First impression

[50Cent_]

When you look at a forum, does your first impression change whether you join or not?







For me it definitely does. I want a forum I frequent to look good, and if it doesn't then it means suitable effort hasn't been put in.

[sazhazey]

Yes first impressions are everything, if you don't like how it looks or how it is laid out then you probably won't join or put many posts.

[Jim Gillum]

Could care less.......I check for decent information and not lots of BS posts....

[lifeplayer]

i dont actually care about the layout, i will always spend about 10 minutes to browse the contents. If the content is great, i will stay, else leave from the forum.







Of course, i dont mean layout is not important, just personal preference

[David_]

Depends on the genre. If its a fairly default genre, then I'd say it needs something unique. If the genre helps me in some way, then I couldn't care less about the design.

[Donkey]

I guess it does. I check mainly for the following:

• Some kind of proper domain name.
  
  
  
• Good forum software
  
  
  
• Professional staff
  
  
  
• Effort on the staff's part
  
  
  
• A theme that I can stand
  
  
  

[Volpe]

It highly affects if I join. I look for a nice theme, not a default theme. The forum's neatness also counts towards my impressions.

[Sbfc_]

The look of the forum doesn't matter too much to me providing the content is excellent, but if by the index page you can tell the forum is a catastrophe then I won't join.