Personally I hate this kind of portal - they try to cram *far* too much information into the one page. (There are over 200 links on the homepage!) I can appreciate that they want to demonstrate the breadth of content available, but there must be a better way.
Plus the page is a usability and accessibility nightmare. You can't change the text size in IE, many links don't lead to the relevant pages, page designed _just too wide_ for 800x600... Yuck.
Take a leaf out of google's book.
TJ
I would be suprised if they passed usability and accessibility tests.
They use 2 different fonts, which is okay - size 10 if I'm correct. It's a 2 section homepage, changed from a 3.
Now, why have they done that. That's an interesting move!
The thing is boys and girls, is they can't change it too much, or they would be losing the MSN 'look', and how can you please everyone?
It has a lot of content on homepage - obviously this has been done deliberately, to keep people there as long as possible.
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I feel MSN is a real portal, trying to be more of a search engine. Dunno, something about them says we are a portal.
Where as Yahoo is directory - everyone knows that, but now is all 3!
I can't keep up anymore. I need a psychologist!
Seriously now, it's got nicer colours, and maybe it's a bit less crowded.
Is crowded not good? Good for advertisers maybe - maybe no good for searchers?
Don't forget portals are supposed to be filled with stuff.
Real SE's aren't - I feel there is a difference for a reason.
There is so much choice now, that does it really matter anymore?
There is a definitely a place in the market for portals and some people do like them. (I don't understand why they like them but they do)
Search Engines are good, but I guess it's just a personal thing. Google's obviously really good, but I hardly use them, and have never bookmarked them as my homepage.
Maybe it's their look...... Maybe. Dunno the site just doesn't appeal to me. Nice logo - fantastic design there, but the attractiveness kind of stops at the logo.
SE's are great for finding stuff - anything, more or less. But portals have more content on homepage - which is the first page to appear in front of users, and that means 'power' - that's why they cram it with loads of stuff, to appeal to the users and advertisers at the same time.
Perhaps in the future, if wide screened monitors become available, then more info can be displayed.
At the moment, we have a maximum of what 21" inch monitors? So web designers have only got a small amount of space to work with.
You then have the the other side of the coin, where you could lengthen the scroll bars so they accept more content by scrolling down a web page - but then it may be considered too long.
Or you could have tons of pages, but then users have to click on more links because of it. And this takes more time.......
Etc Etc.
It's difficult. I think it's about getting used to something.
MSN has just changed their look, so, it's a shock to some but once you get used to it - it won't be a shock.
And they haven't really changed the site that much - they only removed one section!
It's change!
People do like content though. These guys have to find a balance.
I think most of them have achieved this.
