Take the plunge

simmo · 12-02-2005, 04:40 AM

Hi

Please be gentle. I built this site through trial and error for my fly fishing club and really enjoyed doing it. I have had no training and have just plugged away at it. My wife suggested joining a forum to get some feed back, so here I am

http://www.soldierpalmers.co.uk

any constructive help would be much apprieciated.

StudioWorks · 12-02-2005, 04:54 AM

I can see you had no training before and knowing that u had no training i think you did a preety good job.. it just looks a little tooooo green.

SW

.X. · 12-02-2005, 05:40 AM

I think you did a nice job for your first try,The colors are nice,The navigation bar is nice.Great effort and well done.

Rowan W · 12-02-2005, 06:27 AM

One reason why it takes so long to load is probably because of this image:

http://www.soldierpalmers.co.uk/Imag...exintphoto.png

That's a 285KB file, which is approximately 19 times larger than I would expect from an image of those dimensions. Save it as a JPG instead of PNG. JPGs are best suited for full detail photographs (like yours), PNGs should only be used on pictures with very few colours.

If you download the www.GIMP.org you can save the image as a JPG and then choose the amount of compression, try and get it below 20KB without any loss in detail.

Also, there are two seperate navigation images, big no-no. This means we're loading two different images (100KB each - too high) which are both almost identical. You should only use one image, if any, and keep the navigation exactly the same on every page.

simmo · 12-02-2005, 08:25 AM

Thanks for the comments most helpful, Rowan I don't understand what you mean by this "Also, there are two seperate navigation images, big no-no. This means we're loading two different images (100KB each - too high) which are both almost identical. You should only use one image, if any, and keep the navigation exactly the same on every page." Could you elaborate please?

gamehouse · 12-02-2005, 08:45 AM

Probably this is what he means:
If you go here: http://www.soldierpalmers.co.uk/index.htm
and then here: http://www.soldierpalmers.co.uk/articles/articles.htm
The navigation changes both in images and position. You may have to make them similar and position them similar.

Personally I did not like the idea when I click on some navigation items, the pages open in a new page.

my 2 cents

simmo · 12-02-2005, 08:51 AM

Thanks I understand now. The reason some of the links open in a diffrent browser is I have used templates for the gallery for example. So I don't have the skill to add a back button to these types of pages.

gamehouse · 12-02-2005, 09:25 AM

If you are serious to build a nice site but use a template instead of building one from scratch, I suggest to go to www.oswd.org

They have some nice templates and they are CSS based. A bit difficult to start with, but what nice templates they have. They also validate standards.

Good luck.

gamehouse

Lyte · 12-02-2005, 10:52 AM

I like it!

I don't normally dig darks sites with white lettering but you're works. The green is not SO dark that it makes me "Ack!"

I like the logo too... way cute!

Good job!

Lyte

I gonna have to get my greatfishingholes.com up and running so we can exchange links! I don't fish much these days but it's sure fun!

Quote:

Originally Posted by simmo

Thanks I understand now. The reason some of the links open in a diffrent browser is I have used templates for the gallery for example. So I don't have the skill to add a back button to these types of pages.

I wondered 'bout that... it can be a little distracting to have a new browser open up but it's not a terrible thing!

Good luck with your site!

Lyte

simmo · 12-08-2005, 02:50 PM

Thx Lyte very kind.

12-02-2005, 04:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
simmo New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Surrey Posts: 7 0.00 NP$ (Donate)	Take the plunge Hi Please be gentle. I built this site through trial and error for my fly fishing club and really enjoyed doing it. I have had no training and have just plugged away at it. My wife suggested joining a forum to get some feed back, so here I am http://www.soldierpalmers.co.uk any constructive help would be much apprieciated.

12-02-2005, 05:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
.X. Revolution Calling! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NamePros Avenue Posts: 5,497 267.70 NP$ (Donate)	I think you did a nice job for your first try,The colors are nice,The navigation bar is nice.Great effort and well done. __________________ Queensryche Revolution Calling! Sit Down, Shut Up and Hold on Tight....It's gonna be a bumpy ride

12-02-2005, 06:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
Rowan W NamePros Regular Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: QLD, Australia Posts: 713 1,869.00 NP$ (Donate)	One reason why it takes so long to load is probably because of this image: http://www.soldierpalmers.co.uk/Imag...exintphoto.png That's a 285KB file, which is approximately 19 times larger than I would expect from an image of those dimensions. Save it as a JPG instead of PNG. JPGs are best suited for full detail photographs (like yours), PNGs should only be used on pictures with very few colours. If you download the www.GIMP.org you can save the image as a JPG and then choose the amount of compression, try and get it below 20KB without any loss in detail. Also, there are two seperate navigation images, big no-no. This means we're loading two different images (100KB each - too high) which are both almost identical. You should only use one image, if any, and keep the navigation exactly the same on every page. __________________ Flash is bad for websites Why tables for layout is stupid IE IS BAD

12-02-2005, 08:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
simmo New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Surrey Posts: 7 0.00 NP$ (Donate)	Thanks Guys Thanks for the comments most helpful, Rowan I don't understand what you mean by this "Also, there are two seperate navigation images, big no-no. This means we're loading two different images (100KB each - too high) which are both almost identical. You should only use one image, if any, and keep the navigation exactly the same on every page." Could you elaborate please?

12-02-2005, 08:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
simmo New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Surrey Posts: 7 0.00 NP$ (Donate)	Got you Thanks I understand now. The reason some of the links open in a diffrent browser is I have used templates for the gallery for example. So I don't have the skill to add a back button to these types of pages.

12-02-2005, 04:54 AM	#2 (permalink)
StudioWorks no one lives forever Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NamePros Posts: 8,097 110.31 NP$ (Donate)	I can see you had no training before and knowing that u had no training i think you did a preety good job.. it just looks a little tooooo green. SW

12-02-2005, 08:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
gamehouse Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,409 16.00 NP$ (Donate)	Probably this is what he means: If you go here: http://www.soldierpalmers.co.uk/index.htm and then here: http://www.soldierpalmers.co.uk/articles/articles.htm The navigation changes both in images and position. You may have to make them similar and position them similar. Personally I did not like the idea when I click on some navigation items, the pages open in a new page. my 2 cents

12-02-2005, 09:25 AM	#8 (permalink)
gamehouse Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,409 16.00 NP$ (Donate)	If you are serious to build a nice site but use a template instead of building one from scratch, I suggest to go to www.oswd.org They have some nice templates and they are CSS based. A bit difficult to start with, but what nice templates they have. They also validate standards. Good luck. gamehouse

12-08-2005, 02:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
simmo New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Surrey Posts: 7 0.00 NP$ (Donate)	Thx Lyte very kind.

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