This discussion is interesting, because I just recently listened to an interview with Tegan And Sara on NPR regarding their new album that almost perfectly emulates this (minimalism vs polish). They wanted to make their music more approachable to a wider audience, and their hardcore fans revolted because they just wanted to hear more of the same stuff. In the end, they were right, and the new album was successful.

Musicians (and artists in general) have to evolve, and there is a risk of alienating people with that evolution. I certainly don't want to make people not like NeoCities because the design changes.

However, having a good design makes the site more approachable and accessible for more people, which is the goal of NeoCities: to get people to start making web sites again, even if they aren't a member of the skilled web design crowd. HN has an appreciation for minimalism (that I almost always share), but I want to involve and inspire all users, and not just make it for our demographic, if that makes any sense.

If you had any suggestions specific to the design to improve it, I would love to hear your thoughts, but I do think it's a good design. It has site screenshots on the front page, a great top backdrop, good colors, and an awesome site mascot.

While the current page is lacking design rigor, it has a wonderfully approachable, no-frills, light-weight, utilitarian aspect to it. I don't think the new design represents the NeoCities mission.

Lead by example! By having a minimal home page identity, you're saying "Hey people! It's ok to have a simple web site without knowing how to do all of these visual enhancements. Dive in and get publishing!"

Go with that new design, it is a vast improvement. I think you will attract a more appreciative crowd, who will be seeking something that doesn't look like a short term experiment.

First and foremost, like many others have said, I am rooting for you. I am glad that your site has been a success so far and hope you are able to take it in a new direction. As far as the new design is concerned, its completely within your right to keep it as is. That being said, here are my thoughts:

Likes: - I like your avatar and banner at the top of the page.

- your choice of colors and fonts is nice and feels cohesive.

- the lug for the "Learn to Code" section is a nice touch.

- Prominent placement of the "Get started now" box is very eye-catching.

Dislikes / suggestions: - The overall layout feels cramped. It seems like you are trying to fit a lot of content on a single page. This is why the new design feels so different from your original site.

- Fewer number of featured sites (with the option to scroll through more) might be more visually pleasing.

- I notice that most "generally accessible" sites (read: tumblr, twitter, etc.) have the ability for current users to type their credentials and sign in without leaving the page. It seems like this would require and extra click on your layout.

Best of luck to you. I cannot wait to see neocities mature.

I'm glad this turned into a fruitful discussion and I think you offered a great analog with Tegan and Sara's album.

Perhaps maybe we could boil most our comments down to just a simple suggestion that maybe the new design could be nudged just a bit more in the direction of "minimalistic / retro / edgy / avant-garde / anarchist". The right design could have both the accessibility you (rightly) are seeking, but still preserve a little bit of the minimalistic feel that (we felt) sets the Neocities image apart. Of course, finding the right balance is going to be challenging, but that's what makes a good designer good.

Two more quick points:

- We (the peanut gallery) could all be totally wrong. We're all rooting for you though. :)

- For every success like Tegan and Sara, everyone knows a band who tried to switch it up and just started sucking. There's nothing wrong with staying in a niche. On the other hand, we know you're ambitious and have a great vision. I think we all like that about Neocities too!

Do what you feel is best. If it was up to half the commenters with negative feedback, Neocities would've never even existed. You have the vision, you have the product, do what feels right.