Website Review and Suggestions

**nfzgrld** · 09:10 AM

I've recently completely redesigned my directory and added a ton of features above and beyond the directory itself. I'd love to know what you think of it:

http://www.axelis.com

I've also just today put up a WordPressMU powered Free blog community and would like to know what you think of that as well:

Check the forum rules ONE site per review thread

Thanks, I look forward to your reviews and suggestions!

**Jazzy_EG** · 05-12-2010, 08:39 AM

so you're on the wave of creating websites ?

ok, first one - if you reduce window, logo goes on the menu.
color scheme, i don't like becaus it is not attracting to stay, it says hey, here is simple search site, which can not offer anything. Since there are no content yet, is seems a little to blank, but if you change color scheme and add some news, I thing it has potential.

now blog:
as I see it is blank and still in developement stage.. I'd change registration page... now fonts and forms are to big for me. is not cute at all. this is simple template, so keep it simple but attractive with content of small details.

**martin b** · 05-12-2010, 09:06 AM

if you are still working on it it is ok, both of them are small, i mean the templates it looks amature

**nfzgrld** · 05-12-2010, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzy_EG

so you're on the wave of creating websites ?

ok, first one - if you reduce window, logo goes on the menu.

I can't account for everything. If you're screen width is at least 1024 it's fine. If it doesn't work at that resolution I would say a browser upgrade is necessary.

Quote:

color scheme, i don't like becaus it is not attracting to stay, it says hey, here is simple search site, which can not offer anything. Since there are no content yet, is seems a little to blank, but if you change color scheme and add some news, I thing it has potential.

I completely disagree with most of what you've said here. The color scheme is simple and straight forward which is appropriate for this kind of site where performance is more important than flashy graphics and stuff. I'm aware of the content problem and am working on getting some articles in there as well as some classified ads to get things going. Having said all that, I am planning a complete rewrite and redesign of the site, there just isn't time right now to do it and do it right.

Quote:

now blog:
as I see it is blank and still in developement stage.. I'd change registration page... now fonts and forms are to big for me. is not cute at all. this is simple template, so keep it simple but attractive with content of small details.

The registration page is the last of my worries right now, but you're right, it will have to be changed. Your next two sentences contratict each other, I'm not sure what to make of it.

Quote:

if you are still working on it it is ok, both of them are small, i mean the templates it looks amature

It's a website. I'm always working on it. The definition of amateurish on a website design is relative. Take a look at CraigsList, Google (yes, even now), DMOZ.org, or any number of other sites. Simple is good. People like simple. If you make things too complicated it will piss off your customers.

Still, I do agree, like I said before, that they need some work, but for now they're not nearly as bad as some people seem to think. Anyway, I have way too much work to do and not nearly enough time to do it. Besides, I'm really a developer, not a designer. Once things settle down I'll have to have a real design person go through this stuff and do their thing. Meanwhile, it all works exactly as it is supposed to.

**Kaletha** · 05-13-2010, 09:23 AM

You need to do some work here & also need to learn to take constructive criticism.

people are trying to help & hey if this is your business then you want your shopfront to make you business not make customers thing it is an outdated unprofessional job

I say to many people there are steps you can take

1 - look at other websites & why they are good & work everything from amazon, facebook http://www.etsy.com/, chopper tattoos to the london zoo - they work & look great because they are clean, colours are great, graphics are superb & they look sharp & modern

2 - invest in some decent kit. If you are going to have a go at doing the job then there si a reason professionals give professional results they invest in time, manhours & good kit - dreamweaver & photoshop & illustrator are not cheap but give good results.

3 - download a color wheel program

4 - create good logo & other header etc graphics

5 - dont use gray unless its a black & white layout its just whishy washy & dull

6 - simple not does equal clean cut or vica versa - complicated does not have to be unprofessional - think ebay & amazon - huge sites that are still easy to navigate & reasonable easy to use but look prfessional & have huge markets - they work !! Yes people like simple navigation & content is king but presentation of content is oh so important & yours lacks umph !!

7 - try out some free resources like eg fee css templates - you can use a template as a start point

stick at it & yes its a start but ebay didnt launch looking bad at the start did it ???

**Kaletha** · 05-13-2010, 09:25 AM

p.s if you are a developer not a designer which I totally get as I am also a code background developer then try those free templates - someone else has done the design for you & you can plug in your content & look at the development in background engineering.

Some are also liquid ones - ie work on % system layout rather than fixed so u can still get that filled screen feel if that is what you prefer L)