Script Summary: Reformat the layout of the NYTimes home page above and below the fold. Expand into spaces cleared of ads.
This script reformats the NYTimes home page so that most of the material that interests me is visible in a single glance. It supersedes userscript NYTimes Layout 2+3, which is no longer supported.
This script performs the following functions:
➢ Above the fold, it narrows the right column and widens the left and center columns. This has the effect of vertically shortening the area above the fold by about 20%.
➢ Below the fold, it reformats the 3 columns of story links.
-- Knocks out remaining ad text and gray background shading at the left margin (after AdBlock Plus does its work).
-- Removes the Classifieds widget on the right.
-- Widens the 3 columns of headlines below the fold and allows more text to wrap around images.
-- Enlarges section title fonts.
-- Rearranges sections so that those that interest me appear higher on the page. This was the main function of the script until 10/24/2011.
In addition to this script, I also run NoScript ( https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722 ), AdblockPlus ( https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/... ) and a couple of older scripts on the NYTimes front page: New York Times Convert Popups ( http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/1243 ) and New York Times Single Page Format ( http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/10455 -- which installs as NYTimes.com Link Rewriter.) Using NoScript and Adblock Plus -- not this script -- I defeat some of the javascripts associated with advertising and tracking, which unfortunately kills the front page video. (See the Discussions tab above for ad blocking details.) I find that the VIDEO tab at the top of the page is handy enough.
The NYTimes Front Page Layout script may not work unless you are also using AdBlock Plus. I strongly recommend that you use NoScript, as well, to enhance your browsing security.
NYTimes' home page layout continues to evolve, which sometimes requires adaptations in this userscript. The script includes a function that checks back at this site for updates each time it is invoked. (Run it manually the first time by clicking Greasemonkey, User Script Commands, ??? - Manual Update Check. It will run automatically on each visit to NYTimes after that.) This software had a small but persistent malfunction for some users: it notified them of new updates almost daily, though none existed. Hopefully, this problem has now been addressed.
10/24/2011 - NYT made major changes to its home page, all apparently in the interest of decoration rather than information. The overall effect was to make headlines harder to read. The page layout is now much less compact. I have tried to tighten it up a little so that headlines can be scanned in a single glance. The current version attempts to simplify the page by eliminating some boldface type, strengthening the gray borders, and improving the ability of text to wrap around images. This seems to shorten the area below the fold by about 20%.
2/27/2012 - Lots of small changes in NYT HTML over the last few days. Here's hoping it settles down.
