Computer Professionals WebSite

[Guest_imported]

I am curently working on a web site for computer professionals at

http://computerwiz.net

and would like any advice or recommendations you can give. <br>
Also, if you have some free time, and have a pretty good knowledge of perl or other CGI programming, I could really use your help! I need a script or program for an ADD-A-Link, a Buliten board and a chat room.<br>
I am *trying* to make this a community web site, designed by several designers, and ran by the users. Do you think this kind of a site is feasible? For more info read the about file on the computerwiz.<br>
Thanks for taking the time to check out my site. Any advice, suggestions, praise&lt;?&gt; or whatever would be greatly appreciated! And while you are there, sign the guestbook (it just looks so pitiful!)! <br>
You can respond eithor here (I try to check this area at least once a week) or through email (computerwiz@computerwiz.net) or via the feedback form on the site.<br>
<br>
Thanks again!<br>

 

[jsauce]

The first thing I notice about the site is its loading time, which I find very good. It loaded nice and quick, which is always a plus for me. I then noticed the counter, a big no-no. I never liked them not because they look stupid but why should someone know how many people have been there, especially if you've only had a few thousand hits. It says "Yeah my site is so cool, that with millions and millions of people on the internet, only a couple of thousand have hit the page. Then I see the black background, while I think in this case the whole look of the site is not bad, I never use black as a background unless it is a site that has a dark appeal, obviously a cult site, i'd use a black background. Also the looks as if it uses frames at first but then I see that it doesn't. I don't think frames are bad, in your case a simple left hand frame with an options menu might not be a bad thing, but a menu located on the left using tables and no frames might also not be a bad thing.

 

[TeaAddictedGeek]

I totally disagree on the black background thought... you don't need to use black for something that only has a "cult appeal"; black works well depending on the color scheme and images that you want to use. Some images only look good on a black background.<br>
<br>
If I did a site on astronomy or wished to include celestial photos and such, I'd use a black background.<br>
<br>
As for the counters, I find them useful when I visit sites because they tell me how new the place is, and how many other people have liked the place. If I visit a site and my first impression is that the front page is lame--but it has more than its share of hits--I'll stick around and see what brought people to it, and continues to bring people to it, in the first place.<br>
<br>
Just my $0.02 worth....

 

[jsauce]

Yeah, and if you go to a site with a good look, and only a couple of hits, do you leave?

 

[jnicho02]

Seeing as you are posting on tek-tips, maybe you could look at using the "affiliate program".

 

[Guest_imported]

Jsauce thank you so much for your comments. I'd like to examine each. First the counter. I always am wary about putting up any "gadget" that increases the load time on the page. However, I really like to see counters on other pages, to see how much business they are getting. For instance a javascript site with only 100 or so hits, is eithor real new or real sucky, eithor way, I'll look at the content on the first page, if it sucks as well, I'll just go away. On the other hand if a page loooks like crap, yet has a counter that reads something like 100999 or so, then I might, even though it looks like crap, look around, and see what's all the attention about. Besides, it seems to me most pages DO have counters.<br>
As far as the background goes, yes it does look a little ominous, now that you mention it. Please go back to the main page, and look at the new back ground. Do you think this is better?<br>
<br>
Quoting you,<br>
"Also the looks as if it uses frames at first but then I see that it doesn't. I don't think frames are bad, in your case a simple left hand frame with an options menu might not be a bad thing, but a menu located on the left using tables and no frames might also not be a bad thing."<br>
<br>
<br>
I thought having a menu on the left and right was pretty nice. Is it too much? It took me forever to get my tables set up in such a way that they almost look like frames (or frontpage borders would be closer), but I really do NOT like frames at all, and DON'T use them if I can get away with it.<br>
<br>
I was considering doing something with DHTML to allow a sliding menu, or something, but that's going to have to wait, at least, untill the site is ready to go "totally live" (eq. I put the word out), I think.<br>
<br>
Anyway, thanks for your comments, and I will keep that counter thing in mind. Oh and BTW I only changed teh first pages background for now, to get an idea which might look better. I really believe the brighter cheerfull color looks alot better, probably will do the whole site this evening.<br>
<br>
John Vogel<br>

http://computerwiz.net

 

[Guest_imported]

Thanks for your $0.02, Kyrene. I agree with the counters, though I agree also with the DARK site being a little ominous, you bring up good points about the black being used in other places, but generally I would agree with Jsause that it does look a a little "cultish".<br>
<br>

 

[TeaAddictedGeek]

jsauce, I won't even answer such a ridiculous question. I think everyone here knew what I was saying.

 

[TeaAddictedGeek]

jvogel: not a prob. As for the "cultish" look, it's all in how you implement it. If you're looking for something more toned down and professional looking, then an all black background is definitely not the way to go.

 

[jsauce]

I think you've struck gold, just looked at the site, and I think it looks 100% better. I also agree, don't use frames if you don't have to, but the advantages are clear, when you have a lot of load time in a page, rather than keeping these pages longer by adding menus and such, make a simple menu frame. One of my favorite things is making a site with a "frames" and a "no frames" option, this allows the user to decide what is best for them. <br>
<br>
KYRENE: sorry for snapping at you. I only wanted to point out that as you say, for a more professional look go with another color than black. <br>
I like white if I can use it. But as you say earlier, sometimes images work better with a black background, and I agree this is true, but for professional use, stay away from black.<br>
<br>
JVOGEL: Remember a couple of things when designing a website, what looks good to you may not look good to others. You cannot please everyone, no matter how much work goes into the look of a site, someone will come along and say, "this sucks", it will happen. While the design of a site will always be subject to opinion, a site's content will not. Most people on the internet are not going to know about your site, that is why we use Search Engines. Search Engines allow a user to only search for the things they are interested in. As long as you list your site truthfully on a search engines and provide the information the person is looking for when they searched, I don't think the look is all to important. It's nice to have a wonderful eye-pleasing site, but I think content is always the most important thing.

 

[TeaAddictedGeek]

jsauce: hey, it's cool... the "cultish" comment just sorta hit my buttons. I'm a firm believer that there are few "hard" rules to web design, and I have a few black background web sites myself. Not *all* of the pages have black backgrounds, but the openings have them. It all depends on the effect that you want to have, and what kind of color scheme and graphics that you want to go with.<br>
<br>
I recently designed a website for an organization with an "x" in its title that wanted to go with the "X-Files" parody of sorts. Their splash page is black background with red and very light grey lettering, and the rest of the pages are structured in pseudo-frames, with the embedded tables providing a menu with a black background, but with the main section white with black text. <br>
<br>
Offbeat, but professional. <br>
<br>
Again, all in the purpose of the site!

 

[jsauce]

That's the most important thing, if black works with the website, then use it. In your case you are making an X-Files sort of thing, which I too would use black. In his/her case the website is all about computers, I think. Anyways I like the look on the main page the way it is now anyhow.

 

[Guest_imported]

jsause:<br>
So what you are suggesting is that I should pay more attention to the content then to the cosmetics. That sounds like good advice to me, that I am definitly guilty of So, here I go, back to work on my site, but now I will pay attention to content. Well actually the content is getting there, I almost have the Web Designers portion finished. And SQL is coming along nicely. Add-A-Category is still unfinished, Add-A-Link and Chat and Bulliten boards are all still needing to be done, shoot, I can't write perl worth a toot!

 

[Guest_imported]

I am now working with several differant possible background/foreground combinations. I am wondering if I should lose the bg graphic? Go with solid background?

 

[jsauce]

Whatever looks good to you.