Should Directadmin make their site and skin look more modern?
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zEitEr
Super Moderator
@cyberneticos,
Perhaps, could you design a new site?
Perhaps, could you design a new site?
Then vote number 2 or 3.
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My company is Cyberneticos, not Directadmin. I am a directadmin customer, not their designer.
I also listen to my customers' feedback.
Just vote.
zEitEr
Super Moderator
As a programmer I can say, design is not on the first place. I'm not sure, if JMBS has a designer. That's why, I suggested presenting a new design, if you have any.
As a client of a hosting company, I'm very indifferent, what design have developers of Directadmin, Apache, MySQL, PHP, etc.
If you want a modern skin for your customers, you're free to use any from a 3rd part company or develop your own.
I voted for the first option. But I would rather prefer to get more functions from the CP, design is the optional.
As a client of a hosting company, I'm very indifferent, what design have developers of Directadmin, Apache, MySQL, PHP, etc.
If you want a modern skin for your customers, you're free to use any from a 3rd part company or develop your own.
I voted for the first option. But I would rather prefer to get more functions from the CP, design is the optional.
Well,
I'm a company owner, and it's very important that we look good, other wise, we just don't sell as much. I'm afraid that's what's happening to Directadmin to an extent. Certainly, Directadmin does not have a good reputation in Spain. I have a rough time convincing other hosting companies and resellers I work with to use DA becuase it's simply the best.
They walk into DA's web, and it's awfull. Looks bad, makes me look bad and in the end this means less business.
Sure I have many ideas, but jesus christ,. just updating the text would be good enough,. there are pages in DA's site that still talk about a support chat. I mean common, let's get the ball rolling.
I assume the CEO of this company is the programmer and the forum administrator and only has 1 person hired for sales.
That's what it seems like.
They have to sacrifice design for programming becuase of lack of time. Bad management sounds like.
That's a problem.
I'm a company owner, and it's very important that we look good, other wise, we just don't sell as much. I'm afraid that's what's happening to Directadmin to an extent. Certainly, Directadmin does not have a good reputation in Spain. I have a rough time convincing other hosting companies and resellers I work with to use DA becuase it's simply the best.
They walk into DA's web, and it's awfull. Looks bad, makes me look bad and in the end this means less business.
Sure I have many ideas, but jesus christ,. just updating the text would be good enough,. there are pages in DA's site that still talk about a support chat. I mean common, let's get the ball rolling.
I assume the CEO of this company is the programmer and the forum administrator and only has 1 person hired for sales.
That's what it seems like.
They have to sacrifice design for programming becuase of lack of time. Bad management sounds like.
That's a problem.
nobaloney
NoBaloney Internet Svcs - In Memoriam †
Personally I think the poll is prejudiced. To be non-prejudiced it should only ask which you want, and not editorialize about what looks new or old; some of us think the enhanced skin is timeless.
And writing of the enhanced skin, I think the poll should be clearer as to what you mean by the standard skin. Yes, I agree the original standard looks old to me, but I still have some clients who chose it.
Jeff
And writing of the enhanced skin, I think the poll should be clearer as to what you mean by the standard skin. Yes, I agree the original standard looks old to me, but I still have some clients who chose it.
Jeff
LawsHosting
Verified User
I voted "I don't care", reason being is the site says it all, its to the point and has helpful links. Yes, ok, every site needs to be updated, but it must be bringing in sales or else JBMC would change the layout.
I like eye-candy, just look at my site, it has ajax and mysql galore! - but that could increase server overhead.
As for the skin, it just works, does what it says on the tin - most clients use the enhanced skin - I had no complaints, bare in mind that most video tutorials (i.e DemoWolf) uses this skin, would be confusing if we started to use a totally different one.
My 50p's worth.
I like eye-candy, just look at my site, it has ajax and mysql galore! - but that could increase server overhead.
As for the skin, it just works, does what it says on the tin - most clients use the enhanced skin - I had no complaints, bare in mind that most video tutorials (i.e DemoWolf) uses this skin, would be confusing if we started to use a totally different one.
My 50p's worth.
Richard G
Verified User
Since there is no choice of "maybe" I'm the one at the moment choosing that I like it the way it is.
Easy to explain, easy for users too.
It's not that I don't care, so that choice was no good for me. Neither do I think that an update is needed.
I like the present stuff, but might be happy with a bit more other design, depending on how it looks, but I don't find that it's needed.
So that way the only choice could be "No I like the way things are", because that's most true. But this does not mean that I wouln'dt like another look if there came one.
If that would mean a VB4 look which looks also like Wordpress and IPB, then certainly I would not be happy. More modern does not automatically means better.
Hope to explained my choice well enough this way.
Easy to explain, easy for users too.
It's not that I don't care, so that choice was no good for me. Neither do I think that an update is needed.
I like the present stuff, but might be happy with a bit more other design, depending on how it looks, but I don't find that it's needed.
So that way the only choice could be "No I like the way things are", because that's most true. But this does not mean that I wouln'dt like another look if there came one.
If that would mean a VB4 look which looks also like Wordpress and IPB, then certainly I would not be happy. More modern does not automatically means better.
Hope to explained my choice well enough this way.
I voted "I don't care" because I have made my own custom skin. What is more important to me is the actual code behind the skins wich is not available to edit, and that it produce valid HTML markup.
Of course I am using the API to change hardcoded HTML markup on the fly, but that is not always possible, for example in the file manager that is not possible.
So, I don't care about the look, I have made my own skin and only care about what is behind and is hardcoded.
Of course I am using the API to change hardcoded HTML markup on the fly, but that is not always possible, for example in the file manager that is not possible.
So, I don't care about the look, I have made my own skin and only care about what is behind and is hardcoded.
truenegative
Verified User
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2006
- Messages
- 153
agreed. if you don't like it, make your own. IMO the reason people choose DirectAdmin is because of how lightweight it is compared to the others.
scsi
Verified User
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2008
- Messages
- 4,569
I thought he was complaining more about the directadmin.com website and sub sites of it. As far as the directadmin program skin there are tons of others making skins. If you dont like the default ones that come with it just buy another one. I am sure directadmin is a small company and I personally have never seen more then John or Mark (years ago) reply to anything. I think they need to worry more about features then the look of how things are. If the outdated directadmin.com site is killing sales then maybe he needs to think which is more important. It is alot of work to do programming and design work for one person. Maybe John needs to think of hiring someone else to help with the development of the company.
nobaloney
NoBaloney Internet Svcs - In Memoriam †
Does the DirectAdmin website look make a difference to you? or to your customers?
It doesn't to me, but maybe I'm being shortsighted.
Jeff
It doesn't to me, but maybe I'm being shortsighted.
Jeff
Yes, I think you are being shortsighted (no offense Jeff, you know I don't just say things to hurt anyone).
Let me share a few things I think are important to us. I'm not an economist, nor a business specialist. But you and I both run companies, and I assume you have some basic notions of how important looks are.
In my opinion, the looks of an important Internet company has a direct impact on them, their customers, prospects and sales especially. So if Directadmin's mission is to expand their business and compete against the other hosting control panel giants, focusing on the software and completely abandoning their main, and only, portal is going to impede reaching this goal.
Why do I waiste my time with this ? Why do I give a hoot what DA does? Why do I care about their site if thier software works well ?
Why do I want Directadmin to succeed ?
It's certainly not because I think the DA folks are cool. They haven't responded to any of my complaints on this forum, nor to any of my complaints send directly to their inbox. So I don't particularly have a good relationship with directadmin.
It's all about the money and the have faith I have in this product.
Our company is one of few companies of over 2000 legally registered hosting companies in Spain, that use Directadmin as their main control panel (we also started using cPanel and Plesk this past year, as I mentioned in another thread). I can count important hosting companies or DCs in spain with one hand that use Directadmin.
If we look a little further than our own noses, we will realize, that the more hosting end users are familiar with Directadmin, the more customers we'll have.
Why? Becuase Directadmin is just plain better. But it's better in the inside.
I talk to many hosting companies here in Spain. Perhaps that's an advantage of living in such a small country. I really talk to many hosting companies on a daily basis. Many of them THOUGHT Directadmin was a piece of crap, and swore cPanel was much better.
Until they tried DA.
What will keep people from trying DA ?
First impressions.
Ever heard of "The first impression is the most important one?"
Being only good in the inside and not giving a hoot of what you look like on the outside (not talking about skins, talking about www.directadmin.com) is reducing this compay's possibilites. And this affects all of us directly.
It's obvious that Directadmin is not trying to be ambicious, not trying to gain market, and not helping the rest of by doing zilch marketing efforts.
It's important to communicate with your customers what your plans are and where you're headed, becuase you're going with them, and your customers too.
While I have faith in the software, I lack faith completely in the company that runs it.
Being great is great. Looking great is even greater for everyone.
Help us be greater.
Let me share a few things I think are important to us. I'm not an economist, nor a business specialist. But you and I both run companies, and I assume you have some basic notions of how important looks are.
In my opinion, the looks of an important Internet company has a direct impact on them, their customers, prospects and sales especially. So if Directadmin's mission is to expand their business and compete against the other hosting control panel giants, focusing on the software and completely abandoning their main, and only, portal is going to impede reaching this goal.
Why do I waiste my time with this ? Why do I give a hoot what DA does? Why do I care about their site if thier software works well ?
Why do I want Directadmin to succeed ?
It's certainly not because I think the DA folks are cool. They haven't responded to any of my complaints on this forum, nor to any of my complaints send directly to their inbox. So I don't particularly have a good relationship with directadmin.
It's all about the money and the have faith I have in this product.
Our company is one of few companies of over 2000 legally registered hosting companies in Spain, that use Directadmin as their main control panel (we also started using cPanel and Plesk this past year, as I mentioned in another thread). I can count important hosting companies or DCs in spain with one hand that use Directadmin.
If we look a little further than our own noses, we will realize, that the more hosting end users are familiar with Directadmin, the more customers we'll have.
Why? Becuase Directadmin is just plain better. But it's better in the inside.
I talk to many hosting companies here in Spain. Perhaps that's an advantage of living in such a small country. I really talk to many hosting companies on a daily basis. Many of them THOUGHT Directadmin was a piece of crap, and swore cPanel was much better.
Until they tried DA.
What will keep people from trying DA ?
First impressions.
Ever heard of "The first impression is the most important one?"
Being only good in the inside and not giving a hoot of what you look like on the outside (not talking about skins, talking about www.directadmin.com) is reducing this compay's possibilites. And this affects all of us directly.
It's obvious that Directadmin is not trying to be ambicious, not trying to gain market, and not helping the rest of by doing zilch marketing efforts.
It's important to communicate with your customers what your plans are and where you're headed, becuase you're going with them, and your customers too.
While I have faith in the software, I lack faith completely in the company that runs it.
Being great is great. Looking great is even greater for everyone.
Help us be greater.
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nobaloney
NoBaloney Internet Svcs - In Memoriam †
You make some important points, but I disagree with your main premise, which is that would-be clients leave your site to look up the DirectAdmin site first, before ordering. I don't believe that.
If you do, then contact DirectAdmin staff directly with your concerns, and point them to take a look at this thread, because there's nothing I can do to change their site. I don't even have time to fix mine; if you look at it needs modernization as well.
Jeff