New creamware audio site

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:19 am

Shayne, there's a couple of interviews (one with John Cooper!) and user profiles (you guys;) online already!

The site looks great, it navigates so much easier than the previous one...

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:22 am

Yeah, I only just saw that by looking at the other thread -- I didn't realize there were links on the left! Does anyone think my profile is too long??

Stige · Post by **Stige** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:35 am

On 2004-03-31 05:56, bosone wrote:
if you look into specifications, you see

NEWS in Version 4.0 (for project version)

· now includes a large plug-in pack (Synth'n'Sampler OR Mix'n'Master Pack)
· now includes the STS-4000 sampler
· now includes the Modular II synthesizer

now, CWA has to define how will be treated the existing user will be users!

German version of the site says it's Modular III. English version says Modular II. Which one is typo?

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:45 am

ModIII is the typo.

devo · Post by **devo** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 11:49 am

I just want to say that it is really nice to see things happening again. And since we know there is more to come, it is going to be even better.

Coolness.

powerpulsarian · Post by **powerpulsarian** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:36 pm

On 2004-03-31 11:15, Shayne White wrote:
If you'd actually read the text you'd see that that they make it very clear that the "Synths'n'Sampler pack" contains only a few specific devices. After it lists those devices, it says the following devices are available optionally (ProTone, Solaris, etc.).

Yes - I missed that. It is really a problem with design and how information is read online. Creamware needs some advice from web experts on how to write and organize "web text".

If there was a heading before that information or even a line or some spacing than it would be called out more appropriately and would be less likely to be missed by the person viewing the screen.

The reality is that people scan information online (which means there is a need for very intelligent headings). Plus, the text needs to be broken up into bite size chunks that don't require such huge amounts of scrolling. These are basics of web writing and structure. The bottom line is to make things so obvious that you don't have to think about it. That is the key to a good web site.

It is very rare for people to read online information word for word and it shouldn't be expected. There have been many studies done that show this is true. You can read any book on the basics for web writing and you'll see the new Creamware web site is doing many things wrong. Right now, the web site is written more like a print document instead of for online viewing.

I do think the web site is better than the old one in many ways, but it still needs a lot of work. In addition to the writing overall (as mentioned above), there are formatting issues all over the place, cases where it switches languages (linking to the wrong version of the page), incosistencies throughout (in content, as far as what is or is not included, language useage and formating), etc.

Whoever is doing this work for Creamware should be ashamed for letting so many things slip through the cracks.

By the way, for the person working on the web site, a good book to reference is "Don't Make Me Think - A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability" by Steve Krug.

[ This Message was edited by: powerpulsarian on 2004-03-31 12:40 ]

paulrmartin · Post by **paulrmartin** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:51 pm

On 2004-03-31 11:45, Shayne White wrote:
ModIII is the typo.

SHIT! Now I missed out on virtualstudio's offer of the MODIII upgrade....

fortune · Post by **fortune** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:04 pm

@powerpulsarian:

Whoever is doing this work for Creamware should be ashamed for letting so many things slip through the cracks.

Well, it is quite easy & simple to critisze something, but do You know what effort is already behind that project and how complex the whole thing is? The new site has been programmed from scratch within a very short time. So nobody can expect a perfect thing just by now. That should be taken into consideration before complaining.

cheers
Fortune

virtualstudio · Post by **virtualstudio** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:13 pm

?? what does typo mean??

and yeah powerpulsarian give them some time!

keep up the good work fortune!!

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:14 pm

I know you guys put in a big effort, and it's amazing you got everything ready in such a short time! I'm sure over the next few weeks the site will continue to mature and become more polished. Just to let you know, here are a few things to fix:

1. Some links on the English pages switch to German, and the STS-4000 isn't even in English at all.

2. Most (if not all) of the pictures everywhere should be able to be enlarged.

3. There needs to be a bit more detail about which packages come with which plugins, especially on the matrix list.

You're probably aware of all these things already...they're just a reminder!

Good luck!

Shayne

Joxer the Mighty · Post by **Joxer the Mighty** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:16 pm

I think the new site looks great. I had no trouble navigating it. I agree, give them some time, the site is obviously not finished yet.

rodos1979 · Post by **rodos1979** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:27 pm

Hello!

I think it is one thing to criticize for the sake of criticizing, and other thing to criticize "constructively".
We all HAVE to "criticize constructively" for Creamware. If we help them as much as we can, we are helping indirectly ourselves.
What the guys at Creamware have done in such a small period is absolutely great! Lets help them for their and for our good!

God! I am SO excited with this "reloading"!

Post by **garyb** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 3:24 pm

i think it all looks great(in such a short time) except for one quotation..........

nice colors.

Stige · Post by **Stige** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 3:57 pm

I found another quote, where Mod III is mentioned to be part of SFP4:

"The mighty Modular III is part of SCOPE project and SCOPE professional, too."

http://www.cwaudio.de/page.php?seite=sy ... n&submenu=

So.. they have made lots of typos then

[ This Message was edited by: Stige on 2004-03-31 15:59 ]

powerpulsarian · Post by **powerpulsarian** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 4:11 pm

On 2004-03-31 14:04, fortune wrote:
@powerpulsarian:
Whoever is doing this work for Creamware should be ashamed for letting so many things slip through the cracks.
Well, it is quite easy & simple to critisze something, but do You know what effort is already behind that project and how complex the whole thing is? The new site has been programmed from scratch within a very short time. So nobody can expect a perfect thing just by now. That should be taken into consideration before complaining.

cheers
Fortune

I really was trying to be constructive with my suggestions on writing and organizing for the web. And I really believe the specific things I mentioned should be addressed. If I was just criticizing and nothing else, I would have just said the web site sucks instead of providing some thoughts on how it could be better.

Ok - I was a bit harsh with my statement about letting things slip through the cracks. I do admit they have accomplished a huge amount in such a short period of time and I am sure it is still a work in progress.

[ This Message was edited by: powerpulsarian on 2004-03-31 16:15 ]

decimator · Post by **decimator** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:27 pm

Yes, please, be lenient after years of immobilism and remember what it was before ! I think it's an early alfa or beta quite good site ... very busy / under presssure times for them.
I guess, there's a thick list of " to do " things ...
Since I know nothing about this list, I'll suggest soon " blindly " upon what I see on the site.
Just now, I appreciate the changes / work done and I say thank you and go on !

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:55 pm

On 2004-03-31 16:11, powerpulsarian wrote:
...I really was trying to be constructive with my suggestions on writing and organizing for the web. And I really believe the specific things I mentioned should be addressed. ...

it didn't read that way (for me)

but no problem, message received.
I agree that those points should be considered, if it's also taken into account that NOT ALL readers are equal.

Obviously different target groups have different preferences (or habits).
One cannot compare a ring-tone buyer or yellow press reader with someone running a pro studio or someone ambitious to get his (or her) art to the public.

I've had only a quick peek on the new site, but what I saw did please me (and worked well).
One small exception may be the 'light green on white' low contrast for some links, but that's nothing serious.
I somehow liked the color choice, though the look at the packages associated with medicine boxes immediately - 'home or clinical size ?'

cheers, Tom

ps: congrats to the designers to make it before deadline

King of Snake · Post by **King of Snake** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:05 pm

I think the new website is definitely better than the old one but yes there is still work to be done. Typo's and mixing of languages should be cleaned up as soon as possible. I would also like to see more links to 3rd party developers (like Wavelength) and more new devices mentioned in the "new plugins" bit. (like the Timeworks Plate Reverb, or the ECHO2). In short: really make it clear there are lots of 3rd party developers and many new plugins.

wavelength · Post by **wavelength** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:28 pm

On 2004-03-31 18:05, King of Snake wrote:
I think the new website is definitely better than the old one but yes there is still work to be done. Typo's and mixing of languages should be cleaned up as soon as possible. I would also like to see more links to 3rd party developers (like Wavelength) and more new devices mentioned in the "new plugins" bit. (like the Timeworks Plate Reverb, or the ECHO2). In short: really make it clear there are lots of 3rd party developers and many new plugins.

yeah...

huffcw · Post by **huffcw** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:41 pm

Lots of work to do - but they have made great strides so far. Just the new organization alone is a huge step forward and wit is really what is most important to start with.

IMO, The next step is cleaning it up a bit as far as the way individual pages are constructed and how the text is layered/structured on those pages for easy navigation.

I agree that referencing third party developers is a good idea (shows how much support and variety for the platform is out there)