When I go to a website with a new look I think ‘cool’ (unless of course it isn’t), yet it seems I’m in a minority. Even when you consider that unhappy people are more likely to complain than happy people are to compliment it still amazes me that people are so openly hostile to new websites and say things that they know will be read by those who have spent months working on it which are very uncomplimentary.

Examples:

• BBC have had a link to the new look for ages from the homepage, but the day they go live the comments are highly negative and oddly most imply it is there homepage (so why didn’t they take a look before?).
• The University of Southampton recently went live with a new look, and created a blog for comment to show they are open. Again nothing but negative.
• Finally, The guardian too allowed feedback on the new look. and even followed up on it (which generated more negative comments).

I don’t know any other medium where people are so ready to knock down the work of others.