My first site for a client!

[J03]

How long did it take?

 

[Daeva]

Looks good.

I'm not sure if this is open to suggestions/criticism but here goes:
1.) You're very close to having a valid site http://validator.w3.org/ only 4 errors on the home page all pretty easy to fix.
a.) The only reason I bring this up is because it seems like usability is important to you in looking at your code, you've already spent a decent amount of time on usability (conditional comments, fixes for png's on IE, etc...
2.) Why are there two search boxes?
3.) Don't know if the site is complete yet, but widgets is a broken link from the services menu.

Kudos:
1.) The site looks very good without css enabled (most don't bother with this)
2.) You used ul and li for your main navigation, thats awesome for search engine visibility.
3.) The navigation structure is easy to understand, and the page's don't have complex urls, this is great!
4.) I like the look, it has a good use of negative space and isn't distracting.
5.) Load time is very good, and it handles well across platforms and browsers.

Other suggestions:
Not many really. I would use more semantic tags in your html to define what the data is, this will improve your search ranking.

Things like:
use h1,h2,h3 for headings, this helps search engines build an outline of your pages content

use p tags for larger blocks of text, not divs
use span tags for inline text formatting like bolding and italics

Other than that, this is a lot nicer than some of the sites that come through here, good job!

*EDIT: Thats a very good price for such a technically sound web-site.
Also, what language are you using for the form?

 

[eslfish]

Looks good.

I'm not sure if this is open to suggestions/criticism but here goes:
1.) You're very close to having a valid site http://validator.w3.org/ only 4 errors on the home page all pretty easy to fix.
a.) The only reason I bring this up is because it seems like usability is important to you in looking at your code, you've already spent a decent amount of time on usability (conditional comments, fixes for png's on IE, etc...
2.) Why are there two search boxes?
3.) Don't know if the site is complete yet, but widgets is a broken link from the services menu.

Kudos:
1.) The site looks very good without css enabled (most don't bother with this)
2.) You used ul and li for your main navigation, thats awesome for search engine visibility.
3.) The navigation structure is easy to understand, and the page's don't have complex urls, this is great!
4.) I like the look, it has a good use of negative space and isn't distracting.
5.) Load time is very good, and it handles well across platforms and browsers.

Other suggestions:
Not many really. I would use more semantic tags in your html to define what the data is, this will improve your search ranking.

Things like:
use h1,h2,h3 for headings, this helps search engines build an outline of your pages content

use p tags for larger blocks of text, not divs
use span tags for inline text formatting like bolding and italics

Other than that, this is a lot nicer than some of the sites that come through here, good job!

*EDIT: Thats a very good price for such a technically sound web-site.
Also, what language are you using for the form?

Thanks for your input. Um, I use Drupal They have a forum module or something like that-that you can put in there. I know there are some semi-incomplete things on the site, You see, my client is a little weird when it comes to getting in contact with him. The reason why it says "Widgets" there is because I was showing him how to do a drop-down menu. And, IOOMPH is not even his domain. He said he'd call me like a week later after I made the site for him so he could give me his Go Daddy domain info. (he never did) I've been trying to contact him for the past few weeks, sadly he's always been out. I think his GO Daddy membership expired or something. Thats why I think he's using my sub test domain (IOOMPH) and he's directing his customers to that domain....(((because it has a .COM ,<grin>))) and for the form. It's just a module that Drupal gives you. So I don't have to really worry about any HTML writing OR anything like that. I also use 1 and 1 as my hosting. I used Linux hosting because it was the cheapest.

 

[burn1337]

....Wow... Now if you had coded the site by hand... I would say that, the price is reasonable... Being that you used some bullshit program... You basically screwed your client(or at least in my eyes)... I would do something like that, without using a program in the matter of a few hours(if that), and probably half the price... Now a content management system coupled with that, would be more worth the price...
Though it does look good, it saddens me that so many people would actually accept money from a project that was done up through a damn program... Though... Your hosting... I would suggest learn to host for yourself... Much cheaper if you ask me lol... I host with my own home server, Linux of course lol...

 

[tom-knox]

^
A
M
E
N

My thoughts exactly

 

[eslfish]

....Wow... Now if you had coded the site by hand... I would say that, the price is reasonable... Being that you used some bullshit program... You basically screwed your client(or at least in my eyes)... I would do something like that, without using a program in the matter of a few hours(if that), and probably half the price... Now a content management system coupled with that, would be more worth the price...
Though it does look good, it saddens me that so many people would actually accept money from a project that was done up through a damn program... Though... Your hosting... I would suggest learn to host for yourself... Much cheaper if you ask me lol... I host with my own home server, Linux of course lol...

It's not just a Bullshit program! Making websites w/ Drupal is time consuming...Did you check out Drupal.org?

 

[tom-knox]

No it aint. It's inefficient in the long run but really quick short term. Set up mySQL database, upload and unzip files, run install script, upload and unzip theme. Type up content. EASY.

You can't even call yourself a web designer.

 

[burn1337]

Tom I take it you would be an actual programmer?

Yes I did check out the site... Dude please you want to talk time consuming.... Check out my website http://newrealm.no-ip.info and still my site is no where near what I would like for it be and I have spent months working on it, what is up is the second draft, and I am in the works of my third... and it is all done by hand, no programs... Only a text editor..

Also as I said that site would take me maybe a few hours to do without the use of any program... So if that program is time consuming... Try actually doing the work and then we will talk ....

 

[tom-knox]

Yup i am a genuine hard working freelance web designer. I've used Drupal before but only when it's outright asked of me. The work i do takes actual knowledge. HTML DHTML XHTML CSS PHP etc. Installing a piece of webware and grabbing wad of $300 is a travesty in my mind. Not having a personal jab at eslfish here but I would never condone what's been done here, it's outside my ethics.

 

[burn1337]

I have only used Dream weaver once... I hated it, code was too sloppy, couldn't negate the design the way I wanted it... my neighbor uses NVU, which I would have to say, as for design programs it would be a better one... But still I think using programs to do anything in the sense of design or programming...I won't even use an environment for developing a program...
Personally I think this is absurd ... 300 bucks for something so stupid and small.. I mean my client I am doing a small website for his house so he can stop paying a bunch of monthly fees for some stupid ass profile type of site... 3 pages, and it is a content management system, with databased content... and I wouldn't even think about charging him 300 bucks... I am doing the project for 200.. and that is a time consuming project in comparison...