Website feedback?
Discussion
As I mentioned on the Business forum, I've decided to throw my hat in the [url]web design|http://www.ninezerodesign.com[/url] ring as a bit of a sideline...
I've been tinkering with my personal site - bensaunders.com - for years and it's won a few awards recently.
Seeing as I'm currently skint (and pouring my own money into the next expedition at an alarming rate) I've been wondering if I can capitalise on this new-found geeky streak.
Any criticism on the site would be gratefully received (as would any business, naturally ;)) - please pick as many holes in it as you can.
Cheers
Ben
I've been tinkering with my personal site - bensaunders.com - for years and it's won a few awards recently.
Seeing as I'm currently skint (and pouring my own money into the next expedition at an alarming rate) I've been wondering if I can capitalise on this new-found geeky streak.
Any criticism on the site would be gratefully received (as would any business, naturally ;)) - please pick as many holes in it as you can.
Cheers
Ben
Speedy Hosting 
For me, the design is clean and crisp, but at 1920x1200 its a little small in the centre of the screen.
also, whilst honesty is a good policy, stating that its 'just something you do for pocket money' might deter some larger contracts / clients who may take this to mean you wont / dont care so much about it / them.
I love the images, but then I always did go for the surreal / quirky
GL with it.
J
For me, the design is clean and crisp, but at 1920x1200 its a little small in the centre of the screen.
also, whilst honesty is a good policy, stating that its 'just something you do for pocket money' might deter some larger contracts / clients who may take this to mean you wont / dont care so much about it / them.
I love the images, but then I always did go for the surreal / quirky
GL with it.
J
Nice - clean and crisp, as you say. 
On a personal note, I don't like the mouse over colours for links - there's no need to invert the text colours, to my mind. If you really must let the user know they're over a link, I'd change the colour of the text, rather than the background.
Just my 2p.
Edited to add: it's personal preference again, but I'd open up any links that take you away from your site in new windows.
Dan
>> Edited by DanL on Tuesday 2nd August 16:38
On a personal note, I don't like the mouse over colours for links - there's no need to invert the text colours, to my mind. If you really must let the user know they're over a link, I'd change the colour of the text, rather than the background. Just my 2p.
Edited to add: it's personal preference again, but I'd open up any links that take you away from your site in new windows.
Dan
>> Edited by DanL on Tuesday 2nd August 16:38
I've gone off opening links in new windows -
"Opening up new browser windows is like a vacuum cleaner sales person who starts a visit by emptying an ash tray on the customer's carpet. Don't pollute my screen with any more windows, thanks (particularly since current operating systems have miserable window management). If I want a new window, I will open it myself!
Designers open new browser windows on the theory that it keeps users on their site. But even disregarding the user-hostile message implied in taking over the user's machine, the strategy is self-defeating since it disables the Back button which is the normal way users return to previous sites. Users often don't notice that a new window has opened, especially if they are using a small monitor where the windows are maximized to fill up the screen. So a user who tries to return to the origin will be confused by a grayed out Back button."
www.useit.com/alertbox/990530.html
edit: I might change the link colours, though - cheers
>> Edited by polar_ben on Tuesday 2nd August 16:47
"Opening up new browser windows is like a vacuum cleaner sales person who starts a visit by emptying an ash tray on the customer's carpet. Don't pollute my screen with any more windows, thanks (particularly since current operating systems have miserable window management). If I want a new window, I will open it myself!
Designers open new browser windows on the theory that it keeps users on their site. But even disregarding the user-hostile message implied in taking over the user's machine, the strategy is self-defeating since it disables the Back button which is the normal way users return to previous sites. Users often don't notice that a new window has opened, especially if they are using a small monitor where the windows are maximized to fill up the screen. So a user who tries to return to the origin will be confused by a grayed out Back button."
www.useit.com/alertbox/990530.html
edit: I might change the link colours, though - cheers
>> Edited by polar_ben on Tuesday 2nd August 16:47
Love the design, I think minimalist (including use of colours) is just right.
There is one thing I would say, and it's certainly not a big one. On the homepage, the contact details are not visible, you have to scroll down to see them. Not sure how you could overcome this without reducing the size of the banner. Overall really really nice design tho. A+.
There is one thing I would say, and it's certainly not a big one. On the homepage, the contact details are not visible, you have to scroll down to see them. Not sure how you could overcome this without reducing the size of the banner. Overall really really nice design tho. A+.
_dobbo_ said:Yep
Out of interest, do you write your code by hand?
(TextWrangler on 15" Powerbook running Tiger - www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/index.shtml)
victormeldrew said:
Out of interest, do you write your code by hand?
What, with a pen? Or a quill? Or chiselled into stone tablets? Please, not more "I'm a real coder" nonsense. What does it matter if it works?
Not sure how you got from my question to this!
I was merely asking as I thought the site looked to good to have been done any way other than by hand.
However feel free to do your "I don't believe it" rant like your namesake, if it pleases you to do so.
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