Web Design Forums

ninjag · 13-10-2006, 04:50

Hi all

This is my first posting and would be grateful if you could post some positive or negative feedback on this site:

http://www.arcticfire.co.uk

One thing I'm planning on changing is the Flash Logo so that it's only animated on the home page and static on the rest (prefer to avoid frames).

Cheers
G

jase1000 · 13-10-2006, 05:00

Code:

    <td></td>
    <td></td>
    <td></td>
    <td></td>
    <td></td>
    <td></td>
    <td></td>

WTF!? Yet another web cowboy joins the ranks.

ninjag · 13-10-2006, 05:27

The code is messy, was to do with the pagination of the site I think. Helpful feedback from you by the way.

I'm an accountant by trade and new to website design, hence my reason for joining here. Would prefer someone who isn't so obnoxious to reply please.

zbo09 · 13-10-2006, 05:38

Not that my critique is worth anything

anyhows, here goes!

Get rid of the tables! Make use of h1, h2, p tags etc. and link to your stylesheet dont embed into the template!

this --> href="mailto-colon-office@arcticfire.co.uk" <-- is bad news. why? spam email

use email: office -AT- arcticfire.co.uk (not a link)

do you really need an animated logo?? Think about it? does it serve any purpose being animated? Also the Normal weight mixed with Bold is dated :S

Work on the logo! And get rid of the "italic" slogan.

The layout, in my opinion, has potential! Definitely, but thats my taste, I like things clean and simple.

also, before I go, http://www.arcticfire.co.uk/Pages/support.html

Take into consideration when you link to a site which doesnt link back to you you basically loose PR (Page Rank) and give the site you link to all the glory. My solution is to create javascript links which SE Bots cant read.

Anyway, a bit of work and you'll have a cool site.

oh yeah, theres a book called "dos logos", buy it!

lukasarts · 13-10-2006, 05:43

Quote:

if you could post some positive or negative feedback

And thats what you got. You can't put a half baked site up that's been stuck together in DW's design view and expect people to sing your praises- we see sites like this all the time and they get shot down, and rightly so. If you want my advice, stop using tables for layout, learn some CSS, and get a thicker skin.

Alexanda · 13-10-2006, 05:44

you need to learn about grids as the site seems a little 'floaty' also add a folio section.

ninjag · 13-10-2006, 06:49

Thanks zbo09 and cantona.

Lukasarts, jase1000 didn't give feedback but simply posted an insult, which I think as a first reply to a new member is a pretty poor show.

Zbo09 and cantona posted good feedback, giving me something to work on now and I don't take any of it to offense whatsoever.

I appreciate your advice also regarding the CCS and will look into it. However, your apparent dutiful obedience in defending Jase1000 with similar arrogance is quite comical.

lukasarts · 13-10-2006, 07:10

I don't have any duty to jase1000 to defend his posts on other peoples work... or anyone else that frequents this forum for that matter. I just get tired of people posting work and then moaning because someone doesn't tell them what they want to hear. If you read that as arrogant, then I guess I'm guilty as charged.

As for jase1000's post, if you look at it he has given you feedback- a bunch of pointless empty table cells tells me that you are using out-dated techniques, and in order to be taken seriously you should brush up on the basics, ie xthml/css/table-less layouts etc.

jase1000 · 13-10-2006, 07:14

Pfft. If you had posted a personal site then I wouldn't have been so harsh, but you are quite clearly trying to sell web design so my 'cowboy' tag is wholey appropriate.

BTW, has anyone got a calculator because today I'm going to be an accountant.

ninjag · 13-10-2006, 07:32

I do appreciate what you are saying lukasarts and agree that I need to learn more about the coding. What advantages does avoiding tables have? I mean, is it just backend or will it improve the frontend as at the moment it loads fast and displays as I intended it to - will not using tables do something different or improve SEO?

Jason (hope you don't mind me using your name instead), you're still an arrogant chump! lol But I do like your website style! Out of interest, do you ever do work for clients in and around Soho?

jase1000 · 13-10-2006, 07:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjag

Jason (hope you don't mind me using your name instead), you're still an arrogant chump! lol But I do like your website style!

Haha. In that case, all is forgiven.

The advantage of using DIVS is for cleaner code, better SEO and the fact that tables were never intended as a means to creating the page layout.

Someone like PGO can no doubt give you a more in-depth reason to avoid tables, but the bottom line is that it's just not considered good practice.

'Clients in and around Soho'?

I wish!

heliumseven · 13-10-2006, 08:29

the alignment makes the page seem a bit disjointed. the typeface and the logo are fine, but the rest of it feels sort of random/cluttered because there isnt a natural flow to it.

ninjag · 13-10-2006, 08:31

Hmm, I think I'll definitely have to look into this dropping of tables! It's making me think now that these SEO Optiisation companies will take a website and redesign it without tables so it looks the same but is more SEO friendly. Cute.

My old company and website was www.londonstudioworks.co.uk (now that I look at it the website is terrible but I don't mind anyone ripping into it). The company is going to be redirected to a different type of business but we aren't sure yet.

I mentioned Soho because although I'm now based in Glasgow I just moved up from there after spending over six years in the smog doing management accounts. Worked on Carnaby Street looking after people such as Cut and Run, Sramble, Patricia Murphy, Mad Cow, John Spary, Fifty Fifty Post, The Firm Editors etc. I quickly learned that despite someone's talent it was all about who you knew, which was a bit of a shame as I often met people who were amazingly talented but just didn't have the contacts. Glasgow doesn't seem to have the same buzz or market but then I guess I can just see that as an opportunity of an unsaturated market - hopefully!

Anyway, there were quite a few occasions where some high profile companies required websites and other creative work but I had neither the talent or the time to take them on. The top online guys based there were charging over £600 an hour and there was a shortage of reasonably priced freelancers who could produce a similar level of work.

I'm still in partnership with a a guy who owns a business consultancy company based on Carnaby Street, as well as their Accounts company (who I worked for), who deal with clients in Soho. He's been running them for over 15 years and knows a lot of people down there. It's handy to know that if we are approached for a job that we can't do that we know someone who may be able to do it. Would probably involve flying down and dealing with crazy creatives but they are a good laugh!

ninjag · 13-10-2006, 08:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by heliumseven

the alignment makes the page seem a bit disjointed. the typeface and the logo are fine, but the rest of it feels sort of random/cluttered because there isnt a natural flow to it.

Been looking at it and I think I can see what you mean. It's strange how you sometimes don't see these things when putting it together!

Think I'm gonna have my work cut out for me here! lol

PS · 13-10-2006, 09:00

needs more colors I think, and I would defo use css with divs to handle the content rather than tables, add a few more light borders maybe to seperate the content, and perhaps a different font rather than the standard verdana type.

Also noticed you are using the old embed method for flash, its advised that you use the swfobject method http://blog.deconcept.com/swfobject as the old method causes embed issues in IE.

pgo · 13-10-2006, 11:23

What they ^^^ said.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zbo09

office -AT- arcticfire.co.uk (not a link)

Might not be a link, but that'd be incredibly easy for a bot to pick up.

Just use a form with header injection protection.

jase1000 · 13-10-2006, 11:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by PS

Also noticed you are using the old embed method for flash, its advised that you use the swfobject method http://blog.deconcept.com/swfobject as the old method causes embed issues in IE.

It also allows you to give alternative, static content for bowsers that don't have Flash. Great bit of script.

kbarrett · 13-10-2006, 12:10

I can see where you are trying to go with this design - Keep it clean and keep it simple and make it readable. The two things that I notice right away as needing some tweaking would be the logo and the navigation.

Keep your branding in mind and don't skimp on your logo design or giving some real thought to your name. The thin typeface you've chosen looks a bit off balance with the large bold text of the menu links. Consider simplifying it overall. Perhaps add a graphic element to as well. You have a lot text on the page. Brainstorm some ways to direct the user's eye. It would probably be a better idea not to have your logo animate. I would also consider combining the tagline with your logo.

The side links are large (which is nice), but you may want to experiment with some different typfaces. You should consider taking your home and contact links and combining them into this menu. They seem awkward visually because of their placement and their size. You can then move your logo back over to the left.

So, just a couple of little things. Hope that helps.

HYPNOWEB · 13-10-2006, 17:42

Just leave off the Flash. and if you're looking for criticism, choose a diff font for the menu on the left. just a personal preference, Verdan just don't look good large. It was designed specifically for small web use, try using Trebuchet. Again, just my opinion. Cheers.

ninjag · 14-10-2006, 04:41

Many thanks for all the feedback. When I can find the time I'll have a good look over it and also try to learn a bit more about the coding.

Cheers
Graham

13-10-2006, 04:50	#1 (permalink)
ninjag Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 11	Site for Review Hi all This is my first posting and would be grateful if you could post some positive or negative feedback on this site: http://www.arcticfire.co.uk One thing I'm planning on changing is the Flash Logo so that it's only animated on the home page and static on the rest (prefer to avoid frames). Cheers G

13-10-2006, 05:00	#2 (permalink)
jase1000 turd 2.0 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Right on your tit end Posts: 1,166	Code: <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> WTF!? Yet another web cowboy joins the ranks. __________________ Stand Free

13-10-2006, 05:44	#6 (permalink)
Alexanda European Champions 2008 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 2,305	you need to learn about grids as the site seems a little 'floaty' also add a folio section. __________________ whats facebook?

13-10-2006, 07:14	#9 (permalink)
jase1000 turd 2.0 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Right on your tit end Posts: 1,166	Pfft. If you had posted a personal site then I wouldn't have been so harsh, but you are quite clearly trying to sell web design so my 'cowboy' tag is wholey appropriate. BTW, has anyone got a calculator because today I'm going to be an accountant. __________________ Stand Free

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13-10-2006, 05:27	#3 (permalink)
ninjag Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 11	The code is messy, was to do with the pagination of the site I think. Helpful feedback from you by the way. I'm an accountant by trade and new to website design, hence my reason for joining here. Would prefer someone who isn't so obnoxious to reply please.

13-10-2006, 05:38	#4 (permalink)
zbo09 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 12	Not that my critique is worth anything anyhows, here goes! Get rid of the tables! Make use of h1, h2, p tags etc. and link to your stylesheet dont embed into the template! this --> href="mailto-colon-office@arcticfire.co.uk" <-- is bad news. why? spam email use email: office -AT- arcticfire.co.uk (not a link) do you really need an animated logo?? Think about it? does it serve any purpose being animated? Also the Normal weight mixed with Bold is dated :S Work on the logo! And get rid of the "italic" slogan. The layout, in my opinion, has potential! Definitely, but thats my taste, I like things clean and simple. also, before I go, http://www.arcticfire.co.uk/Pages/support.html Take into consideration when you link to a site which doesnt link back to you you basically loose PR (Page Rank) and give the site you link to all the glory. My solution is to create javascript links which SE Bots cant read. Anyway, a bit of work and you'll have a cool site. oh yeah, theres a book called "dos logos", buy it!

13-10-2006, 06:49	#7 (permalink)
ninjag Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 11	Thanks zbo09 and cantona. Lukasarts, jase1000 didn't give feedback but simply posted an insult, which I think as a first reply to a new member is a pretty poor show. Zbo09 and cantona posted good feedback, giving me something to work on now and I don't take any of it to offense whatsoever. I appreciate your advice also regarding the CCS and will look into it. However, your apparent dutiful obedience in defending Jase1000 with similar arrogance is quite comical.

13-10-2006, 07:10	#8 (permalink)
lukasarts Shiv. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Elsewhere Posts: 1,110	I don't have any duty to jase1000 to defend his posts on other peoples work... or anyone else that frequents this forum for that matter. I just get tired of people posting work and then moaning because someone doesn't tell them what they want to hear. If you read that as arrogant, then I guess I'm guilty as charged. As for jase1000's post, if you look at it he has given you feedback- a bunch of pointless empty table cells tells me that you are using out-dated techniques, and in order to be taken seriously you should brush up on the basics, ie xthml/css/table-less layouts etc.

13-10-2006, 07:32	#10 (permalink)
ninjag Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 11	I do appreciate what you are saying lukasarts and agree that I need to learn more about the coding. What advantages does avoiding tables have? I mean, is it just backend or will it improve the frontend as at the moment it loads fast and displays as I intended it to - will not using tables do something different or improve SEO? Jason (hope you don't mind me using your name instead), you're still an arrogant chump! lol But I do like your website style! Out of interest, do you ever do work for clients in and around Soho?

13-10-2006, 08:29	#12 (permalink)
heliumseven Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 22	the alignment makes the page seem a bit disjointed. the typeface and the logo are fine, but the rest of it feels sort of random/cluttered because there isnt a natural flow to it.

13-10-2006, 08:31	#13 (permalink)
ninjag Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 11	Hmm, I think I'll definitely have to look into this dropping of tables! It's making me think now that these SEO Optiisation companies will take a website and redesign it without tables so it looks the same but is more SEO friendly. Cute. My old company and website was www.londonstudioworks.co.uk (now that I look at it the website is terrible but I don't mind anyone ripping into it). The company is going to be redirected to a different type of business but we aren't sure yet. I mentioned Soho because although I'm now based in Glasgow I just moved up from there after spending over six years in the smog doing management accounts. Worked on Carnaby Street looking after people such as Cut and Run, Sramble, Patricia Murphy, Mad Cow, John Spary, Fifty Fifty Post, The Firm Editors etc. I quickly learned that despite someone's talent it was all about who you knew, which was a bit of a shame as I often met people who were amazingly talented but just didn't have the contacts. Glasgow doesn't seem to have the same buzz or market but then I guess I can just see that as an opportunity of an unsaturated market - hopefully! Anyway, there were quite a few occasions where some high profile companies required websites and other creative work but I had neither the talent or the time to take them on. The top online guys based there were charging over £600 an hour and there was a shortage of reasonably priced freelancers who could produce a similar level of work. I'm still in partnership with a a guy who owns a business consultancy company based on Carnaby Street, as well as their Accounts company (who I worked for), who deal with clients in Soho. He's been running them for over 15 years and knows a lot of people down there. It's handy to know that if we are approached for a job that we can't do that we know someone who may be able to do it. Would probably involve flying down and dealing with crazy creatives but they are a good laugh!

13-10-2006, 09:00	#15 (permalink)
PS Skubala happens Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Midlands Posts: 55	needs more colors I think, and I would defo use css with divs to handle the content rather than tables, add a few more light borders maybe to seperate the content, and perhaps a different font rather than the standard verdana type. Also noticed you are using the old embed method for flash, its advised that you use the swfobject method http://blog.deconcept.com/swfobject as the old method causes embed issues in IE.

13-10-2006, 12:10	#18 (permalink)
kbarrett Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: trapped inside of comp.psd (send help!) Posts: 98	I can see where you are trying to go with this design - Keep it clean and keep it simple and make it readable. The two things that I notice right away as needing some tweaking would be the logo and the navigation. Keep your branding in mind and don't skimp on your logo design or giving some real thought to your name. The thin typeface you've chosen looks a bit off balance with the large bold text of the menu links. Consider simplifying it overall. Perhaps add a graphic element to as well. You have a lot text on the page. Brainstorm some ways to direct the user's eye. It would probably be a better idea not to have your logo animate. I would also consider combining the tagline with your logo. The side links are large (which is nice), but you may want to experiment with some different typfaces. You should consider taking your home and contact links and combining them into this menu. They seem awkward visually because of their placement and their size. You can then move your logo back over to the left. So, just a couple of little things. Hope that helps.

13-10-2006, 17:42	#19 (permalink)
HYPNOWEB Working: Class. Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 45	Just leave off the Flash. and if you're looking for criticism, choose a diff font for the menu on the left. just a personal preference, Verdan just don't look good large. It was designed specifically for small web use, try using Trebuchet. Again, just my opinion. Cheers.

14-10-2006, 04:41	#20 (permalink)
ninjag Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glasgow Posts: 11	Many thanks for all the feedback. When I can find the time I'll have a good look over it and also try to learn a bit more about the coding. Cheers Graham

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