Changing SQLServerCentral - Newsletter Layout

  • Comments posted to this topic are about the item Changing SQLServerCentral - Newsletter Layout

  • If I read it on my device (windows phone), I have to scroll a bit before I am to the table of contents. I have to go through the editorial and 3 advertisements. (I'm looking at the newsletter of 2nd of August for the moment).

    In my regular browser on the desktop, the newsletter is a bit too small.

    The rest of the newsletter doesn't concern me. I don't listen to podcasts, I check the QotD and the forums daily anyway so I don't scroll all the way down in the newsletter. The table of contents is actually all I need, so I can check if there are any articles that interest me. So that one must be on top 😀

    Need an answer? No, you need a question
    My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
    MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP

  • I use this site as my 5 minute tech education/awareness for the day. The TOC at the top gives me a quick check if there are topics of interest. If I am not busy, I like the question of the day challenge.

    I am least interested in the editorial and prefer it to not be at the top. Glad the picture is gone; it took up too much real estate.

    btw - I am a desktop user.

  • Janet Steen (8/6/2013)


    I use this site as my 5 minute tech education/awareness for the day. The TOC at the top gives me a quick check if there are topics of interest. If I am not busy, I like the question of the day challenge.

    I am least interested in the editorial and prefer it to not be at the top. Glad the picture is gone; it took up too much real estate.

    btw - I am a desktop user.

    Sadly, I have to give a +1 to this. I find the editorial to be a waste of space. Too much personal about Steve, and very focused on his life.

    [font="Verdana"]Please don't go. The drones need you. They look up to you.[/font]
    Connect to me on LinkedIn

  • Thomas Abraham (8/6/2013)


    Janet Steen (8/6/2013)


    I use this site as my 5 minute tech education/awareness for the day. The TOC at the top gives me a quick check if there are topics of interest. If I am not busy, I like the question of the day challenge.

    I am least interested in the editorial and prefer it to not be at the top. Glad the picture is gone; it took up too much real estate.

    btw - I am a desktop user.

    Sadly, I have to give a +1 to this. I find the editorial to be a waste of space. Too much personal about Steve, and very focused on his life.

    I had to post this before I was really finished. Phone rang, etc.

    I have nothing against Steve, or his life. He seems like a nice guy. But, this isn't Facebook. I don't come here to learn about Steve's life. And, since the site itself isn't a personal blog, I'm not looking for that editorial content. Perhaps some others are. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about SQL Server, and participate in a constructive way when I can.

    All I really want from the daily blurb is a condensed set of pointers into content. Give me something with about 10 to 15 links, tops, with headlines (perhaps) designed to peak my interest, and draw me deeper into sections of the site. The previous form was too verbose. I ended up scanning the four or five topics at the top, and then jumping to the QotD. The daily deal shouldn't be a gazette, it should be a starting point. I'm too busy to wade through more than that. Something like that would also work for desktop and mobile devices.

    I'm sure there are many who disagree, but that's what is on my mind.

    [font="Verdana"]Please don't go. The drones need you. They look up to you.[/font]
    Connect to me on LinkedIn

  • Thomas Abraham (8/6/2013)


    Thomas Abraham (8/6/2013)


    Janet Steen (8/6/2013)


    I use this site as my 5 minute tech education/awareness for the day. The TOC at the top gives me a quick check if there are topics of interest. If I am not busy, I like the question of the day challenge.

    I am least interested in the editorial and prefer it to not be at the top. Glad the picture is gone; it took up too much real estate.

    btw - I am a desktop user.

    Sadly, I have to give a +1 to this. I find the editorial to be a waste of space. Too much personal about Steve, and very focused on his life.

    I had to post this before I was really finished. Phone rang, etc.

    I have nothing against Steve, or his life. He seems like a nice guy. But, this isn't Facebook. I don't come here to learn about Steve's life. And, since the site itself isn't a personal blog, I'm not looking for that editorial content. Perhaps some others are. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about SQL Server, and participate in a constructive way when I can.

    All I really want from the daily blurb is a condensed set of pointers into content. Give me something with about 10 to 15 links, tops, with headlines (perhaps) designed to peak my interest, and draw me deeper into sections of the site. The previous form was too verbose. I ended up scanning the four or five topics at the top, and then jumping to the QotD. The daily deal shouldn't be a gazette, it should be a starting point. I'm too busy to wade through more than that. Something like that would also work for desktop and mobile devices.

    I'm sure there are many who disagree, but that's what is on my mind.

    The editorials are not always about Steve's life, at least not all the time.

    There are also about emerging technologies, hypes and trends and about interesting facts around SQL Server (such as SQL injection for example).

    I don't read them all the time though, I usually just skip to the headlines.

    Need an answer? No, you need a question
    My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
    MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP

  • About:

    DATABASE PROS WHO NEED YOUR HELP

    Here's a few of the new posts today on the forums..

    I personally do not like it, takes up a huge amount of space.

    Tried to count number of posts displayed but got tired around 60 (guessing 100, aug 6th newsletter) and is taking up aprox 60% of the newsletter.

    I would remove that part, but since it is still there I guess someone is using it.

    So why not limit it to a maximum of three posts per forum.

  • raadee (8/6/2013)


    About:

    DATABASE PROS WHO NEED YOUR HELP

    Here's a few of the new posts today on the forums..

    I personally do not like it, takes up a huge amount of space.

    Tried to count number of posts displayed but got tired around 60 (guessing 100, aug 6th newsletter) and is taking up aprox 60% of the newsletter.

    I would remove that part, but since it is still there I guess someone is using it.

    So why not limit it to a maximum of three posts per forum.

    I'm not a fan of the forums part either. Probably because I never look at it, I browse the topics in the forum itself.

    Need an answer? No, you need a question
    My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
    MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP

  • The forums part is mainly useless for the purpose that is presented (Database Pros Who Need Your Help!) because most topics are already solved.

    There could be some kind of outstanding topics to reduce the space used by the forums posts in the newsletter.

    Luis C.
    General Disclaimer:
    Are you seriously taking the advice and code from someone from the internet without testing it? Do you at least understand it? Or can it easily kill your server?

    How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help: Option 1 / Option 2
  • Koen Verbeeck (8/6/2013)


    raadee (8/6/2013)


    About:

    DATABASE PROS WHO NEED YOUR HELP

    Here's a few of the new posts today on the forums..

    I personally do not like it, takes up a huge amount of space.

    Tried to count number of posts displayed but got tired around 60 (guessing 100, aug 6th newsletter) and is taking up aprox 60% of the newsletter.

    I would remove that part, but since it is still there I guess someone is using it.

    So why not limit it to a maximum of three posts per forum.

    I'm not a fan of the forums part either. Probably because I never look at it, I browse the topics in the forum itself.

    I've tried to get rid of it or reduce it a few times. Lots of complaints. People use it.

    I would like to make this a separate newsletter.

  • Luis Cazares (8/6/2013)


    The forums part is mainly useless for the purpose that is presented (Database Pros Who Need Your Help!) because most topics are already solved.

    There could be some kind of outstanding topics to reduce the space used by the forums posts in the newsletter.

    Hmm, I like the idea of limiting this to recently posted but outstanding topics (but without a way to say a question has been answered, how do you determine this?)

    To go along with this, how about a second section of recently solved questions? Limit it to a few per forum topic - maybe the most active for the prior day?

    Wayne
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
    Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes


    If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!
    Links:
    For better assistance in answering your questions
    Performance Problems
    Common date/time routines
    Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

  • WayneS (8/6/2013)


    To go along with this, how about a second section of recently solved questions? Limit it to a few per forum topic - maybe the most active for the prior day?

    That's interesting. Maybe I'll see if we can play with this.

  • This is 2013. Surely there is a way to reformat text to suit the width of the device displaying the text? Why settle for a particular fixed width format, which will only ever suit a minority?

  • cmerrell (8/6/2013)


    This is 2013. Surely there is a way to reformat text to suit the width of the device displaying the text? Why settle for a particular fixed width format, which will only ever suit a minority?

    Yes and no. We can allow test to flow, but then layout looks funny at times. If we control it more, we can't easily make it work in Outlook and in other clients. Outlook is really the problem, but since so many people use it, it's a problem.

  • Hey Steve,

    multiple newsletter formats to choose from could be great - and if you give the option not only to choose the format but also which block of content should be included /* with the only mandatory block of ads - you have to live on something 😉 */ it would be awesome!

    But have you thought about a poll where you give the community a list of possible options and so you will get know us better...

    because at the moment I would think, most of feedback you receive is asks for change or a globally thank you. The content seldom write letters ^^

    //Sarus

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