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Thread: Could you critique my site?

  1. #1
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    Could you critique my site?

    Im a 15 year old kid trying to get to grips with (X)HTML and CSS. This is my first ever real site (the content is of random please ignore). Would you guy's be so kind and critique it helping me prosper in the world of web development.
    It is web standard, I think?

    http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=ht...2Ftomswork%2F+

    http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/v...%2Ftomswork%2F

    I am also thinking about taking a career in web dev any suggestions?
    What should I concentrate on?

    Thanks in advance,
    Tom Wilkinson.

    http://www.freewebs.com/tomswork/ Sorry about the freewebs thing but I cant efford anything else.

    Edit:

    Have now added a copywrite section.
    Last edited by trampy; Jul 17, 2005 at 16:57.

  2. #2
    SitePoint Wizard GoldFire's Avatar
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    For a first try it looks like it could have some potential. I think you could get some extra color in there and maybe make some actual buttons for the menu. If you have a program like Adobe Photoshop that could help you greatly. Just remember, if you decide to add in actual effects into the layout don't overdue it, too many effects are worse than none at all.

  3. #3
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    I was thinking about using buttons but someone told me that it is recomended that you use text for all headings and links to help with search optimisation. I sopose I could try and make the image and lay the text over the top.

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    Looks like it's going well for you so far.

    For the navigation you might like to try making it an unordered list with the display set to inline. That would clean up the code a bit. As far as making them buttons you could use a simple background gradient image and a right and bottom border all on the hover. Or you could make a subtle background change on the hover (nothing too dramatic). There are plenty of options; have some fun playing around with it.

    I was going to complain about the table at the bottom, but then I realized it's not your doing.
    Last edited by Eddy Bones; Jul 17, 2005 at 16:37.

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    SitePoint Wizard masm50's Avatar
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    I think that you've got a really good start there.

    It is nice and clean and uncluttered.

    My only real criticism is that it could be a little bitt too grey if you know what I mean?
    You may be adding some colour images/photos to the content when you add it - which would be great and make it stand out. Just without any at the moment, the site is on the verge of looking a little dull.

    Lastly, I don't know if this is on purpose or not, but there is a line about 1 pixel wide on the left of your logo at the top right, between it and the rest of that grey bar. I imagine that you want all that top bar as a single grey block.

    Hope I wasn't too harsh - it's a really good start.

    Cheers

    Tim

  6. #6
    Non-Member Waraas's Avatar
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    Lot better than my work when I saw 15

    Anyways, nice use of validating your site. Good to start at an early age. I would try adding some more content on the home page, like a latest work catagorie. Also, thinking about making the homepage grasp your attention better. You only have one chance to grasp a user (home page).

    Also, try putting some link on the bottom. Like privacy policy, contact, and then the copyright information.

    Other than that, site looks good

  7. #7
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    Thanks for the replys guys it does help.

    I dont understand copywrite do you just put it at the bottom or do you have to pay a fee to have it placed there.

    Tom

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    Non-Member Waraas's Avatar
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    Im pretty sure you are able to do this "Copyright © WebLoser, 2005. All Rights Reserved" with no fees

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    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    Hows that I used SSI's for easy edit.
    Thanks,
    Tom

  10. #10
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    Like I often do, I rarely skip the message and click the link, but after seeing your site I went back and read the message. For a 15 year old, that's very impressive stuff. You're definitely going in the right direction.

    I'd say that you need to do a bit of reading on colour schemes. It's hard to critique a site which isn't complete (at least in mock material) but when it is you need to think what would grab users and drag them into reading about you.

    Cheers,

    Richard

  11. #11
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trampy
    I am also thinking about taking a career in web dev any suggestions?
    What should I concentrate on?
    Any help?
    Thanks,
    Tom

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    SitePoint Zealot ablueman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trampy
    Any help?
    Thanks,
    Tom
    These guys are alot more experienced than me but I would say php / mysql and css should be able to see you through almost any website design.

    In your career chances are you will learn a smattering of everything. But these seem to me to be the most important.

    Good luck, looks like ure off to a good start.

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    SitePoint Addict fut's Avatar
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    For a 15 yo I think your website is excellent. When I was 15 I remember having cheesy gifs and ugly backgrounds. It is very clean and I like the simple grey colors. I suggest you add some content so we can help you with the actual center table.

    You are right, text links are always better than images for SEO reasons. Good work.
    ATTENTION: Affiliates in the Health Niche
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  14. #14
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ablueman
    These guys are alot more experienced than me but I would say php / mysql and css should be able to see you through almost any website design.
    Im interested in php/mysql. I would start to learn it if freewebs allowed it .

    what do employers look for?

    Thanks,
    Tom

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    mybesthost.com will give you a nice free and fast php/mysql hosting. I used them before doing the hosting myself.
    My setup | WinXP pro | FireFox | cable | 1280x1024 32bit |
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  16. #16
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    Thanks man thats great. Im all setup http://thowil.farvista.net/ now to the learning part lol.
    Tom

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    SitePoint Addict Green Beast's Avatar
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    Good job man. I'm assuing maybe the box with have an image. Your links are fine. Good job with the text. I would focus on the CSS end more. Get rid of the craziness like your triple center tags.

    Try this maybe: First make a wrapper div for simplity, then style it with...
    Code:
    #wrapper {
    margin: 0 auto 0;
    }
    The first zero is margin left, the last is right, auto keeps trying to make it happen in both directions. This reliably centers your page on most browers. To make it center in IE 5.0 and 5.5, you have to do it with text on body, then revert it on wrapper. Example.
    Code:
    body { /* this centers whole page for IE 5x */
    text-align : center;
    }
    ...then, control the actual text with wrapper...

    Code:
    #wrapper { /* This tell the text to move left, but the page stays center */
    margin: 0 auto 0;
    text-align: left;
    }
    The meta data could use some work.

    I'd get reid of that damn table in an otherwise decent work up. The table in this case serves no purpose. I like grays.

    You should separate your links with more than whitespace. Turn of styles and you'll see what I'm getting at. It's an accessiblity thing. Try this perhaps.
    Code:
    Link 1 <span class="strip">&middot;</span> Link 2
    ...then maybe do this...
    Code:
    .strip {
    display: none;
    }
    Okay, one more thing for now...
    this:
    Code:
    <div id="logo">
    <img src="title.gif" alt="Title" />
    </div>
    ...really should be this:

    Code:
    <div id="logo">
    <img src="title.gif" alt="Tom's Work Graphic Design." />
    </div>
    Again, turn off styles and you'll better see what I mean.

    A future in web design? Hell yeah, go for it. Probably a better chances of landing a job than if you were into say calligraphy.

    Good luck. Hope this helps.
    Mike

  18. #18
    SitePoint Evangelist Worldbuilder's Avatar
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    Hello,

    You definitely have great potential here, my friend. Your layout is simple and user-friendly, with nice effective graphics. The color choice, albeit a little dull is SAFE, expecially from a business standpoint. Grays and soft blues are historically pleasing. Good work!

    Chris

  19. #19
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    Sorry I haven’t replied been in London . Thanks green beast I’m on to it right now I really appreciate your comments. Its a real great help.
    Thanks Worldbuilder the fact is that I wasn’t really going for any style in colour scheme at first as this page was for research and practice but after a while my eyes seem to like it and it just stuck that way.


    Thanks Tom

  20. #20
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    Update

    Done the spacers between links.
    changed the alt names for the logo's

    Easy stuff done , now on to the hard stuff.

    Tom

  21. #21
    SitePoint Enthusiast trampy's Avatar
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    where do I put the wrapper div?
    Do you mean put the content div inside the the wrapper div or the body?
    Sorry im confused?
    Thanks

    Tom

  22. #22
    SitePoint Addict Green Beast's Avatar
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    No problem tramp. I just re-read my post. Damn I'm a lousy typist. I don't spell poorly in my mind but getting what's there on the page or on screen, well sheesh... you can see.

    The code should be good, though

    However, before doing that span thing, I'd look into something else. Specifically a horizontal unordered list.
    Code:
    ul li { 
    display : inline; /* this'll give you what you want with proper link separation */
    padding : # /* start with zero and go from there */
    padding-left : # /* you'll want to fuss with specific padding probably */
    padding-right : # /* same, also bottom and top
    margin : # /* start with zero and go from there */
    margin-left : # /* you'll want to fuss with specific margin probably */
    }
    what I wrote before is fine and legal and all, and it should work well for you, but it just seems too long and wrong, all those spans. For ****z and giggles you might try putting the entitiy into your CSS. I have NO idea if that would work, I have never tried it. My hunch is it would on some, but not in IE.

    Good luck.
    Mike

  23. #23
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    Hi Tom I visited ur Website I think you should use a Better Colour Scheme However it is a very Good Attempt the TEST Link is Not Working u can use a Blue shaded Colour Scheme or Template.

  24. #24
    SitePoint Wizard edshuck's Avatar
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    The Graphic Design in the top area just to the left of the spots is not quite far enough away from the gray bg for these old eyes.

    Did you have php in this design?

    If not, I would mention that you could do the entire thing with an include and use the menu to move from content to content.

    Just a thought.

    Good work. You can play with the color set. Also, I am a fan of using paint color chips from the paint store. They spen fortunes getting things just right.

    Thanks for sharing.

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    Only 15, Wow! I think you're doing awesome. The site looks good. You might want to add some color to engage your visitors.I like the link rollover effect. What color are you going to make your links in? I think blue would be nice. I would also suggest using server side includes in order to make site maintenance easier. These can save hours of time.

    Best of Luck!

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