steviewdr

The ~'s are better. But seeing as it is a list, you SHOULD use <ul><li>'s. I also prefer using square bullets for lists. As regards what I was saying about unsectioned etc. Well with every list - you need a heading. You have NO headings on that page. You should use <h1>main heading</h1> and <h2>Downloads</h2> for your list of downloads etc. -steve

[quote]i guess, but due to the dominance of the gooooooooooooooogle ads, it looks more like an advert factory rather than a website with a purpose.[/quote] Exactly my first impressions. I couldnt have put it better. Your areas - left, google ads, main center text need more definement. I think if you choose different text for your google ads, to make the text a little lighter, so they fade into the background more it would be better. Currently I dont want to click on any links as they have the same <a href> colour as the google ads. Your navigation is complely nonexistant and needs some background colour etc. to make it noticable. It is nice how the story opens up when clicking on a story - but then all I see is more google ads!!! LOL is the place gone crazy with google ads????? Like they are appearing here in phpfreaks and all!! which I am not too impressed with either. Rgds, -steve

[quote]I am concerned things are too overwhelming/cluttered?[/quote] You answered your own question there! Firstly - I think your site would benefit greatly if you put a light background colour in your main text/center container. This would draw the human eye into the middle of your site. Also the padding on the top is a bit much In My Opinion. Your list of <a href's> is not done correctly. You have used css to wrap the <a href> in a horizontal bar, meaning the mouse will hover over the link on the far right of the webpage. You need a bullet graphic for the list of <a href's>. For your mp3 and mov's etc, it would benefit from a suitable graphic. Currently your site is too minimilistic and and unsectioned/contained. -steve

First impressions are good. The header image looks nice - with the keyboard and cat5e cabling. As Mark said - your Menu list is understyled in comparison with the rest of the page/design. Your theme of blue (e.g. for a href's and login button) is nice. I do have to think however about the implementation of this design/template in html. Will it be a fixed width or fluid width? There will be quite a lot of css containers required to hold the design together - epecially if its going to be a fluid width. The padding of the main center text container is a bit much IMO, especially as there is little padding in your menu and user panels. I wouldnt mind something in the top right of the header image etc. to draw the eye to the right side of the page a little. Anyways - tis nice. Also - you could make the headings a little bigger for the menu and user panels. -steve

yap - ip address is unreachable. Your isp probably changed it. Get dynamic dns. -steve

You should take out that javascript and put it into an exteral js file, similar to your css. Also - you shouldnt code functions in the body of a (x)html doc. It should be done between the head tags. -steve

I like it a lot. Its very very nice to navigate and read through. Im suprised however as to why you dont have it xhtml 1.1? Also - for the Portfolio page (which the same as others - done excellent) you should open up "Visit Site" in a new Browser Window. It might be nicer to have a a:hover for links in the text - e.g. remove the underline on a:hover. Its really nice - and gives an excellent idea of prices and functionality. Rgds, Steve

[quote]the onmouseovers are used because without them, the main menu links (DOT, Home, Etc) would turn back to normal after moving the mouse out of them, rather than delaying and returning to the originally selected menu.[/quote] I think onclicks are way better for a Nav menu. In fact when I first went to your site - I clicked on the menus and didnt even realise you had mouseovers. This will 1/4 your heavy javascript. And you can provide a much easier fall back for ppl with javascript disabled - forwarding them to the actual page where the sub menu will be showing by default. [quote]The main menus are links so the client can include additional information along with the submenu links in the page. For example, clicking on DOT will provide a page with the links that are accessible via the submenu, along with some text explaining what DOT is.[/quote] What?? BUT sure you have a Menu Item called: Portable Restrooms. AND you have a SUB-NAV item ALSO called Portable Restrooms. [quote]The menu is slow on purpose.[/quote] I thought as much. I much prefer quick and responsive menus - my opinion.

Sorry if I didnt read all previous posts. It would be nice to see a different image/photo on the various pages. -steve

My thoughts: That dhtml menu is very slow. You have the buttons on the nav bar as links - bad Idea IMO. The button on the nav should be *ONLY* to show the sub links. e.g. DOT - this should NOT go to a Page not Found or any page. Clicking on this DOT should *ONLY* open up the sub menu of DOT. Actually you have the sub menus working on a:hover via javascript. Why why why javascript and DHTML???? You can do the whole lot WAY WAY easier with css. FACT. You have TONS of javascript and no need for it!! onmouse overs!!! css does this for you. You have no images - allbeit a new site at the moment I take it. Your own main page http://www.frohsenwebdesign.com/ is broken in Opera. You dont have valid xhtml. You have warnings in your css. I have never heard of "Engineering a Website"!! Other than that - it works - its fixed width its grand. -steve

Becareful of screen resolution. Your current site does not work on 800 x 600. Apart from that -> Good Luck  ;)

Hi All, The site is finished - well as much as Im going to do  ;) The Home and Services pages work fine. It will have to be integrated with server side code at this stage. Anyways, just to let ye know what it ended up as -> http://skycon.csn.ul.ie/newsite/skynet/ Other ppl in the society suggested various changes. Thanks for your comments, feel free to mention any more here. Rgds, Steve

It looks ok. There is a lot of stuff there. Your images seem to be broken in IE. You have images/objects like :D and :_PIT: which IE doesnt like. Your contact form is obviously in development. -steve

Its a good start. I would like to see the text indented more, and/or the Navigation fixed up better. A little more styling is required - in your top Heading bar, and also in your content. Some suggestions for styling -> have a "images" and "quote" div/area in your blog entries to make the stand out more. Perhaps put "Todays" date somewhere on the top of the page - styled in appropriately. Because the page is quite long -> perhaps put a Table of Contents - or the last 5 entries. Take the title of the last 5 entries and put them below the Navigation? Just ideas. It needs something more IMO (in my opinion) -steve

I cant say Im impressed or whether Id choose you to undertake a website for me. 1. Your website is broken in Opera. 2. You really should be using xhtml 3. You still have a LOT of tables in your code. 4. You have warnings in your css. 5. You dont have your forms working yet. Can you put a shadow under the bottom of your #main div? It kinda cuts off abruptly. I realise you are in development stages. I hope you can bring it together. -steve

I see you are using opacity in the footer!!  ;) Aint work in Opera. Seems ok apart from that. -steve

It is nice. Really deep colours. I see what you mean now about "subtle" gradients! Your current side - is good - overdoing it a little/lot on the "sloped lines" and the hover for the menu tho. With the new one - there is a small bit of confusion IMO. You have the 3 coloured boxes - BLUE - RED - GREEN You have 3 coloured (pill shaped) buttons a distance below them - Well I thought they were colour co-ordinated. E.g. clicking on the green pill shaped button  - Does that go to the CONTACT page or the PC Repairs page?? It would stand out to me intially to go to the PC repair page as it is green. Anyways - its minor. Perhaps that what Mark was on about the layout under the coloured boxes. Will be interested to see where you go from here. -steve

The XHTML and CSS version of the site is here: http://skycon.csn.ul.ie/newsite/skynet/ I think that the Vertical Nav and the Search button needs work yet. Thoughts anyone? -Steve

Thanks for the constructive comments. Any more or further claifications would be appreciated. Mark - thanks, do send on/post etc. any nice links etc. to icons and/or other sites. Jeff - I indeed see where you are coming from. The gradient on the Vertical Nav is a little extreme, and the gradient on the Search area isn't really required. However, with regards to been "user friendly" - I would have put this as a primary aim. Let me explain: The Vertical Nav menu will only appear on certain pages. I know with its shape and look - it seems like a main Nav menu. I may reduce the size of it a bit so it appears/blends in as a been "Sub Navigation". Chris - Thanks, I see exactly what you are saying re the 5px at the bottom of the horizontal tabx and the shadow. Icons would be nice, but a lot of work. Im only doing the css and xhtml for this project. ,-) I will see how much I can get out of the photoshop person. As for pastel colours - well it seems to be coming more fashionable IMO. I will have a xhtml version ready later on. Thanks, Steve

Hi All, I would very grateful to hear any comments and/or suggestions etc. on this site I have designed: http://pf.csn.ul.ie/images/redesign/redesignK.jpg Note: There is no text as of yet. The layout, graphics and design is present. It will be a fluid layout with minimun resolution at 800 x 600. The horizontal Nav is the primary one. On certain pages the Vertical Nav will be the "sub navigation". XHTML VERSION = http://skycon.csn.ul.ie/newsite/skynet/ Thanks, Steve

Yes - The shadow and lighter outside background is better - the main page stands much more proud. I wouldn't mind a little gap at the top, i.e. not run the main div upto the top. But as you have a lot of content (lengthwise) you need all the vertical space you can get - so its ok as it. Ya - I see what you have done with the footer. I honestly think you should take out that search. Without that search box - the footer and disclaimer will look a lot better - more flatter neater. As for where to put the search box - well only a small search box is required. Or whatabout a Magnifying glass even as  a link? Another idea - is to put the Text - SEARCH THIS SITE as the last line in the vertical Nav. Then when you click on the text - a div opens (display:none to display:block) with an input box. Thats my 2 cents! -steve

Well it has a fluid layout - so well done on that front. The flash image seems to drop a good bit when the browser window is at 800x600 The company logo isn't great - at least provide a hyperlink to the homepage. The logo would stand out better if it had a shadow or something. Anyways - I know you cant do much with the logo. You repeat a LOT of links. A navigation menu is enough. Instead you have links in your Top Div, and dispersed many times through the main text. I would like to see the main page stand out a bit more. Perhaps a shadow all around the page would emphasise it better. It currently seems like the colours of teh webpage (main div) match the html background too much. Overall its ok. Could do with some more dressing up and effects in the Nav menu. -steve

The image gallery -> You need to specify a size for the main Div for the photo. It works PERFECT when the images are cached by my browser. BUT going through the image gallery for the first time (delete your temp internet files and see) the image page jumps up and down when loading the image. Your image gallery link on http://www.a1acitrus-racing.com/new/racing.php?id=kids is broken. Coming along nicely. -steve

Hi Richard, Its very good for a first time with css. Although Im not too gone on the flash and the text flying it (just appearing would be fine for me) it looks good. You have your forum well integrated - so well done on that. It would be nice to color the Navigation Tab according to the current page. At the moment - the Home Navigation tag always remains blue. I would like to see the blue tab to correspond to the current page. - But its only my opinion. The calender page could do with some "sprucing" up - its just a little plain. Alternately coloured divs would be nice for each news item or each date. The gallery would be nicer if it was integrated into teh website rather than a pop-up. Its good as it is, however it needs some more work on integration and dressing up in parts. -steve

Just a few things: The graphic saying "Delivery Available" - I think you should make it a link to a "Delivery" section with info on the rates etc. IMO. For the Racing - and Car specifications - I would prefer to see a graphic of a racing car, rather than the driver again. Thats about it. Looking forward to see the image gallery. -steve