Comments please!

[Bo Aakerstrom]

For the third time...

I have redesigned my site (again), this time it validates.

Just wanted any opinions regarding the design before I continue working on it. There a quite a few pages to add.

I have had some problems uploading the pages, are there any applications better suited to this than Nvu? Even that piece of software we don't mention around here was easier to use in that respect!

Click here to take a look! (http://www.boaakerstrom.com)

[iamback]

For the third time...

I have redesigned my site (again), this time it validates.

Just wanted any opinions regarding the design before I continue working on it. There a quite a few pages to add.I'm afraid I liked the previous color scheme much better. The grey body text is already hard to read on the white background, the much lighter main headings are almost impossible to see! The grey items in the menu makes it look like they are "greyed out", in other words, disabled, rather than live links! Better to swap the orange and grey there so "Home" on the home page is grey (greyed out) and live links are orange. (But good that you do at least now make this distinction!) I remember in teh previous version you had links in the body text as well - did you "lose" them or are they now also grey and thus invisible?

Also the text on your logo has a dark grey background - and seemingly a thin lighter line along the top - I don't like how this contrasts with the black margin. Mabe the page margin could be the same dark grey instead of black?

[Bo Aakerstrom]

Help!

I checked that it looked as intended in Mozilla, FF, IE, AOL Explorer, but not in Opera!
Why are there no background images displaying in Opera? Was there something I should have done that I didn't!? I don't want to tear the rest of my hair out (wouldn't take long though - not much left...).

Regarding the colour scheme, I'm firmly ambivalent on that one...

[terrie]

I can barely see "Welcome to my homepage on the web", "who I am and what I do", "the gallery page" and "how to get in touch with me"...

The text is a bit light which makes is somewhat difficult to read but not as light as the headers...

On the Gallery page: "payed" should be "paid"--at least here in the US...'-}}

Viewing using Netscape 7.2, w2k...

Terrie

[iamback]

Help!

I checked that it looked as intended in Mozilla, FF, IE, AOL Explorer, but not in Opera!
Why are there no background images displaying in Opera? Was there something I should have done that I didn't!? I don't want to tear the rest of my hair out (wouldn't take long though - not much left...).

You are the only person seeing background images at all, because you have this: background-image: url(file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/BA/My%20Documents/web%20development/boaakerstrom/stripes.jpg); That points to a file on your machine which only you can see. ;-)

The grey page margin looks better, but I still see a difference between the very dark grey in your logo and the black block next to it. And what's that little diagonally striped block after the main headings? That makes it even harder to read since it's darker that the barely discernable text. Believe me on this: you need more contrast: you may be able to see it perfectly but not everyone is seeing through your eyes. And grey links aren't going to invite people to follow them since they look disabled. It may be artistic, but it isn't usable...

[Bo Aakerstrom]

I've tried to rectify this, but every time I attempt to upload Cascades ( Nvu's CSS editor) changes my style sheet to the path you referred to!

I've tried to upload the style sheet via the control panel at my hosting company, to no avail. I'll see if I can upload to HTML pages that way as well.

[Bo Aakerstrom]

That did it!

Apart from taking a very long time it finally works. And I still have hair left!

[terrie]

Your headers (welcome..., who..., etc) are still too faint but better given whatever it was you did...

Terrie

[Bo Aakerstrom]

Your headers (welcome..., who..., etc) are still too faint but better given whatever it was you did...

Terrie

I realise I need to do something about the headers, perhaps I got a little too arty there! Same with the links.

I'm also looking into something more useful instead of the gallery page, which really is basic.

Remember that prior to ditching NOF I didn't really know what a cascading style sheet was (or HTML, for that matter) I'm still learning, so when I know a bit more I can realise what I have in mind.

[iamback]

I realise I need to do something about the headers, perhaps I got a little too arty there! Same with the links.Since you're using a background image (yes, I see it now), I switched off images in the browser ;) - and of course the headings are still as barely readable then. You should make sure a page "works" when images are not loaded.

Come to that - I now also noted that the alt text of your logo is "Logotype" which is not equivalent to the image itself which is (mainly) text. Alt text should be able to replace the image content, so if it's an image-of-text the alt text should contain that same text.

Don't worry - you are learning - and fast, obviously.

[Bo Aakerstrom]

I'll do something about it in the morning, it's well past my bed time now.

What are the options regarding uploading the files? Using the control panel (if that's the right word) seemed a bit slow and clunky even if it worked.

[iamback]

What are the options regarding uploading the files? Using the control panel (if that's the right word) seemed a bit slow and clunky even if it worked.Depends on your hosting deal. Can you use FTP? If so, get a nice free or cheapo FTP client; it wil lbe faster and give you much more control. There are many but I am not the one to advice any single one since my tastes and requirements are somewhat advanced and I don't like any of the freebies anyway. But that doesn't mean they aren't good! So check if you can use FTP for uploading and someone will jump in with suggestions.

[Bo Aakerstrom]

Yes I can use FTP, the application doesn't have to be free, even if I like the sound of that...

[ktinkel]

For the third time...Okay.

The type is very tiny on my screen (Mac, LCD, 1920X1200). Because most of it also grey against a grey background, it is basically unreadable.

The top line, in white against grey, is readable, but barely (since the type is fairly large, I can pick out the words; but if you are using headlines to grab the reader’s attention, this one must fail).

You are obviously progessing. But as a fellow graphic designer, I must caution you to make sure your market can read your text clearly, without irritation, or all your exquisite taste is for naught! <g>

[ktinkel]

And I still have hair left!Ah — c’mon. Hair is over-rated! :)

[Bo Aakerstrom]

Ah — c’mon. Hair is over-rated! :)
My better half might have a different opinion on that issue! I am trying to convince her she married me for my personality...

[Bo Aakerstrom]

The type is very tiny on my screen (Mac, LCD, 1920X1200).

On my monitor (1024 x 768) it looks about right, size wise anyway.

I'll try something out in the morning.

[ktinkel]

On my monitor (1024 x 768) it looks about right, size wise anyway.

I'll try something out in the morning.How are you specifying type sizes? If you set type to be !00% (or 1.0 em), viewers will get whatever they have set in their browsers.

If you think most viewers have their type set too large, you can set font-size to 90 or 95 percent (.9 or .95em), but more than that you risk losing many readers. If you use px (or, god forbid, pt) you make it difficult or impossible for people using some browsers to increase the size so it is readable.

It is frustrating for a graphic designer to realize that the web is variable, and must be so. We cannot control every aspect of the viewing experience because we don’t have control of browsers, monitor sizes/resolutions, and preferences.

If you have white type on grey, you have no idea how that grey looks to others. If you set type at any size below 100% (1em) you have no idea how small that will be on others’ screens.

Frustrating, for sure. The safest thing is to preview your pages on many different setups, both Mac and PC.

[ktinkel]

My better half might have a different opinion on that issue! I am trying to convince her she married me for my personality...I am quite sure she did. Hair being the way it is, and all! <g>

[Richard Waller]

You might like to consider having your name, phone, and street address at the bottom of the homepage. In fact the contact page would cause you less hassle if you used a form instead. As it is your Email address will attract spam.

And I agree with others - light grey text on light grey is indeed hard to read.

[iamback]

My better half might have a different opinion on that issue! I am trying to convince her she married me for my personality...She didn't? <duck/>

[Bo Aakerstrom]

Just had a look at my site on my neighbours 15" TFT monitor and realised what you all were commenting about!

All the colour and contrast I'm enjoying on my olde CRT monitor was gone. Even this forum looked a bit washed out as well.

I suspect that if you had a greyscale from black to white, you would only see black or very dark grey and the rest would be, well, white.

Does anyone know where I could find out the differences in performance between CRT, TFT and LCD monitors?

[terrie]

bo: I didn't really know what a cascading style sheet was (or HTML, for that matter) I'm still learning, so when I know a bit more I can realise what I have in mind.You're being quite brave as I've still not done any work with CSS...

I used to hand code all my pages on my cserve web space but when I got my [/url]my [url="http://tlbtlb.com/"]own domain (http://tlbtlb.com/) I started using GoLive5 and haven't gotten around to learning CSS...

If I can ever get around to installing CS2, I'll take a look at recoding my site using CSS...

Terrie

[terrie]

bo: Just had a look at my site on my neighbours 15" TFT monitor and realised what you all were commenting about!I'm using a 19" CRT (NEC Multisync FP955) so it's not just the difference between an LCD and a CRT...

Terrie

[Bo Aakerstrom]

I'm using a 19" CRT (NEC Multisync FP955) so it's not just the difference between an LCD and a CRT...

Terrie

Perhaps it is my IBM P76 (with a Sony Triniton Tube) that's a bit darker than it should be then. I've never calibrated it, I guess I just got used to what it looks like on screen.

I usually don't get disappointed when things comes back from the printers!

[iamback]

I'm using a 19" CRT (NEC Multisync FP955) so it's not just the difference between an LCD and a CRT...Indeed. I'm using a 19" Iiyama CRT - although aging - but it tends to be too dark rather than too light.

[dthomsen8]

Punctuation: Regards should always be followed by a comma.

British: "bestoke design" would be "custom design" to Americans and maybe others. Perhaps the Brits will say otherwise, though.

The type has to be larger and darker. I can read it, but I don't like it as is.

[Michael Rowley]

Bo:

'opinions regarding the design'

I can't give you any, but somewhere in your content you should have your VAT number; I believe it is a requirement under an EC directive that has been implemented by the UK. Perhaps HMRC site tells you the details.

[Bo Aakerstrom]

somewhere in your content you should have your VAT number

If you are VAT registered, which you must be if your turnover is above £60,000.00 in the last 12 month period. Applies to sole traders and companies alike.

I'm still a bit short of that...

Here at the VAT man's site (http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_FAQs&propertyType=document&columns=1&id=HMCE_PROD_008650#P25_1890) you can find out more than you want to know about VAT! Click on "Do I have to register for VAT?".