Updated PFBC site...

Pretty Fancy looks to be more user friendly
 
While I'm not a fan of dramatically redesigned websites, I'll need to check this one out, perhaps it's better.

I first looked for Biologists' Reports - the section of the website that I use and value the most - and it didn't take too long for me to find it. Hopefully, in addition to a reworked site layout, they will improve the site in more substantive ways, such as adding additional information about streams, especially a stronger effort to get more population surveys online.
 
It's new and I haven't had much time to check it out yet but my first impression is that I like the old style better. Also, currently the Class A and other features are not working/available. Hopefully they fix that soon.
 
Dave_W wrote:
Hopefully, in addition to a reworked site layout, they will improve the site in more substantive ways, such as adding additional information about streams, especially a stronger effort to get more population surveys online.
Click to expand...

^This is what I want too. Don't make us have to ask in writing for survey or stream assessment information that we fund. Publish it. (And not just cherry pick the ones you want us to see.) On the surface it seems like just a repackaging of the old existing material. Boo. Perhaps the new site will better allow for this kind of thing though...that would be good.

PFBC - I don't know anything about web design, but I can run a mean Excel book. I'll even volunteer my time to help build the database with the stream data that fuels the website. Of course, I'll need you to email me all the stream survey info first.
 
The home page has something that moves.

It's a well known principle of web page design to not do that. For a very simple reason.

Something that is moving or flashing makes it more difficult to read the content on the page.

 
They used the identical layout that was implemented last year for the game commission. The hunters had a similar reaction. Including that it was now hard to find information.

I am not a huge fan of about 1/2 of the page being a banner that contains very little information that I am interested in. But hey at least they make sure I know who the Governor, PFBC President and PFBC Executive Director is right in the banner.
 
Each time there is a change in the governorship the WEB pages get redesigned.

As a side note the minutes from the September PFBC meeting is still not posted.
 
No wonder all my saved links no longer work....

I was doing some research for an up coming camping/fishing trip and couldnt find most of the stuff I was looking for
 
When I Google to find info on a subject and try to open any link related to the PFBC site, the dreaded "404" notification comes up every time. :roll: Apparently, all links to past info on that site are now a dead end.



 
afishinado wrote:
When I Google to find info on a subject and try to open any link related to the PFBC site, the dreaded "404" notification comes up every time. :roll: Apparently, all links to past info on that site are now a dead end.
Click to expand...

I noticed the same thing. Why is that?

Google must be searching on their saved copy of the old website, rather than searching on the PFBC's present website.

It seems surprising to me that all of Google's sophisticated technology cannot recognize that the old PFBC website no longer exists, and that there is a new one.

Is there something website designers can do to get Google hooked up with their new website right away?



 
Glade Squires at work, no need know anything about past trout habitats, just follow stocking trucks and shut up. trout rodeo info will be hot topic.
wild trout info will fall into abyss.
you think I'm joking????
 
Wild trout wont be a thing soon enough...
 
New county guide is up -

http://pfbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3292981a1fcf415e9ce4a4a7a3ce98e2

Its pretty user friendly. Seems to have more stuff than the old one had on it.
 
They'll certainly re-upload the list of wild trout streams, streams being considered, etc... right? right ?

Nevermind.... http://www.fishandboat.com/Fish/PennsylvaniaFishes/Trout/Pages/TroutWaterClassifications.aspx
 
troutbert wrote:
afishinado wrote:
When I Google to find info on a subject and try to open any link related to the PFBC site, the dreaded "404" notification comes up every time. :roll: Apparently, all links to past info on that site are now a dead end.
Click to expand...

I noticed the same thing. Why is that?

Google must be searching on their saved copy of the old website, rather than searching on the PFBC's present website.

It seems surprising to me that all of Google's sophisticated technology cannot recognize that the old PFBC website no longer exists, and that there is a new one.

Is there something website designers can do to get Google hooked up with their new website right away?
Click to expand...

Possibly but I am not sure how one notifies all the major search engines that you redesigned your website. I know at work when we replace/remove pages we maintain legacy redirects and mappings to the new information. Eventually google will catch up. But that doesn't help someone that has book marked a page. It is a terrible customer experience to get a 404 when following what was a good link. But there is a cost associated with maintain a huge list of redirects and I am assuming state didn't want to pay the lowest bit IT Contractor to build that into to project scope.

To be fair a simple solution would be to redirect to the new homepage is someone hits a url that has been replaced. There is a minimal cost associated with that.
 
Actually, a search of content and articles within the site itself leads to a dead end.

Here is a search within the site for "wild trout":


http://www.fishandboat.com/Pages/search.aspx?searchBox=wild%20trout

Each article leads to a 404 message
 
afishinado wrote:
Actually, a search of content and articles within the site itself leads to a dead end.

Here is a search within the site for "wild trout":


http://www.fishandboat.com/Pages/search.aspx?searchBox=wild%20trout

Each article leads to a 404 message
Click to expand...

Wow. From my prospective as a web/application developer I cant understand how that is acceptable.
 
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