Website Review and Suggestions

**Mitch_40** · 03-06-2007, 07:11 PM

Okay I have recently completed a couple of websites. One is for the towns of Echuca and Moama, the other is a personal website about my kart racing.

Please let me know what you think, and if you have any suggestions.

http://www.echucamoama.com/
http://www.mamkartsport.com/

Thanks,

Mitch.

**jyoz22** · 03-06-2007, 10:19 PM

Forum Rules say only one website review per post.

So I will review the first link... Wow! Really nice design... but on my browser (Flock - a spinoff of Firefox) the three images on the bottom ("Order a Free Visitors Guide," "Current Weather," & "Great Day for trips") are going across the little white line... (not sure if this is true for Firefox or just my Browser...)

Good luck!

**MrBrownThumb** · 03-06-2007, 10:42 PM

I liked the first site from the top of the fold, once I scrolled down the rounded shapes and the space between the content and the footer didn't really fit with the way the top half of the page.

The content isn't staying inside the frames on some of the pages.

The way the navigation buttons get smaller on pages you visit makes it look like you're having an alignment problem because the overall frame is still the size of the unvisited buttons.

The colors are nice the photos are cool makes me want to visit.

The racing site:

The way the images in the header are cropped make it look claustrophobic because the template is kind of small. Maybe a wide shot of a race track with some carts zooming by? Or shot of the cart on a solid color background with a spotlight the way they do cars in print advertisements?

The colors are drab. I'd choose the template colors from the colors on your cart instead of the grays and blacks. Again the crop lines on the images next to the content is distracting. How about making the images the background instead of the illustration of the parts.

How about some icons instead of text.

Garage for 'home' checkered flag for 'results' a helmet for 'profile' wheels or keys for 'contact'. Think rounded corners-white, blue and red for your color theme. Don't miss out on the chance to brand the site with your number. It should have 40 on there somewhere. As it is with the colors and grungy font it says Dungeons And Dragons instead of excitement or fun which is what I imagine racing a little cart to be.

I was using FF for both sites.

HTH

**Mitch_40** · 03-06-2007, 10:43 PM

Ahh yes, not supposed to look like that. I made it in IE and could not get it right in both browsers

**Mitch_40** · 03-06-2007, 11:08 PM

Thanks for the input.

I don't like the look of the images the way I cropped them, I will do something about that.

I used them colours and text to try and look kinda 'mean' and 'intimidating'. Rather then all rosey of my actual kart colours. But I do see your point and I have tried making a site with them colours before and have never liked the outcome.

The gray and black background is ment to look like carbon fibre, which is a material used in racing quite alot.

Thanks again for the input!

**Angelosanto** · 03-07-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyoz22

Forum Rules say only one website review per post.

So I will review the first link

Agreed. This site is really nice. To improve it, I might make the rest of the images have some form of rollover effect.

Why not use a little JavaScript to load a seperate stylesheet for FF? Very easy to do.

**Mitch_40** · 03-07-2007, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelosanto

Agreed. This site is really nice. To improve it, I might make the rest of the images have some form of rollover effect.

Why not use a little JavaScript to load a seperate stylesheet for FF? Very easy to do.

I will probably have to.

Luckily our main audience uses internet explorer so most people are getting the correct looking site.

I must of missed that rule!

**dahvoo** · 03-07-2007, 11:42 PM

Personally, I don't like the dark background with white words.

dahvoo
http://www.wackivideo.com
http://friendearth.wackivideo.com

**alstar70** · 03-08-2007, 07:08 AM

I agree the text tab might be a bit difficult - other than that a great looking site.

**creep3** · 03-08-2007, 01:33 PM

I think both web sites have great layouts. And i can not say i have any real complaints about either. The only thing that i can really see that is negative is that the web sites are designed with only one browser in mind. Try to degrade gracefully in order to have your website accesable to the largest audience possible.

**keggy46** · 03-08-2007, 01:58 PM

1st site is nice, but 3 pics overlap menu. i use firefox with 1028:768

2nd site:think the header is too confused. nicer clean images will work much better. you could have a kart on one side coming out the banner with the back end Gaussian blurred to give sense of speed.

**LadynRed** · 03-08-2007, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Why not use a little JavaScript to load a seperate stylesheet for FF? Very easy to do.

Utterly unnecessary. You can save yourself the hassle of loading entire additional stylesheets by using conditional comments.

Your first mistake is making ANY site to only work with IE, or designing for only IE.

Regardless, nothing is going to work PROPERLY without a valid DOCTYPE - you don't have one at all.

Lose the tables and use CSS for your layout.

Validate, validate, validate !!!

**travelagent** · 03-08-2007, 07:11 PM

I agree with what LadynRed stated -- couldn't get your 2nd site to load; however, I strongly suggest you learn more about HTML, as your code is scattered all over the place and you need appropriate meta tags, not to mention you should seriously consider fixing your 47 code warnings:

Code:

line 1 column 1 - Warning: missing <!DOCTYPE> declaration
line 19 column 54 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 20 column 61 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 21 column 60 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 25 column 74 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 26 column 76 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 27 column 70 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 28 column 70 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 29 column 66 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 30 column 68 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 31 column 68 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 32 column 72 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 33 column 78 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 34 column 74 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 35 column 77 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 36 column 77 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 39 column 47 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 40 column 52 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 41 column 56 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 42 column 51 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 43 column 56 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 46 column 65 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 47 column 69 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 48 column 68 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 49 column 66 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 50 column 68 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 63 column 183 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 304 column 202 - Warning: <embed> is not approved by W3C
line 348 column 90 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 387 column 90 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 7 column 1 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 8 column 1 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 291 column 3 - Warning: <table> proprietary attribute "height"
line 294 column 1 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 309 column 7 - Warning: <td> proprietary attribute "background"
line 309 column 91 - Warning: <table> proprietary attribute "bordercolor"
line 316 column 7 - Warning: <td> proprietary attribute "background"
line 319 column 11 - Warning: <td> proprietary attribute "background"
line 319 column 54 - Warning: <img> lacks "alt" attribute
line 322 column 9 - Warning: <table> proprietary attribute "height"
line 326 column 49 - Warning: <img> lacks "alt" attribute
line 327 column 47 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 354 column 47 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 397 column 17 - Warning: <img> lacks "alt" attribute
line 403 column 78 - Warning: <img> lacks "alt" attribute
line 413 column 7 - Warning: <td> proprietary attribute "background"
line 414 column 9 - Warning: <table> proprietary attribute "height"

**Mitch_40** · 03-08-2007, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadynRed

Utterly unnecessary. You can save yourself the hassle of loading entire additional stylesheets by using conditional comments.

Your first mistake is making ANY site to only work with IE, or designing for only IE.

Regardless, nothing is going to work PROPERLY without a valid DOCTYPE - you don't have one at all.

Lose the tables and use CSS for your layout.

Validate, validate, validate !!!

Okay, so my education on this is not good. I have learnt everything myself using Dreamweaver. My school only had a small class for this and it was really bad, I did not learn a thing

.

So I have no ideas on how to use CSS to create an entire site. I don't know how to get a vailid doctype, or even what it is or why you need one!

The sites work well for how I designed them, I know I have to make it look better in Firefox as well, but not sure how to go about doing that either.

Whats a good website for learning this kind of stuff?

**Mitch_40** · 03-08-2007, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelagent

I agree with what LadynRed stated -- couldn't get your 2nd site to load; however, I strongly suggest you learn more about HTML, as your code is scattered all over the place and you need appropriate meta tags, not to mention you should seriously consider fixing your 47 code warnings:

Code:

line 1 column 1 - Warning: missing <!DOCTYPE> declaration
line 19 column 54 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 20 column 61 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 21 column 60 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 25 column 74 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 26 column 76 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 27 column 70 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 28 column 70 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 29 column 66 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 30 column 68 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 31 column 68 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 32 column 72 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 33 column 78 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 34 column 74 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 35 column 77 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 36 column 77 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 39 column 47 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 40 column 52 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 41 column 56 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 42 column 51 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 43 column 56 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 46 column 65 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 47 column 69 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 48 column 68 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 49 column 66 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 50 column 68 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 63 column 183 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 304 column 202 - Warning: <embed> is not approved by W3C
line 348 column 90 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 387 column 90 - Warning: '<' + '/' + letter not allowed here
line 7 column 1 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 8 column 1 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 291 column 3 - Warning: <table> proprietary attribute "height"
line 294 column 1 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 309 column 7 - Warning: <td> proprietary attribute "background"
line 309 column 91 - Warning: <table> proprietary attribute "bordercolor"
line 316 column 7 - Warning: <td> proprietary attribute "background"
line 319 column 11 - Warning: <td> proprietary attribute "background"
line 319 column 54 - Warning: <img> lacks "alt" attribute
line 322 column 9 - Warning: <table> proprietary attribute "height"
line 326 column 49 - Warning: <img> lacks "alt" attribute
line 327 column 47 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 354 column 47 - Warning: <script> inserting "type" attribute
line 397 column 17 - Warning: <img> lacks "alt" attribute
line 403 column 78 - Warning: <img> lacks "alt" attribute
line 413 column 7 - Warning: <td> proprietary attribute "background"
line 414 column 9 - Warning: <table> proprietary attribute "height"

With all these warnings, whats the go? Site still looks good to me. Doesn't matter about the codeing really.

**jyoz22** · 03-08-2007, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch_40

Site still looks good to me. Doesn't matter about the codeing really.

Yes, the site may look good to you, but someone else using a different browser than you may not see the same thing. Code validation ensures it meets the standards, which will work correctly on all browsers.

Take the problems with those 3 bottom-left images on your 1st site, they may work on one browser but they are wrongly aligned on another browser.

**Mitch_40** · 03-09-2007, 12:05 AM

Okay, looks like I'm gunna have to try and tech myself how to make a website work in different browsers.

**travelagent** · 03-09-2007, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitch_40

Okay, so my education on this is not good. I have learnt everything myself using Dreamweaver. My school only had a small class for this and it was really bad, I did not learn a thing

.

So I have no ideas on how to use CSS to create an entire site. I don't know how to get a vailid doctype, or even what it is or why you need one!

The sites work well for how I designed them, I know I have to make it look better in Firefox as well, but not sure how to go about doing that either.

Whats a good website for learning this kind of stuff?

There's alot to learn besides using an HTML Editor and throwing up a website -- as was mentioned already, you need to have proper HTML and/or CSS coding so that your site not only validates, but is also displaying correctly in ALL browsers, especially for those who are visually impaired ... so many newbies always want to write code specifically for IE, and never think how it looks in other browsers.

Now; you might want to go thru the W3C School Tutorial to learn more.

They also have a special section for you to decide which <!DOCTYPE Declaration> is the proper one for your site.