Looking for input on my site (exciting stuff here)...
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- JAB Creations
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- Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:44 pm
- Location: Sarasota Florida
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Looking for input on my site (exciting stuff here)...
I've been working on my site since 1998 and I've just completed the second preview of the 28th version of my site.
I'm looking for input about what people like, don't like, what people would like to see, and help me find anything that does not work clientside.
My preview is...
- XHTML 1.1 served as application/xhtml+xml except where not supported (in which case XHTML 1.0 Strict as text/html)
- Tableless layout, no console errors for XHTML, CSS, or JavaScript on any and all the Windows browsers I've tested.
- Passes any and all validators I've thrown at it including WAI AAA compliancy.
- Completely modularized JavaScript, allows me to add additional DHTML libraries in the future without any conflict or console errors.
- My site uses browser patching and so I've patched Opera 3+, IE 4+, Konqueror, and Gecko 1.7 and earlier.
- Site works good enough to navigate in Opera 4+, IE 5+, all Gecko, Konqueror.
- My site makes use of proprietary features and CSS3 where supported and served only to supporting browsers.
A couple interesting notes...
1.) My site compared between IE6 and Konqueror puts the KHTML rendering engine to shame as far as the browsers ability to support stuff (was not intended but interesting). Both require browser patching though when removed KHTML is superior as the page (while the text-size is bloated) layout remains mostly in tact.
2.) There are some interesting issues with very specific versions of Opera that I am aware of and actively pursuing (such as prompts (layers) not correctly opening in Opera 9.2 but working fine in 9.1.)
Things to keep in mind that you can do to manipulate the site and see what a difference some of the stuff does...
1.) In older browsers that do not support JavaScript, layers, etc you can manually enable and disable stuff by adding ?browserpatch=0 and you can enable browser patch again by adding ?browserpatch=1. Be sure you remove any ampersands from the end of the URL when doing so (since you may be doing this manually).
2.) Keep in mind my site is intended to be cutting edge so I'm not avoiding things that one might not do with a business site for example. In a way you can look at this like you look at Acid2 only this will eventually become my live site which is just over one year old by comparison.
3.) The site is not yet humanized...so to see some of the cool stuff you have to work with it manually. For example I have a URI catcher for errors, both invalid values for valid properties (index.php?audio=5) and invalid properties too (index.php?error).
The following link will automatically enable DHTML though it will hardly add more then a negligible wait to those on dialup at this point in time...
http://www.jabcreations.net/index.php?d ... ine=jquery
Remember so far compared to my main site (http://www.jabcreations.com/) I've been working on cross browser compatibility and additional functions. One thing on the personal toolbar (on the right sidebar) the themes menu, does technically work however where PHP would serve the other themes currently only serves classic (though all all other related functions still work correctly).
I'm interested in any criticisms people have but if you don't like something please reply with tact. Thanks!
I'm looking for input about what people like, don't like, what people would like to see, and help me find anything that does not work clientside.
My preview is...
- XHTML 1.1 served as application/xhtml+xml except where not supported (in which case XHTML 1.0 Strict as text/html)
- Tableless layout, no console errors for XHTML, CSS, or JavaScript on any and all the Windows browsers I've tested.
- Passes any and all validators I've thrown at it including WAI AAA compliancy.
- Completely modularized JavaScript, allows me to add additional DHTML libraries in the future without any conflict or console errors.
- My site uses browser patching and so I've patched Opera 3+, IE 4+, Konqueror, and Gecko 1.7 and earlier.
- Site works good enough to navigate in Opera 4+, IE 5+, all Gecko, Konqueror.
- My site makes use of proprietary features and CSS3 where supported and served only to supporting browsers.
A couple interesting notes...
1.) My site compared between IE6 and Konqueror puts the KHTML rendering engine to shame as far as the browsers ability to support stuff (was not intended but interesting). Both require browser patching though when removed KHTML is superior as the page (while the text-size is bloated) layout remains mostly in tact.
2.) There are some interesting issues with very specific versions of Opera that I am aware of and actively pursuing (such as prompts (layers) not correctly opening in Opera 9.2 but working fine in 9.1.)
Things to keep in mind that you can do to manipulate the site and see what a difference some of the stuff does...
1.) In older browsers that do not support JavaScript, layers, etc you can manually enable and disable stuff by adding ?browserpatch=0 and you can enable browser patch again by adding ?browserpatch=1. Be sure you remove any ampersands from the end of the URL when doing so (since you may be doing this manually).
2.) Keep in mind my site is intended to be cutting edge so I'm not avoiding things that one might not do with a business site for example. In a way you can look at this like you look at Acid2 only this will eventually become my live site which is just over one year old by comparison.
3.) The site is not yet humanized...so to see some of the cool stuff you have to work with it manually. For example I have a URI catcher for errors, both invalid values for valid properties (index.php?audio=5) and invalid properties too (index.php?error).
The following link will automatically enable DHTML though it will hardly add more then a negligible wait to those on dialup at this point in time...
http://www.jabcreations.net/index.php?d ... ine=jquery
Remember so far compared to my main site (http://www.jabcreations.com/) I've been working on cross browser compatibility and additional functions. One thing on the personal toolbar (on the right sidebar) the themes menu, does technically work however where PHP would serve the other themes currently only serves classic (though all all other related functions still work correctly).
I'm interested in any criticisms people have but if you don't like something please reply with tact. Thanks!
Couple of things
1 - ditch the browser sniffing
2 - ditch the popups teling me I need to enable javascript. I prefer to decide that myself
3 - remove splash page
4 - remove sounds, unless it's triggered by a button and the button tells me a sound will start to play
last but not least:
5 - remove ALL colors, replace with:
I'm sure this will improve your visitors experience with 300% 
Good luck.
1 - ditch the browser sniffing
2 - ditch the popups teling me I need to enable javascript. I prefer to decide that myself
3 - remove splash page
4 - remove sounds, unless it's triggered by a button and the button tells me a sound will start to play
last but not least:
5 - remove ALL colors, replace with:
Code: Select all
body {background:#fff;color:#333;}
h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,p,ul,ol {margin:1em;}
Good luck.
- CoderGoblin
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Sorry to be negative, went and left. Too much information on screen and no distinction what you have to do next. Far better if you insist on a "splash" to simply hide the main content so people know what they are doing. Either that or bring the "splash" forward graphically in some way. Personally I hate a black background and I think this is what caused me to leave.
- JAB Creations
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Quick to judge and always negative, such criticism is not only useless but highly unappreciated.
There is not too much information, in fact content, a sidebar, and a menu hardly count as information overflow compared to most sites online. Additionally the sidebar can be hidden: obviously no one bothered to really look at the page past, the first header.
I posted specifically about the functionality of the personal toolbar which includes a theme changer. While there aren't other themes available there were only criticisms about the classic theme and no suggestions to add a theme with certain colors. Additionally there will be the ability to add custom CSS (which is already posted in the personal toolbar). So again this was another point that was obviously overlooked. This thread was a waste of time.
There is not too much information, in fact content, a sidebar, and a menu hardly count as information overflow compared to most sites online. Additionally the sidebar can be hidden: obviously no one bothered to really look at the page past, the first header.
I posted specifically about the functionality of the personal toolbar which includes a theme changer. While there aren't other themes available there were only criticisms about the classic theme and no suggestions to add a theme with certain colors. Additionally there will be the ability to add custom CSS (which is already posted in the personal toolbar). So again this was another point that was obviously overlooked. This thread was a waste of time.
I thought their feedback was spot on. I completely agree with everybody else. Since it's a personal site, it's not such a big deal, but if you are looking to grab a user's attention and keep it, your site isn't going to do that. I've been there several times and I never get past opening and closing a few of your boxes. It's just too busy.
Also, there seems to be a lot of functionality that essentially does nothing. Nobody is here to insult you. You asked for feedback, and you got it.
Also, there seems to be a lot of functionality that essentially does nothing. Nobody is here to insult you. You asked for feedback, and you got it.
- JAB Creations
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- Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:44 pm
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It's a second preview, not a finished product and by my standards at least half a year from completion. People haven't bothered to read anything and if the styling isn't to their liking there are plenty of tools such as Opera's Author/User Modes, Web Developer's ability to remove styling, and of course every browser's ability to override CSS. But that isn't the point.
I was seeking input not in regards to design but the function. Not all functionality is there of course though it's a base for now. I have not yet humanized it obviously and am completely aware of that. Matt and Goblin have some good input and it's currently my goal to present the future ability to manipulate the site to do such things but that again is not the point of the current review.
I was seeking input not in regards to design but the function. Not all functionality is there of course though it's a base for now. I have not yet humanized it obviously and am completely aware of that. Matt and Goblin have some good input and it's currently my goal to present the future ability to manipulate the site to do such things but that again is not the point of the current review.
Why should I the user have to change you the developer's css? It should be usable/accessible without modification.... if the styling isn't to their liking there are plenty of tools such as Opera's Author/User Modes ...
Then perhaps you should have said that instead of:I was seeking input not in regards to design but the function
As far as function, it seems you have put a lot of work into this, and you've done a good job, but it just seems that the majority of it is done, "just to do it" if you know what I mean.... I'm interested in any criticisms people have ...
- JAB Creations
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- Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 6:44 pm
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Why should non-savvy users, the most important target audience to benefit everyone in general (forcing competition that is) who don't know how to access browser features in Firefox not have nice friendly icons with text labels because the developers are too lazy to either have a choice available when they obviously and could quickly make Firefox unusably minimalistic? Again the point of additional themes and again since I still have to port already existing stuff from my site I am not going to develop multiple themes simultaneously...thus any input in regards to styling isn't of any concern to me right now.Why should I the user have to change you the developer's css? It should be usable/accessible without modification.
No, the functions aren't done done. They work well enough but aren't a finished polished product. For example one criticism I thought and completely agreed with was that the DHTML library selector should have the links to the external sites moved elsewhere as they were positioned in a way that one would think they were the choose anchors. That is the type of input I'm looking for.
Here is another type of input, what would be a stylish method for toggling on and off the sidebar that is unobtrusive yet makes it's option obvious? Such as an X image that highlights the whole sidebar when the mouse is moved over it?
- CoderGoblin
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- Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2004 10:03 am
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Whilst this was indeed pointed out, if the site "looked good" and didn't give me sensory overload I would have taken more time to investigate. As it is one look and I "switched off". The first impression is always the most important. If you ask people to review a site with a link ensure it is the "best looking" to draw them in. Remember we are looking at this in our spare time, you are not paying us to review this. It is the same with topics on this forum, sensible questions which draw us in get more sensible answers.JAB Creations wrote: obviously no one bothered to really look at the page past, the first header.