is in store for the control panel.


Great work Guys !

 

[cPanelNick]

The team @ cPanel has always worked hard for us...
I am very pleased with the new look of the website - and would love to see what is in store for the control panel.


Great work Guys !

Thanks, good to hear something positive!!

Try the new cPanel Demo Here:

http://www.cpanel.net/products/cPanelandWHM/linux/try_cp_whm.htm

Its based on an early version of the evolution theme, so there will be a few more changes before the official release.

 

[asterisk]

Wow that's a refreshing new look. Although maybe I've gotten so used to the X theme, I still prefer the X theme, as I navigate partially by words and also by relative location as well as iconic pictures of cPanel features. So if I want MySQL databases for example, I know it tends to be located somewhere in the third line in the middle. Or if I remember FrontPage extensions by the way the icon looks, I can quickly scan the page for where it is.

In any case, I'm guessing the X theme will still be available for the stick-in-the-mud people like us?

 

[cPanelNick]

Wow that's a refreshing new look. Although maybe I've gotten so used to the X theme, I still prefer the X theme, as I navigate partially by words and also by relative location as well as iconic pictures of cPanel features. So if I want MySQL databases for example, I know it tends to be located somewhere in the third line in the middle. Or if I remember FrontPage extensions by the way the icon looks, I can quickly scan the page for where it is.

In any case, I'm guessing the X theme will still be available for the stick-in-the-mud people like us?

No descision on that yet, however I'd hate to keep it since it has all the outdated api calls and poor error handling "ie ignore any errors of success type stuff". It could however be updated to all the cPanel 12 api calls (it will still work just fine right now as everything is backwards compat.. actually a cPanel 3 theme should still work on cPanel 12 will only very minor tweaking) in time and used as a secondary. If there is demand for that, now is the time to speak up

 

[offbeathosting]

Very nice! So much cleaner and easier to navigate. Will we be seeing a new revamped WHM theme as well?

 

[webignition]

Whilst the new theme is a bit more visually appealing and dynamic, it still falls short of using well structured, accessible markup.

• Tables are still be used for layout.
  
• Frames, for example, no longer need to be used. Identical effects can be achieved in an accessible way using other methods.
  
• And forms are still not semantically correct, failing to use appropriate fieldsets and labels.

I'd really appreciate it if cPanel could try to set a good example by using semantically-meaningful, effecient and accessible modern methods.

Oh, and there's still a juggernaut-load of obtrusive JavaScript, the functionality of which could easily be implemented in a non-obtrusive and more elegant fashion.

Sorry to sound a bit negative, however whilst the visual style is more contemporary, the markup and the methods behind it are very 1997.

You can do a lot better. A lot lot better. Please do!

 

[Infopro]

No descision on that yet, however I'd hate to keep it since it has all the outdated api calls and poor error handling "ie ignore any errors of success type stuff". It could however be updated to all the cPanel 12 api calls (it will still work just fine right now as everything is backwards compat.. actually a cPanel 3 theme should still work on cPanel 12 will only very minor tweaking) in time and used as a secondary. If there is demand for that, now is the time to speak up

Yes please update the X theme as needed. This new theme may be great at some point but not yet, I don't think.

 

[cbwass]

Will this new cPanel be able to handle multiple languages, Spanish, German etc.?

 

[nickp666]

My vote goes for keeping x as well, has anyone raised a bugzilla entry?

 

[PHP Warner]

New theme is great

Good job.

 

[arhs]

The new theme looks great; however it bit slower then the "X" theme.

 

[cPanelNick]

Whilst the new theme is a bit more visually appealing and dynamic, it still falls short of using well structured, accessible markup.

• Tables are still be used for layout.
  
• Frames, for example, no longer need to be used. Identical effects can be achieved in an accessible way using other methods.
  
• And forms are still not semantically correct, failing to use appropriate fieldsets and labels.

I'd really appreciate it if cPanel could try to set a good example by using semantically-meaningful, effecient and accessible modern methods.

Oh, and there's still a juggernaut-load of obtrusive JavaScript, the functionality of which could easily be implemented in a non-obtrusive and more elegant fashion.

Sorry to sound a bit negative, however whilst the visual style is more contemporary, the markup and the methods behind it are very 1997.

You can do a lot better. A lot lot better. Please do!

And as soon as everyone stops using IE and any old browser, I'm sure some more of these things will be quite possible, however unrealistic While 1997 sounds like you are going a bit overboard, we do have to make sure older browsers work. As for tables, checkout quirksmode.org for the very long list of div bugs that IE has (http://www.quirksmode.org/bugreports/archives/explorer_windows/index.html to start, http://www.positioniseverything.net/index.php is another favorite of mine.). Tables are still unavoidable, and render faster in a lot of cases.

Frames are fast, its better to only update some content then everything at once. Also if you don't like javascript, everything should work fine if you disable it.

I didn't realize there was a standard for using fieldsets in labels, must have missed that rfc , also searched google for "fieldsets and labels standard."

 

[cPanelNick]

The new theme looks great; however it bit slower then the "X" theme.

Does that mean you still prefer X? Also what specificly is slow. Fasterfox tells me it loads in < 1 second. But I am on a speedy mac book pro.

 

[cPanelNick]

Will this new cPanel be able to handle multiple languages, Spanish, German etc.?

It still has lang tag support for everything .

http://lang.cpanel.net/lang.pl

 

[cPanelNick]

Yes please update the X theme as needed. This new theme may be great at some point but not yet, I don't think.

Its changed quite a bit, and as it gets closer and closer to production release, we would love to know what you like, and what you don't like about it.

 

[cPanelNick]

Very nice! So much cleaner and easier to navigate. Will we be seeing a new revamped WHM theme as well?

Yes, however its not yet ready for preview yet.

 

[webignition]

And as soon as everyone stops using IE and any old browser, I'm sure some more of these things will be quite possible, however unrealistic

Support for old browsers isn't really a decent argument for using outdated, semanticaly meaningless layout and markup techniques. Pure CSS-based semantically meaningful (X)HTML documents can be made to work with IE5+, therefore cPanel's incorrect markup methods are only of benefit to any user using any browser prior to the existence of IE5.

However, you have to start considering support for the maximum number/range of user agents, not simply one class of user agent i.e. the visual browser. Outdated, semantically meaningless methods, such as using frames and tables for layout, may well deliver a workable interface to pre IE5 users, however you're doing so at the expense of effectively denying access to most other types of user agents - screenreaders, small-screen devices etc. I believe the number of people small-screen devices and screenreaders easily outweighs the number of people using pre IE5 browsers.

In trying to open up cPanel to the largest possible user base, your support for tables and frames is actually limiting the user base more than if you were to opt for CSS+semantically meaningful markup.

I didn't realize there was a standard for using fieldsets in labels, must have missed that rfc , also searched google for "fieldsets and labels standard."

Joking aside, how difficult is it to wrap related form elements in fieldsets and associate each form field with a label? It's not difficult, however it's not done.

Table-based form layouts without any programmatically-recognisable relationship between apparent labels and fields is one of the most difficult situations for screenreaders to cope with. A screenreader can, at best, take an educated guess as to which piece of text may refer to which form field. Simply grouping related form fields in fieldsets and labelling each form element correctly (i.e. using <label>) will give users of assistive technologies at least a chance, which is far from what they have at present.

 

[Infopro]

Its changed quite a bit, and as it gets closer and closer to production release, we would love to know what you like, and what you don't like about it.

Well, I'm all for a new look/theme. I like that idea. So a few examples and comments on this one. Yes I understand it's still in development.

progress bars don't match:
Clicking all stats shows a solid progress bar on all items. But on main menu the progress bar is different. I'm for the solid myself.


Fonts throughout need work:
Try changing fonts size via browser on main page has little to no effect. It does change the 'TM' next to WHM and 'enable tooltips' link, but not much else.
On the 'All Stats' page fonts can be resized but looks like the defaults for that page are too large. So some pages look fine, others do not.
BTW, changing fonts also does change the tooltips popups when you mouse over links.

Colors throughout:
Too many of them. Blues, greys, greens, yellows, reds and some old colors from x thrown in. IMO, just too many here.

Quick Help:
Adding a cold link for help is of no use to a new user. Clicking the Quick Help item link shows a popup with the cold link to help manual. I think if we're using frames here already, why not have the manual in one instead of having to cut n paste a cold link from a popup.

Left Menu:
Seems too small to me. Could use some padding or maybe lose the border so it doesn't feel so confined/cramped.

Search box:
What is this for? Searching for MySQL, Hotlink or Scripts returns nothing. What would I be searching for here?

Fade effect on menus:
Lose this. Here on the forums as well. Pretty, neat, and all those other newb comments apply to this type of thing, sure. AJAX is great stuff. Fading menus is best left for users sites not control panels.

Older browser support:
Why? Microsoft has stopped support for Win95,98,WinME.2000 and soon XP SP1 even. It's time to let it go on older browser support. IMO. A webmaster running a site surely has a new browser these days. If he doesn't, not being able to access cPanel is the least of his concerns.

Small Screen Devices:
webignition has a very good point. Many are going this route these days. Myself included. (cingular 8125)
Having more access would be great here.


Hope there's something in there you can use Nick. And thanks.

P.S. While I'm at it. Can someone get us some newer smilies than these old, beat, phpBB smilies and post icons the forums use? :p

 

[cPanelNick]

Support for old browsers isn't really a decent argument for using outdated, semanticaly meaningless layout and markup techniques. Pure CSS-based semantically meaningful (X)HTML documents can be made to work with IE5+, therefore cPanel's incorrect markup methods are only of benefit to any user using any browser prior to the existence of IE5.

However, you have to start considering support for the maximum number/range of user agents, not simply one class of user agent i.e. the visual browser. Outdated, semantically meaningless methods, such as using frames and tables for layout, may well deliver a workable interface to pre IE5 users, however you're doing so at the expense of effectively denying access to most other types of user agents - screenreaders, small-screen devices etc. I believe the number of people small-screen devices and screenreaders easily outweighs the number of people using pre IE5 browsers.

In trying to open up cPanel to the largest possible user base, your support for tables and frames is actually limiting the user base more than if you were to opt for CSS+semantically meaningful markup.

Joking aside, how difficult is it to wrap related form elements in fieldsets and associate each form field with a label? It's not difficult, however it's not done.

Table-based form layouts without any programmatically-recognisable relationship between apparent labels and fields is one of the most difficult situations for screenreaders to cope with. A screenreader can, at best, take an educated guess as to which piece of text may refer to which form field. Simply grouping related form fields in fieldsets and labelling each form element correctly (i.e. using <label>) will give users of assistive technologies at least a chance, which is far from what they have at present.

We've always tried to support older browsers, as its better to have a functional product then something that may render a bit nicer in newer browsers.

As for the labels go, your comments make a lot more sense once explained

 

[cPanelNick]

Well, I'm all for a new look/theme. I like that idea. So a few examples and comments on this one. Yes I understand it's still in development.

progress bars don't match:
Clicking all stats shows a solid progress bar on all items. But on main menu the progress bar is different. I'm for the solid myself.

...

Thanks for the useful comments, that will help. Would you really use cPanel on your handheld ? I use my 8700 to check my mail and google stuff, but I can't stand using it for much beyond that (give me a REAL laptop )
PS. I like the smilies, then again I also like vi :!

PPS. Search box doesn't have a search database yet.