please critique www.pocketgallery.org (Full Version)

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Pocketgallery -> please critique www.pocketgallery.org (9/12/2006 23:25:23)

I'm new at this and I be upfront and admit I used trillian shareware wysiwyg. I plan on getting frontpage eventually. the url is http://pocketgallery.org



jaybee -> RE: please critique www.pocketgallery.org (9/13/2006 13:22:00)

Hi, welcome and well done for jumping straight in front of the firing line.

I don't know the software you've used so can't give any pointers with that. As for getting FrontPage, don't, it's about to be replaced with a new package called Expression. If you want to play you can download a beta copy from the MS web site but be warned, it's huge. If you're on dial-up forget it. As you're new it might be a good idea to learn to use that now before getting used to something else.

Now to your site.

1. you've done a site and you've got it on the web so be proud of yourself for getting that far, many people give up way before that.

2. Now I'm going to be honest (waits for the rude comments from the others....) but don't take it to heart or get upset by anything I say. It's all my opinion and others will disagree. At the end of the day it's your site and you have what you want.

Firstly, none of your links are working correctly. You seem to have them set up with a mixture of / and \ in the url. You also refer to some with www. and others without. Be consistent.

Second, and everyone on here knows this is coming.......

AAAAAAAAAAAArgh! moving text! [:'(][:'(][:'(][:'(]
There is nothing that says amateur more than a marquee trundling around the page, well except for cursor trails and page counters.

Now this is entirely your shot. Do you want the site to look professional or do you want the home made feel? I'd replace that with a nice static banner with a good photo in it and maybe then reduce the two underneath.

The two photos are good but you've done the same thing most people do and that's not optimising them before putting them on the page. They are large - left 47kb and right 146kb.

Post back when you've sorted the other pages and I'll take a look at those too assuming you haven't decided to run screaming from here. [&:]

[edit]I've managed to find some of the other pages. What you need to do is pick one that you really like the layout on and use the same thing for all the others. At the moment it's a bit confusing trying to find menus etc.



Pocketgallery -> RE: please critique www.pocketgallery.org (9/20/2006 22:13:28)

Thanks, I value your critique and I've fixed the links. Try it: www.pocketgallery.org I still have the banner. My problem is I'm short of time. I hope to win the redesign contest. [:)] the Pocket Gallery needs a better website!



Pocketgallery -> RE: please critique www.pocketgallery.org (9/20/2006 22:17:08)

I need better gallery software can you recommend some open source?



womble -> RE: please critique www.pocketgallery.org (9/21/2006 4:44:32)

You've not fixed all the links - the Pocket Gallery one's still incorrect. At the moment you have it as:
quote:

http://www.pocketgallery.org\pocketgallery.html/


It should be:
quote:

http://www.pocketgallery.org/pocketgallery.html

SAme with the 'more barns' one and Pockettours.

As for gallery software, there's a number around, including Gallery, Plogger, and Coppermine may be worth a look at - a quick google will come up with loads more though and others probably have recommendations for what they'd use. Depending on how many images you've got, how often they'll be updated, and stuff, you might want to check out Dynamic Drive - they have a number of scripts that you can cut and paste, just changing the image locations.

As Jaybee says, you need to make sure all your pages have the same sort of feel. Identical layout isn't necessary, but you need to get a cosistent style - same sort of colour scheme, same overall layout. Having a sort of mix and match can confuse visitors because they aren't sure if they're on the same site when there are so many different styles. You've also got a link on the 'book your weekend' page that goes to what seems to be a different site - it's always good to warn visitors if a link is to an external site - again so they're not confused about where they are and what site they're on. You also need to standardise the navigation as well. Some pages have navigation, while others don't, leaving the visitor only the browser's back button to get around. Where you've got navigation on the pages as well, it needs to be prominent - a number of pages have navigation at the bottom of the page "below the fold" so you have to scroll to see it - the trick is to make your site as easy to use for visitors as possible - don't make them think too much. [;)]

Good start though. Like Jaybee said, you've got a lot further than many people do, and you've got some lovely photos.

And lastly....welcome to Outfront! [:)]



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