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Originally Posted by Scribe
Thanks for any ideas you may have.
http://yourbizhosting.com
I more or less support osCommerce stores and
since I changed to the new URL Lost my designer and decided to do it myself. |
Hi,
I think your design is too "free floating". There is nothing that your eye will automatically look at.
On the left, you have a menu. It doesent have to have image elements in the menu, often text is better and easier to update. It also loads faster! (less bw).
The menu should be seperated from the content, with a visual element or such, maybe just with a sligthly different background color.
I prefer no background where you are to read text (content area), as a background there often is disturbing to the eye (gives less contrast for the text).
Your topbanner / title should have some elements that gives the guest an indiction of the services you offer. eg. a computer, server, picture of a shell login faded into the backgrund, etc.
Also, javascript is a big no-no.
Please remove the clock, the right-click function, etc. Javascript is "fun" for people who just started making theire own "personal webpages".
Javascript is client-based and therefore will not work on all browsers. Also there is no need for javascript, since your server has PHP! Serverside is a much better way to solve different issues.
let's say you make a javascript security script. The user can meerly disable his/her javascript, to bypass your "security". Also other javascripts, like scripts to check if the user input his email correctly, etc. are not good to use.
You can use some javascripts if you have to, maybe for "on mouseover" effects, etc. but I would never use javascript for managing content or input!
I would redesign the welcome-page to a page with image links to the different pages. The image links have to look nice, they do not have to be "fancy". Stay away from animated gif's, etc. Make sure you are using web-safe-colors.
Try to use colors that are not too bright or too dark. They should not wear out your eyes when looking at them.
You can often find good color schemes on largers sites, as they have done marketing researches on what is hot and what is not.
Please do not use the "button" links on your menu, as a webpage should not look like a program, unless that is what it's meant to function as.
I would also take in mind positioning of elements, like the chat link. I would put that in the top right of the topbanner, which you currently dont have. I would not use that chat-icon, but maybe make an icon in Photoshop (if you have), where you have a person seen from the side, with a "talk bubble" coming out of the mouth. The talk bubble can contain text like "chat", "Go interactive", etc. Your mind is the limit.
I would make a rotation system for your web-banners, so you only display one at a time.
I think what would be best for you, is if you make a contest, where you say: "If you win, we will use your design and we will pay you with 1 year of free hosting".
The design of the page is very important when the users selects his/her hosting company, as it will either say that you are up-to-date or not.