Looking for an opinion of sorts...

[Grobulous]

Hi... umm... I'm not really sure if this is the best place on here to post this, but I want an opinion on my website...

So, I am currently redesigning my website (due to be relaunched in 2007) completely from scratch, trying to make it look and work good. I really want it to have maximum user-friendliness, and be attractive to any artists that might stumble across its path. so, I have been using these forums over the last one or two weeks to figure out some little problems, and I think I got the hang of it. so, I really like this design myself, but I want you to tell me what you think of it. I want suggestions, criticisms, compliments, anything that could help me improve this design. So, here it is. and example of how an all text content page will look, and a link to my current website.

http://www.sabukudo.com/sk2/septemberedition/ <-- my design that I want an opinion on
http://www.sabukudo.com/index.php <-- my original website (no opinion on design please), just to show what it's about

so... any comments?

[mark87]

It looks pretty good, nice colour scheme.

My first impressions were that it needed a border to seperate the container more from the background, more padding, and the sidebar to have a right margin.

After those small changes I think it'll look near-enough spot on! :thumbsup:

http://www.markaylward.co.uk/blogimages/sabukudo.thumb.PNG (http://www.markaylward.co.uk/blogimages/sabukudo.PNG)

[Grobulous]

Yeah, I think you're right. I'll add a border to the right side of the side panel, and the padding is a bit much on yours, in my opinion. so, I guess I'll make those changes now.

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err... when I make the right margin of the side panel 10 pixels, the main content div gets pushed down in IE. when I make the right margin 5 pixels in IE, it displays correctly, but in Firefox, it displays like it is 5 pixels. so... what did I do wrong?

[mark87]

It might be the double-margin IE bug, try adding display: inline; to the sidebar (haven't tested).

[Grobulous]

will do. I'll try it in a while.

hey cool, thanks! that actually worked! Can someone test it on some other browsers to make sure it works correctly?

...

Also, when I make the index page, I want a way to show the newest content in each of the four categories (film, comic, art, story), like maybe just a thumbnail and the title. But I don't really know how to make it work. on my old index page (http://www.sabukudo.com), I have new stuff displaying as marquee text. any suggestions?

[Grobulous]

umm... the first link is what I want an opinion on. It is a huge update of the second link. When you say you have seen both of the links, what do you mean? The side panel I wrote and css coded by hand, it is completely original. The horizontal navigation was created using only an example of css that I needed to make it display horizontally, I finished it myself. so all of the links are completely original. And I guess I could use images. maybe a few gradients here and there. my original website (the second link) was supposed to be kind of simple, yet goot looking. I wanted it to load fast. on my newer version (the first link; what I want an opinion on) I wanted it to load fairly quickly and not be image dependent.

about the white text on grey and black - I did not really want an opinion on that one, but I actually think it is easier on the eyes and easier to read, and many people have agreed with me. The only reason I decided to switch to black on white was because it gave the website a more contemporary feel, seeing as many very new (and especially old) websites are like that.

And when you say main page title, what do you mean? If you are talking about the <title>Untitled Document</title> then I have yet to change that simply because I felt like it.

But thanks anyways. Also, if you feel that this post is intimidating, then I am truly sorry. It is not meant to be that way. I am just trying to clear up some confusion that may be here.

........

Wait. I just got what you meant by "[you] have seen both the links." you looked at both of the links that I posted. alright. that's cool. thanks for you opinion guys. :)

[Grobulous]

yeah... you know what, I think I may have been somewhat attack-y. I am sorry for this. Thank you for your opinions, both of you.