Critique?

[Carol-H]

Well, here's a third opinion.[nbsp][nbsp]The new one doesn't work for me.[nbsp][nbsp]I'm at 800x600: I don't know what you see at higher settings, but what I see is a column of dinky advertisements in the middle of a white field (except for the left border) and I only see real content if I scroll way down.[nbsp][nbsp]If I were a newcomer to the site, I'd leave right away...a little too "clean"?[nbsp][nbsp];)

The new one does load a lot quicker, but I'm not sure what was holding up the original page.[nbsp][nbsp]I was only getting headings, then waiting, but when I "stopped" the transfer suddenly everything else showed up.

- Carol Hanson
[nbsp][nbsp]www.dragonbear.com (http://www.dragonbear.com)

[Justin]

One thing I noticed is that you don't have a bgcolor specified on the second one... I don't have my window background set to white like most people do, so I'm seeing my odd color for the background ;)

Otherwise I don't really have an opinion as to which is better... not sure I like the pink text though... or the font it's in... but other than that, both are ok :)

HTH

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support

[Ron]

You've apparently made some changes based on feedback, 'cause I'm not seeing what the others saw. :)

I like the colors, at least for your subject matter. It does load a bit slow, especially for a front page, but you know better than I whether that's a problem for your type of visitors. The only major thing that I really dislike is the background graphic; it's only 800 pixels wide, so it tiles on my screen and is distracting (and looks like a mistake).

Considering the amount of information you have on one page, it looks pretty clean.

Hope that helps...

[MTDesigns]

"what I see is a column of dinky advertisements in the middle of a white field (except for the left border) and I only see real content if I scroll way down"

Hmmm...the left column only has 2 advertisements...the animated beeper co & the live phonecard ad.[nbsp][nbsp]The other buttons lead to other areas on my site.[nbsp][nbsp]

Real content...the real content is inside the site.[nbsp][nbsp]I do want visitors going further than the first page ;) .[nbsp][nbsp]

Thanx for the advice on the background color...will add that info.[nbsp][nbsp]I could use suggestions on what size to make the background image of the ripped paper, in order for it not show up tiled.

Thanx for your opinions, harsh as some may be ;) .

Joi~

[Justin]

I see you've specified a white bgcolor - however, I guess I didn't wait long enought the first time around, as I didn't even notice that there was a background image :)

You definately should expand the background image though - at 1280 x 1024, where the first one ends and the next one begins is right in the content... the top banner overlaps the image a little. I could check at 1600 x 1200 and see what it does there... ;)

At any rate, you should flush your table to the left, and add a fixed 120 pixels or so on the left side as well, because checking at lower resolutions (ok, resizing the browser) the images overlap the first bg image (the one you're supposed to see)...

Hope this helps.

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support

[Carol-H]

"Hmmm...the left column only has 2 advertisements...the animated beeper co & the live phonecard ad.[nbsp][nbsp]The other buttons lead to other areas on my site."

Okay, tried it again, also at 800x600.[nbsp][nbsp]Hmmm, this time I do get a light yellow left column.[nbsp][nbsp]Whaddayouknow, those boxes that looked like ads underneath the beeper ad really are content![nbsp][nbsp]But they were underneath text that talked about advertisement and they have differing fonts and colors, and just *look* like ad-boxes...and I don't stop to read ad-boxes![nbsp][nbsp]I would have put them next to the free newsletter offer and separated them from the outside links somehow.

It loaded slower than the first time I tried, but still quicker than the original page.[nbsp][nbsp]

Didn't see any background image at all. Reload.[nbsp][nbsp]Still no image.

You use a *lot* of colors for text and that makes the page look busier, but they aren't harsh and do coordinate well with your left border graphic. I find the blue text with purple links quieter but a little less easy to read than the pink text.[nbsp][nbsp]Maybe a slightly darker blue?

(will stop nit-picking now...and resume redesign of my own site! :) )

- Carol Hanson
[nbsp][nbsp]www.dragonbear.com (http://www.dragonbear.com)

[MTDesigns]

Hey![nbsp][nbsp]I've finally began redesigning my site...it's been about a year since the last redesign, and I've been wanting to change it for a while...and I'm getting sick of that purple background I loved so much![nbsp][nbsp]I started designing the first page, and would like any opinions on what I have so far...compared to the current design located here: http://www.myparentime.com

The new design is located here:
http://www.myparentime.com/indextest.html

Thanx much!

Joi~

[Stephen]

To be honest, I like the old version better. In the new one the page content doesn't clear the ragged border on the left (overlaps it in Navigator 4.08). Maybe just remove that ragged border?

[tedloh]

First page took *forever* to load!

Second page was AWESOME![nbsp][nbsp]Great job, Joi!

Was much faster, and more pleasant design.[nbsp][nbsp]Only thing I can see that appears off is the third column, which starts down at where "GREAT INFORMATIVE SITE" is on the second column.[nbsp][nbsp]If it makes any difference, I'm at 1024x768.

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Ted (Chief Do-It-All)
Tygre Systems Co Ltd
Bangkok, Thailand, Land of Smiles :) :)
http://www.tygresystems.com (work in progress)
ted@tygresystems.com

[MTDesigns]

Wow, that was fast![nbsp][nbsp]Now can I get a third opinion to break the tie? ;)

I don't mind that the first column covers the background...actually I think it slightly breaks up the background.[nbsp][nbsp]I did plan on the third column (where the email starts) lining up with the Great Informative Site...wanted a change from the 3 columns ;) .

Thanx u guys![nbsp][nbsp]Have a question though...on my current page, some visitors are not seeing the correct hex colors.[nbsp][nbsp]I just want to make sure I'm getting the colors right this time before I change the whole site :).

The left column background is light yellow; main text is pink (except for Great Informative Site, which is light blue); links are dark purple & visited links are light purple.

On the current site I have way too much information on the main page.[nbsp][nbsp]On this revision, I'd like to lighten up the look of the main page...make it cleaner, ya know?

Thanx again!! :)

Joi~

[Armand]

Just some quick opinions.[nbsp][nbsp]First off much faster than first (current) page, which scores mucho points for that.

I'm getting overlap of the yellow column and left border background graphic, which I think makes it look...ummm... how do I put this... tacky a bit.[nbsp][nbsp]I generally am of the opinion that using left borders should be done only if used as a menu column or are at least free and clear of any overlap or use.

Like the top graphics much better than original page, looks more professional.[nbsp][nbsp]But, as I'm seeing it now, you have like pink and light blue text on white.[nbsp][nbsp]Very distracting to the eye.[nbsp][nbsp]Perhaps a basic black if staying with the white.[nbsp][nbsp]The placement on the right "visit our stores" drop down near the bottom looks oddly place (to close to middle text) on my browser & settings. (Netscape, 800x600).

And back to alignment soap box... stick to a pattern of left alignment.[nbsp][nbsp]Some things being centered, like Cancer Kids (like the pipe cleaner effect on that graphic though), intro text, bottom banner graphic and following through the alignment totally off. It's not so bad or obvious on the yellow first column, which is why I didn't mention that.

Double use of a ZZN graphic seemed a bit unnecessary also.

Anyway overall much better and quicker, but still a bit of work perhaps to go.[nbsp][nbsp]Sorry to nitpick... always feel bad doing site critiques since I know how much work goes into the re-design process.[nbsp]

[tedloh]

My turn again.[nbsp][nbsp]I still find the start of that third column out of place - and for some reason it doesn't look centered anymore as it did the first time.

I didn't comment on color of fonts because I had no trouble reading them - but in my case I went back to default because they are so much easier - and take less work - and people are used to that.

One other thing I did notice the second time around, and I think it should be an easy fix - the background.[nbsp][nbsp]I thought you had planned it that way - it looks perfect at 1024x768. but now I see it is a graphic which has tiled...[nbsp][nbsp]and in my humble opinion you don't need to change it at all unless you are concerned about people viewing at over 1024x768.[nbsp][nbsp]Less than that they will only see the left side - at 1024x768 it looks like it was PLANNED that way.

Forgot to add - I'm using IE 5 - your mileage (and others) may vary.

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Ted (Chief Do-It-All)
Tygre Systems Co Ltd
Bangkok, Thailand, Land of Smiles :) :)
http://www.tygresystems.com (work in progress)
ted@tygresystems.com

[MTDesigns]

Ok...made some changes according to some of the comments I received.[nbsp][nbsp]Hopefully the background left border is only on the left side, and not underneath the left yellow column.[nbsp][nbsp]Originally, I didn't mind the yellow column being over the background border, but now that I see it moved over I think it does look better.[nbsp][nbsp]Thanx! ;)

I moved a few things around a bit, and took out one of the Zap Zone Network buttons although they require sites using their services to use both buttons...one links to their main page and one links users to a sign-up page.

About the "Visit our Stores" drop-down box, I can't figure out why it always leaves so much space on top of it.[nbsp][nbsp]I don't add that space in the code, so I have no clue as to why it does that :(.[nbsp][nbsp]

As for the "Services" (3rd column down), I wanted to get away from the 3 columns on top that I currently have. Since you've mentioned this, I'm not sure if I'm totally satisfied with the way this looks...so I guess I'll have to figure something out ;) .

I would probably have a much easier time if I used an editing program, but I write all the code by hand. I once tried to use Frontpage, but embarrassingly enough I lost patience b/c couldn't figure it out!

Thanx for all the comments!

Joi~

[Armand]

oops...sorry didn't know about the ZZN thing.[nbsp][nbsp]You have to do what you have to do I suppose.[nbsp][nbsp]Apologize for mentioning, my own ignorance.

The column placement looks much better now though.