Hey guys check this out

[Rich]

Here's my NEW website, it shows some of the things we are making. Please tell me what you think. Honest opinions wanted.

Rich

[Unisaw A100]

Honestly? Get rid of the text that follows the pointer around. It's lost it's whole gizmosity gleam and pretty much is just plain annoying.

Sorry, couldn't get past the text following the pointer so I can't comment on anything else.

UA100, who wonders, Web page designers dorks, what would a car look like if they designed it?...

[Michael Latcha]

Overall layout is good, pages load fast and are relatively attractive in color scheme. Not sure what the blue globe is for, but I'm sure you do and that's what's important...

I agree with UA100, lose the mouse trail. Yours doesn't work correctly - it resizes the page as the text floats off the right side.

The menu choices on the left are too small and, other then placement and text, are not obviously a menu. Style them differently to make this more obvious.

Your products page needs to be more consistent in layout... dollar signs, for example, on every price, and perhaps even identifying what kind of dollars they are, since this is a global medium.

Please, please don't ever use the words "under construction." I know you want people to cut you some slack and come back when you have had the chance to get things up and working, but if the site, or a page (or a portion of a page), isn't ready for people to see, then don't display it. If you get back to it and add more stuff later, then do that, but don't advertise the fact that you are putting out an unfinished piece of work.

Michael Latcha - at home in Redford, MI

[Han]

"Michael Latcha" wrote in news:B3m_b.17942$ [e-mail]:

I agree, but was wondering at first what the hullabaloo was about. Those f'ing mousetrails don't show in Mozilla Firebird.

Alos fix the word "xouple". It should be couple, and looks very unprofessional.

[LRod]

Do you have a mouse in your pocket? What's with all of this "we" and "our"? That's one of my pet peeves in websites. Unless, of course, you'all are a multi employee conglomorate. But an even worse error is when you mix cases, in the same paragraph:

We have just started in this trade so things are slow right now. We are building our shop tool by tool. I have enjoyed working with wood for a loooong time and am now getting into making things other than home additions. After the project idea comes to mind I design then build. after I feel it is a worthy enough item I send it upstairs to our painter, she enjoys painting and works diligently until the item is perfect. Then it's back down to the shop for poly and drying."

Either use third person consistently (yecchh) or use first person only except when describing actual other persons, like your painter.

Want to make things easy for your viewers? There are certain principles in graphic arts that you should consider implementing. Headline text in san serif typefaces (like Arial or Universal). Body text in serif typefaces (like Times New Roman or Garamond). Serif typefaces are easier to read.

There is something about the color combinations (or your background graphic) that gives a fuzzy appearance to the text. Thirty year old eyes may not have a problem, but these 58 year old eyes do.

Take a look at this website for some things to avoid:

sure and check out the links at the bottom of the page for some more. These are extremely useful links containing things to keep in mind for all of your web design work.

- - LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

[Mike Patterson]

picture that is captioned "Here is a picture of our shop.

Hey, that's not a shop, that's a door!

Good luck on your venture.

Mike Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me.

[Anthony Diodati]

[Rich]

Well Dang, I asked for it, But alas you are right. I will get in there and fix the problems this week. I will most definately get rid of the mouse trails and fix sp errors today. As for the US and Ours and We. it is three of usa builder, thats me, a painter and assembler and an accountant. For the funny part, the painter and assembler is a DR. of Analytical Chemistry. I think I will let her do all the web site work!

Thanks for the ideas and really telling me the truth, I do want to get rid of or fix things that make the site boring or obnoxiouos to look at

Thanks

Rich

[JLucas ILS]

I agree with the others. In fact, you dont have a website yet ...at least one that want to expose to the public. That may be a good start and the framework, but it is the meat that will get people to act.

[WilleeCue]

I agree. This is not as bad as that damm clock thing on other web sites, but it does get old after a very short time and distracts from the page. Have you had any success selling your products? They look realy nice but it is a tough market.

William Lee

[Rich]

It's not yet been published to Google or anything yet. Just a work in progress that I wanted to get some opinions on sa far. I have made some changes already. Hope its getting better

Rich

[Rich]

Another thing you should know is that all the items you see on the website were made with hand tools. I just recently got the TS and Scroll saw. What I think I am saying is that the projects will get better looking.

Rich

[Bob Davis]

Rich,

I can make these suggestions

1. Put in a menu that's meaningful and tells what you've got. I don't want to go hunting and pecking through "products" and "more products".

1. Way too much text and too tiny. Is this a commercial site or a family album? I couldn't tell what your aim is. Don't combine the two objectives.

Bob

[Bob Davis]

I think the products already look interesting and show a lot of creativity. You need to improve your photographs to show them off better. Learn to use thumbnails such that you can click on the picture to see a high quality larger version of the picture. Include several views. Its frustrating to see a small photo and want to look closer, but cannot see it. Its tough to sell over the internet. To have a fighting chance you have to show as much of the object as you can. Lose the flash for your pictures. Take them outside to get daylight photos, but don't put them in direct sunlight (avoid shadows).

Lastly, if you are serious about the website, get yourself a domain name. The website address screams " I cheaped out and I'll only be in business for a little while". I can recommend a web hosting service that includes a free domain name registration for $44/year. I have two websites with them. Write me email, if you need the recommendation. I have no personal affiliation.

Bob

[Charlie Self]

Rich asks:

and try again.

Charlie Self "Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin

[Gerald Ross]

I like the site. No complaints. I don't know where you are, but around here the grey squirrels will gnaw the openings of bird houses and feeders so they can explore inside. I prevent this on mine by taking a 3 inch square of copper and cutting the same diameter hole as the birdhouse door and fastening it on with brass nails. Just a thought.

[Rich]

Good Idea, I will start implementing it soon. Thanks for the thought.

Rich

[Mike Patterson]

Very funny Rich, very funny... :-p

Mike Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me.

[gandalf]

------------- I was about as startled as Custer must have been when the music kicked in. Personally I don't like music on a website unless I ask it to play music. But if you must use it then at least give the reader the means to shut it up.

Also, it crashed my browser (Netscape 7.0) twice, in different places. The 1st time was when going to the 'About Us' page (the Q-time whatever it was bombed) and the 2cnd time was when going from the 'Birdhouses' to the 'Home' page. No idea why that was, I tried again and it worked OK.

There a zillions of website templates you can acquire cheaply (ebay for instance) they may give you some more ideas and may even save you some time.

[Rich]

I will add a music cancellation button. Sorry bout the layout but what you see is what I get from Verizon. I am limited as I am not going to pay any more for using the internet. It's expensive enough.And well I work for Untied Airlines, Nuff said! I thank you for your comments and am working with your ideas and suggestions to make it and enjoyable site with the resources that I have Thanks again Rich