Website Review and Suggestions

**Republikin** · 07-11-2004, 09:09 PM

This is my feable attempt at a community site. Its a decent premise but I am no designer so I just modified a theme that I really liked and was simple. Oh, and I made the logo graphic. I would like any suggestions to make the design better (not on content, I know it needs more and in due time it will have more).

Feel free to rip it apart, I have had plenty of time in the webmaster field and have grown quite a thick skin to these reviews.

Thanks in advance.

**browsersite** · 07-14-2004, 01:04 AM

Hi Nixpert,

That was a good attempt at designing your forum. At least you've got a youthful happy logo. Ever thought of some other interesting color scheme for your page? Well, it's too common a color scheme. Almost every forum spots this color - but it's pleasant though.

Even though you haven't much content yet because it's new, the page seemed a little cluttered. Every thought of having light / white lines to separate the threads?

Finally, you should post a link to your forum if you want others to review. Barely giving a name with no link makes it inconvenient for reviewers.

So I'm posting your link here: http://www.nixpert.com

Hope this helps

Shenz

**Republikin** · 07-14-2004, 07:54 AM

Sorry about forgetting to post the link. Any ideas on a color scheme? I am very design illiterate. I know what looks good to me but I have no clue what is really functional or really good.

**kriket** · 07-14-2004, 12:19 PM

First thing I have to say - Fixed fonts! I can't stand websites that have re-sizable fonts - major pet peeves

I think the layout works well. I would add a bit more white space around the text.

For color scheme... I like the blue in your banner and logo. Nice contrast. I would have to see what it looks like but I would give those colors a try. What if you use color combinations from your logo to create a scheme? (darker blue, white, yellow, black - maybe?). That way it wouldn't look so much like you have a banner and a forum. The color scheme you are using now doesn't have quite enough contrast imo. Areas need to be defined a little more.

I would make your tabs at the top a little bigger. Not make the text fit so tightly inside the tab.

**Republikin** · 07-14-2004, 12:28 PM

How do I fix the fonts? I have it set in CSS

**Giselle** · 07-14-2004, 01:03 PM

Thanks for posting the link Shenz...

Am only going to comment on the logo/graphics, outstanding, just beautiful, real nice font you used! Even the Favicon shows up, these are so small normally on url addresses very hard to decipher, yours stands out.....

**Republikin** · 07-14-2004, 01:22 PM

Well the only original graphic on there is the logo, thanks though. The rest are from KDE's crystal icons.

**kriket** · 07-14-2004, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptnwinky

How do I fix the fonts? I have it set in CSS

How did you set your fonts in the CSS? Are you using font numbers (ie. size 1, 2, 3) or are you using pt size (ie. 12pts, 11pts)? If you set your fonts with pts this will create a "fixed" font size and your fonts won't resize no matter what your browser's text size is set at.

**Republikin** · 07-14-2004, 02:08 PM

Ahhh, I never new that. I always thought that it was just browser dependant and it irritated me.

**Republikin** · 07-15-2004, 08:19 AM

Ok, I changed the font's to use pt instead of px and they still change depending on the font settings of the computer I am on.

**Republikin** · 07-22-2004, 03:56 PM

*bump*

I really want to know how to fix the font thing because viewing my site at work it looks horrible with bigger fonts.

**judyb** · 07-25-2004, 07:24 AM

Just thought I'd put in a vote against fixed fonts. It seems like they should always adjust somewhat to user preferences as people have different size screens and eyesight. There are some sites that I just refuse to visit, the fonts are so small. What is really wonderful is when they are small and light colored! Perhaps we can train people to adjust font size in their browser to suit themselves. At work, can't you set the default font size down?

**Republikin** · 07-25-2004, 12:48 PM

Thats the weird thing, at work my font size is exactly as at home. The only difference is windows 2000 at work and XP home at home.

**judyb** · 07-25-2004, 01:09 PM

When I got a 19" monitor I set my font size down to smaller in IE. It gave me about the same as I had with a 17" before.

I despise how font sizes are done actually. I see wanting to control them a bit more, but it seems no matter what you do you run into problems. After spending a lot of time checking out different methods in different browsers I decided to make mine a percentage of what people had their browsers set to. That, of course, assumes that people set their browsers which is probably a very bad assumption! I don't think most people play with those settings at all. However, there is a logic to it that is appealing, and I am not forcing my preferences on others.

I must admit though it is like cooking without salt -- the "right" thing to do but then you sure wish your guests would salt their food!

**judyb** · 07-25-2004, 01:28 PM

I just did a little test page as it has been so long since I drove myself nuts with this issue.

In IE if you do either pt or px definition, it doesn't change with the setting on the browser, the small and percentage type does though. However, on Mozilla it seems that pt or px change with the default settings on the browser. Didn't try Netscape, but it generally is the same as Mozilla.

This is what is so annoying about CSS to me. How it is implemented is so different -- I had thought that was pretty well straightened out with the latest and greatest of all the browsers, but I guess not.

**Republikin** · 07-25-2004, 02:34 PM

Well, thanks for your input.