School Website Beta - Honest Reviews Please

[JustNewbie]

First, moderators I'm sorry because I opened a thread in a wrong forum (web design discussion) at the first place. Please delete the thread.

OK, I'm a high school student, and likes to fool around with Flash. Now, it's getting worse, the school asked me to build and design an official website for the school. As a teenager, I asked my friends and they want it black. So now, it's black in color.

My school is going to buy the domain and web hosting plan in early year 2006. Before that, I've to design the website! I designed it myself so of course I think it's quite good. But I need some other opinions, here is the URL;

http://united_2a.sitesled.com/reborn/

The server is a bit slow, since it's a free host. The links still don't work yet, I just want some reviews about the layout.

 

[tzmartin]

I like the flash; Nice work. Keep in mind that flash can be used as a tool to enhance not only the experience, but the process too. For instance, you can use it as a front end for a chat client, or to grab info from a database in near real time, like current sportscore, temperature, etc.

Having said that, my critique is that the site has a little more flash and not enough functionality. It's the whole form over function dichotomy. If the school has specific needs for the website, be sure to address them quickly and efficiently.

That's my only suggestion.

Oh, I like your landing page design.

 

[Morph]

I love the intro, the music play is obtrusive in my opinion over than that love it

I love the intro a LOT

 

[Niek]

Hey man , nice website you got there.
Nice intro!

 

[downloadfreak]

Hi,

Im be honest, all of what I say is my opinion

I think you have over used flash, I myself never see the point in flash intros, and they are slowly dieing in todays web world.

I really don't think the music is professional, think of the potential visitors, they will most likely be parents right? Music in websites really don't work well together. The cut out of the school header needs to be more smoother as you can see the pixelated white edges from where it's been cut out. The "SS" flashing thing is way to fast and distracts you from the content, slow it down a bit, a nice relaxing animation. I do however like the header blue bg effect.

Im not saying this is at all a bad layout, but you need to focus and put yourself in the potential visitor view. The layout bg messes up on my res 1280x1024.

I like the colour scheme, good job.

Hope I have helped.

 

[JustNewbie]

Thanks for the comments.

Update : December 14, 2005
The school header cut-out is more smoother now and no more white edges. And the SS animation has been slowed down and suits the falling snow effects.

I will however reconsider about the music's part. Should I remove it or just change the music?

Yes, the layout do mess up on resolution other than 1024 x 768 and I'll try to fix on that.

Third, does "Feel Good Flash" looks good or bad? Should I remove it or keep it?

 

[Rowan W]

Well what is it, a school website or your personal portfolio? Scratch the music and the overdone animation. Ask the parents what they want in a website and ask them for reviews. Use your school's colours instead of just grey, and display a high res version of the logo at the top.

The quote "If you are the first, you are the best. If you are the second, you are nothing." is a little offensive IMHO, was it the school's idea to use that?

Get rid of the date and time, get rid of the navigation button that says navigation, get rid of the "SS" in the top corner, remove all animation except for the buttons and get rid of the intro. Lastly, don't use frames as they will cause implications in the future.

p.s. Remove "Official Website"

 

[.:Mammoth261:.]

I love the intro, i also was asked to do the school website as part of a team, but i simply dont have the time.. The main website is ok, i noticed you have iframes... don't :p they don't look good.

 

[snareklutz]

Is the school in North Point?

 

[vasam]

Hi there,

The flash header has good effects, but I do not understand sens of it. Probably you have to make something related to your school.

Also, it looks too dark and blackly. Make it more funny, maybe use some warm colors.

 

[JustNewbie]

Well what is it, a school website or your personal portfolio? Scratch the music and the overdone animation. Ask the parents what they want in a website and ask them for reviews. Use your school's colours instead of just grey, and display a high res version of the logo at the top.

The quote "If you are the first, you are the best. If you are the second, you are nothing." is a little offensive IMHO, was it the school's idea to use that?

Get rid of the date and time, get rid of the navigation button that says navigation, get rid of the "SS" in the top corner, remove all animation except for the buttons and get rid of the intro. Lastly, don't use frames as they will cause implications in the future.

p.s. Remove "Official Website"

Thanks a lot for those comments.

First, what I want to say is my school website is actually targeting for students/teens, and we'll expect that less parents will go to the website. Adults in this place don't really use computers as much as you think. Our objective is getting students/teens to visit the website weekly while giving information about the school.

Think about it again, teens does really love music and more than half of them use broadband connection here. Do I really need to take the music off?

By the way, the "SS" is actually the logo for the website. Website without logos or with static logo do bring a bad image.

The slogan "If you are the first, you are the best. If you are the second, you are nothing." tells everyone that we do really target for the best or the first (our school is the best in our city anyway) in everything. And of course we will take the website to school website contest next year.

The "navigation" in the navigation bar is not actually a button, look, every boxes have their title, then the navigation bar should have "navigation" as a title too.

Finally, if I remove everything as you've said, it will look really simple, plain and boring.

Hi there,

The flash header has good effects, but I do not understand sens of it. Probably you have to make something related to your school.

Also, it looks too dark and blackly. Make it more funny, maybe use some warm colors.

Thanks for your honest comments.

Update : December 15, 2005
I've inserted the school motto in the flash header, maybe it will give a little bit meaning in it. The layout won't mess up in any resolution bigger/smaller than 1024x768 anymore.

Yes, it does look blacky, it's actually a website for teens! Students make up to 80% of the school, think about it.

 

[.:Mammoth261:.]

I think just the main site needs improving. The intro is perfect. :sold:

 

[Keral_Patel]

Great impressions at the very first page.

It lack some content in the site. and the music keeps stopping in between. Try to first load full flash and then play the music.

Everthing else is fine.

Thanks.

 

[JustNewbie]

Thanks for your opinions.

Mammoth, I knew that the main site needs to be improved. But in which partt that it should be improved? Please state it out, thanks.

Nick, the music keeps stopping because either your connection or the server's connection is slow. Nevertheless, when my school bought for a web hosting package, we'll insure there is fast server connection.

 

[JustNewbie]

I need more opinions, please.

 

[Rowan W]

Please re-read my original statement, you need to remove everything that doesn't directly relate to the school. Also use the school colours and logo. There's no point creating an extra logo which doesn't look like a logo, when the school already has one you can use.

 

[JustNewbie]

Please re-read my original statement, you need to remove everything that doesn't directly relate to the school. Also use the school colours and logo. There's no point creating an extra logo which doesn't look like a logo, when the school already has one you can use.

Please read my reply too. What I need now is how to improve the website, not redesigning them.