Mike Fisher — Mon, 14 Aug 2000 20:59:37 +0000

Super Doped Up [Intel Coppermine 850mhz], Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, Windows 98, Cable Modem.

This the the computer I usually to browse around the web. [Yeah, like I'm gonna fire the SGi up to just putz around on the 'net. :-)]

Your comments

sprant — Mon, 14 Aug 2000 16:29:50 +0000

Thanks for taking the time out, everybody. It's really good to have this professional feedback and I have listened to all you've said.

I guess I need to take another look at my site but I *really* want to keep it looking a little different as I am bored with most of the sites I see which all look the same after a while (I loathe tables and frames).

The colours look crisp and clean on my machine but then that is one of the advantages of this exercise that I get to know what it looks like on other people's machines. I think for the future, it might be nice to tell the reviewee what machine/browser/modem speed the reviewer is using. Just a thought.

I'm disappointed that no one liked the cube (which *is* the site navigation) but I guess if you guys didn't work it out my customers have got no chance

Cheers

Megan — Mon, 14 Aug 2000 14:05:18 +0000

Yeah, it's tempting to use Java for some fun stuff, but it does cause problems for people. On my old computer Java would always crash my browser - even simple Front Page mouseover things. Others surf with java turned off as well. You might be losing some visitors because of that. The effect on the logo also obscures the words and makes it hard for people to read.

Like Justin, when I first saw this I thought "where is the navigation"? YOu need to have a navigation menu on every page - above the fold. That way your visitors get an immediate impression of what is on your site, and they can get around easily.

Overall this is a good start. Your graphics and layout do look rather amateurish though (which is fine, you're new at this). Take a look at http://www.coolhomepages.com for some ideas. You'll notice a lot of solid colours (often using table backgrounds), structured layouts for business sites, clearly defined colours schemes, no deafult hr tags, and no java!

jackchen — Mon, 14 Aug 2000 06:52:14 +0000

The Java effect is nice, but the site looks a little plain.

Your color looks a bit dull to me.

Justin S — Mon, 14 Aug 2000 01:44:59 +0000

URL: http://www.sprant.com

1) The logo is ok looking, but it needs a lot of work. Image quality is key. This image is really blurry and hard to make out. I would make the text a little darker also. I don't like the Java effect either. It's really slow on my computer (120 MHz).

2) Scrap the "sign-up" button. It doesn't go with the rest of the site at all, and the edges are jagged.

3) Where's the navigation? The main page is way to long the way you have it. Cut down with the text, and make a menu down the side or something so it's easy for people to find what they're looking for.

4) I don't really get the point of the cube with the pictures that rotate. Enlighten me

Mike Fisher — Sun, 13 Aug 2000 22:54:45 +0000

Toys are s'alright, but not a toy that I don't know how to use.

It's kind of like when I smashed an arubix cube against a wall and said 'THOR NO LIKE DIS TOY!'

Re Java cube

sprant — Sun, 13 Aug 2000 21:48:56 +0000

Forgot to mention - I really liked this. You can control the cube yourself, simply by waving the cursor over it and causing it to spin the way you want. I thought it made an interesting menu system in counterpoint to the plain, business oriented style of the rest of it.

I mean, you have to let a chap have *some* toys, don't you?

Thanks again

Byron

Mike's comments

sprant — Sun, 13 Aug 2000 21:44:13 +0000

Hi Mike and thanks for taking the time out to have a look. You have made some good points and I will think deeply about what you have said and maybe re-design a little - again!

Cheers

Mike Fisher — Sun, 13 Aug 2000 21:11:26 +0000

Well, I like the Java effects, but as I am sure everyone else is going to say 'what about other people without java browsers?'

Blah. I guess in the manor of the web [as I am currently finding out whilst redesigning my site] you must atone to the masses.

While staying on the topic of the Java things, the picture cube was a good idea gone bad. By the time that I realised it displayed in the status bar, the thing had already scrolled to another section. Again, as a lot of people will tell you, this is a web no-no.

Other than that, it just looks.. bland. I mean, I'm not too savvy on these Portal sites, but I'd at least make it a little bit more interesting in design.

However, if that is the style you were going for, kudos!

Moving along.. on my cable modem that cube took around ten seconds to load, and I didn't really like that.

All in all, it is very precise, and I found it easy to use, except for that cube thing.