COMMENTS PLEASE !

[houtslager]

well finally Mark 2 is now online, after checking in Firefox and IE 6 I could not see any probs.
But like many new fathers I am blind to any small problems

So, please could some of you kind people check my "new" site over.

Ta much Karl aka HS

 

[SketchUp Guru]

I like it. It all works fine. I'd like to see more pictures and better quality ones at that. I'm guessing by the appearnace of some of the images, they are scans of prints? As you build more stuff you can replace the images with newer, higher quality stuff.

 

[BrianD]

So if you showed the URL in your post maybe several of us can look at the site? No?

 

[wizer]

So if you showed the URL in your post maybe several of us can look at the site? No?

click the WWW icon in his signature.

I like it, much more improved

 

[Pete W]

So if you showed the URL in your post maybe several of us can look at the site? No?

Brian, at the foot of the post you'll see a bunch of icons marked 'profile' 'email' etc. Click on the 'www' one and you should go straight to the website.

edit: Oops! Wizer overtook me when I wasn't looking!

 

[houtslager]

DaveR wrote

'd like to see more pictures and better quality ones at that. I'm guessing by the appearnace of some of the images, they are scans of prints? As you build more stuff you can replace the images with newer, higher quality stuff.

Yep got it in one there Dave , sorry to say like many others here I don't always have a digi cam with me due to it being an antique sony mavica FD91 so not too many pics of my pieces. Just some photos sent to me by the clients, for which I am gratefull.

Over the next few weeks there are a couple more features I'd like to add to the site.
1. a counter for visitors the freebies are imho cr*p
2. a blog page where I can upload WIP piccies and a comment column for visitors.
Still got no clue as how to do that - any ideas people please PM me with the relevent method.

For those interested the site was made with SERIF WEB PLUS ver 9

Thank you for your kind words people, it gives me hope to progress, but first I got to move 120 straw bales for my " new" termpory workshop walls.

 

[mr]

HI
Have looked through your site using firefox 2.0 on Linux platform, screen res 1600 x 1280, some comments,
Your "about me" page the flyout tells me what languages it's available in but theres no indication that an English lang page is available. I found it by accident. When I did find it the last line of the text overruns the bounding box.

I have the same problem with the design ethos page.

Your menu Im afraid just plain doesnt work for me once I get off the front page. The only way for me to see the other pages is to hit the back button and then go from the home page menu again. Even on the front page it's very fiddly to use

I know my screen res is high but I can use it comfortably at arms length from the monitor, I cant however read your contact info without resizing your text 3 or 4 times by which time of course your layout is broken.

Sorry to sound so negative, but the site is failing to function for me rather than fall down on design merit if you follow.

FOr blogging you could look at textpad, its quite simple to use from what Ive seen and gives a nice end result.

cheers Mike

 

[LyNx]

houtslager, the only thing the bugs me about this site is the naviagation. I think fixed links on the side is alot better than the fly outs that your using.

 

[promhandicam]

I'd have to agree about the navigation - not very intuitive as to how to get about. Also on the flyout buttons on my computer running Firefox are a rather bright shade of pink 8) - it doesn't really go with the rest of the layout. Perhaps you could try using Tahoma or Verdana fonts which are generally clearer to read. All the best, Steve

 

[CYC]

Using Firefox, the menu doesn't work well. It most of the time doesn't stay open.

 

[ByronBlack]

Navigation definitly needs looking at, it's not at all accessible or useable.

I would go for either a row of tabs across the top, or a column of links down the left, this would be much easier to use, roll-out navigation menus are notoriously difficult to use, espeically those who use trackpads.

I would also make your images load in the same window instead of loading up a new window. It's just a pain in the rear end having to keep closing down windows when needing to look at the next image - again, really not useable and espeically not when working with a small screen.

 

[mailee]

Yep afraid I have to go with Byron on this one. I hate new windows and having to close them down not to mention your roll out navigation. Simpler is better here I think IMHO. :wink:

 

[houtslager]

OK, a final tweak and some new photos.

Please let me know if it works better in IE6, sorry if it does not as I have now downloaded IE 7 and it works ok in that.
I have changed the fonts and sizing so, it should look cleaner, well I think it does

Due to some comments here and PM's I have changed the layout too, with most links opening in the same window, if some don't, pm me as I think I may have forgot a couple

thanks for looking and even more for constructive comments.

HS

 

[PowerTool]

Speaking as a bit of a Luddite with computers (if I get stuck with them,I have to ask my son ),it's definitely better.I can navigate around the site easily,and end up where I intended to.

Nice work (the site and the woodwork)

Andrew

 

[Sailor]

Hi,

MUCH better than original.
The only thing I would suggest, is that when a viewer clicks on a picture, it opens in a pop-up,(preferably,) or in a new window. At present, you have to use the back button to get back to the page.

A minor criticism which shouldn't detract from what is some quality work.


HTH,


Colin

 

[dedee]

HS,
its looking a lot better, I like it.

From a personal preference I would prefer to see the same font used thoughout. This is noticeable in the Portfolio area each section appears to be in either a different style or size.

Andy