SGpro website updated - please comment

Wayne Kinney · March 16th, 2006, 02:18 PM

Hi,
Yes your right, I think the design we are working on now is more pleasing to the eye.

Mick Isdes · March 16th, 2006, 07:46 PM

I am with the others in the overuse of Flash. Flash in the use of banners (rotating of the product?) and secondary windows look good but other than that I am at odds w/ Flash. I would suggest get right to the point... your selling a product. Right now I am on a Mac G4 700mhz./512 Ram/ Firefox/ broadband/ and viewing at a resolution of 1024x768(using scroll bars) and it is moving slow on my machine, music a tad loud, and it by web standards it *should* be optimized for 800x600 resolution, call me crazy but there are thousands of machines running 500mhz and 800x600 and having to scroll bar around a site is the worst.
The idea should make it easy for the user and the less clicks the better!
Good Luck.

Wayne Kinney · March 23rd, 2006, 01:13 PM

OK Guys,

Here is a new version we have just completed, taking into acount the comments made. Its a new style.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wayne.kinney/sg35.htm

Comments welcome.

Mike Oveson · March 23rd, 2006, 01:28 PM

I never saw the first one (couldn't load it), but it seems like this one is much more toned down than what I have heard about the first. Looks good to me, although I am no web designer.

Theodoros Chliapas · March 23rd, 2006, 01:46 PM

Much better Wayne.
Congratulations for your work.

Dennis Wood · March 23rd, 2006, 04:53 PM

Thumbs up Wayne. It looks professional.

Leo Mandy · March 23rd, 2006, 04:59 PM

Looks great, the interchangeable metal mounts is a great touch.

Anhar Miah · March 24th, 2006, 08:19 PM

Wayne, Looks great, Just ONE advice, lose the NTL homepage address, if you are serious (which you are) then you can not only look the part but have to sound like the real deal, so get your self a new registered domain name, and step up to the pro level :)

Good luck !

Anhar Hussain Miah

Wayne Kinney · March 25th, 2006, 03:58 AM

Thanks,

We are in the process of registering an address.

Glenn Thomas · March 25th, 2006, 05:38 AM

www.sg35.com is available - It can be bought cheap at www.godaddy.com

Wayne Kinney · March 25th, 2006, 06:19 AM

Thanks Glenn.

Although I will be going for a different domain name.

Keith Loh · March 25th, 2006, 10:44 AM

Wayne,
much better, cleaner, without the Flash interstitials. From this foundation you can slowly bring back a bit more style. A good clean basis that informs the visitor much better. That said...

Banner title - a bit plain. You need more sex in that top part. Also, "leave the hard work to us!" as a motto doesn't tell me much about what you do. That could very well be the motto for a car dealership, realtor, etc. I don't mind the grid pattern below everything but I don't think you can combine it with that dotted line pattern at the same time.

Against that suppressed blue-grey color you could very well use a bright color for your banner text and word-logo to break it out of the background. As it is, it seems drab.

I don't believe you need a black border around the whole square as the blue-grey shape already makes it stand out against the white web page background already.

Menu - I don't think having the menu at the bottom left is optimal. Western readers read from top; left-right. This means that the position of your menu is in a bad region. The user then is forced to 'learn' how to use your website. Instead, I think it is better to go back to top-left, top or middle. If you must keep the bottom-left menu then I suggest having redundant links for the most important destinations. Have a small text menu for Home / Order / Contact at the very top.

Product graphic - These seem begging to be clicked on. When I see this, I want to click on each of these hoping that they will take me to a page telling me more about it. Think about this idea.

A minor quibble, when these graphics are chopped off at the bottom it looks a bit abrupt. I suggest feathering out the bottoms. If that is the real bottom of the product, how about a dropshadow.

Body text - Why is this Flash? As far as I know it still is limited then by not being searchable, not being copyable. This also means it is harder for someone on your team to change it who is not the Flash designer.

Section title - This is too small. The reader needs to be informed right away where they have landed.

Gallery - when I click on this menu item, not only does it go to a page that does not exist but for some reason my Internet Provider pops up with a warning that I have a browser / internet connection problem. What funny business is this I wonder?

Order - I like the graphic / anim of the product. I think it should be actually combined on the front page with your actual product shots. This will give the user more of an idea up front what your product is about.

Wayne Kinney · March 25th, 2006, 10:55 AM

Keith,

Thanks very much for your comments. I will pass all this onto my web designer and chat with him about each point you made.

Keith Loh · March 25th, 2006, 11:26 AM

One other idea. How about a graphic describing what you mean by the DoF. Some people may not 'get it' even by reading the text. Like a 'before and after' or side-by-side comparison graphic of an image with and without your product?

Wayne Kinney · March 25th, 2006, 11:29 AM

Yes true, an image says 1000 words after all.

March 16th, 2006, 02:18 PM	#16
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Hi, Yes your right, I think the design we are working on now is more pleasing to the eye. __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

March 16th, 2006, 07:46 PM	#17
Mick Isdes Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: HI Posts: 93	I am with the others in the overuse of Flash. Flash in the use of banners (rotating of the product?) and secondary windows look good but other than that I am at odds w/ Flash. I would suggest get right to the point... your selling a product. Right now I am on a Mac G4 700mhz./512 Ram/ Firefox/ broadband/ and viewing at a resolution of 1024x768(using scroll bars) and it is moving slow on my machine, music a tad loud, and it by web standards it should be optimized for 800x600 resolution, call me crazy but there are thousands of machines running 500mhz and 800x600 and having to scroll bar around a site is the worst. The idea should make it easy for the user and the less clicks the better! Good Luck. __________________ _________ Mick

March 23rd, 2006, 01:13 PM	#18
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	OK Guys, Here is a new version we have just completed, taking into acount the comments made. Its a new style. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wayne.kinney/sg35.htm Comments welcome. __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

March 23rd, 2006, 04:59 PM	#22
Leo Mandy Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 749	Looks great, the interchangeable metal mounts is a great touch. __________________ http://dvstuff.250free.com testing for 35mm adapter.

March 24th, 2006, 08:19 PM	#23
Anhar Miah Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: United Kindom, England Posts: 290	Wayne, Looks great, Just ONE advice, lose the NTL homepage address, if you are serious (which you are) then you can not only look the part but have to sound like the real deal, so get your self a new registered domain name, and step up to the pro level :) Good luck ! Anhar Hussain Miah __________________ The IT Ninja Learn, Teach, Grow..

March 23rd, 2006, 01:28 PM	#19
Mike Oveson Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ogden, UT Posts: 349	I never saw the first one (couldn't load it), but it seems like this one is much more toned down than what I have heard about the first. Looks good to me, although I am no web designer.

March 23rd, 2006, 01:46 PM	#20
Theodoros Chliapas Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Greece Posts: 58	Much better Wayne. Congratulations for your work.

March 23rd, 2006, 04:53 PM	#21
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Thumbs up Wayne. It looks professional.

March 25th, 2006, 03:58 AM	#24
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Thanks, We are in the process of registering an address. __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

March 25th, 2006, 05:38 AM	#25
Glenn Thomas Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 320	www.sg35.com is available - It can be bought cheap at www.godaddy.com

March 25th, 2006, 06:19 AM	#26
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Thanks Glenn. Although I will be going for a different domain name. __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

March 25th, 2006, 10:44 AM	#27
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	Wayne, much better, cleaner, without the Flash interstitials. From this foundation you can slowly bring back a bit more style. A good clean basis that informs the visitor much better. That said... Banner title - a bit plain. You need more sex in that top part. Also, "leave the hard work to us!" as a motto doesn't tell me much about what you do. That could very well be the motto for a car dealership, realtor, etc. I don't mind the grid pattern below everything but I don't think you can combine it with that dotted line pattern at the same time. Against that suppressed blue-grey color you could very well use a bright color for your banner text and word-logo to break it out of the background. As it is, it seems drab. I don't believe you need a black border around the whole square as the blue-grey shape already makes it stand out against the white web page background already. Menu - I don't think having the menu at the bottom left is optimal. Western readers read from top; left-right. This means that the position of your menu is in a bad region. The user then is forced to 'learn' how to use your website. Instead, I think it is better to go back to top-left, top or middle. If you must keep the bottom-left menu then I suggest having redundant links for the most important destinations. Have a small text menu for Home / Order / Contact at the very top. Product graphic - These seem begging to be clicked on. When I see this, I want to click on each of these hoping that they will take me to a page telling me more about it. Think about this idea. A minor quibble, when these graphics are chopped off at the bottom it looks a bit abrupt. I suggest feathering out the bottoms. If that is the real bottom of the product, how about a dropshadow. Body text - Why is this Flash? As far as I know it still is limited then by not being searchable, not being copyable. This also means it is harder for someone on your team to change it who is not the Flash designer. Section title - This is too small. The reader needs to be informed right away where they have landed. Gallery - when I click on this menu item, not only does it go to a page that does not exist but for some reason my Internet Provider pops up with a warning that I have a browser / internet connection problem. What funny business is this I wonder? Order - I like the graphic / anim of the product. I think it should be actually combined on the front page with your actual product shots. This will give the user more of an idea up front what your product is about. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

March 25th, 2006, 10:55 AM	#28
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Keith, Thanks very much for your comments. I will pass all this onto my web designer and chat with him about each point you made. __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

March 25th, 2006, 11:26 AM	#29
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	One other idea. How about a graphic describing what you mean by the DoF. Some people may not 'get it' even by reading the text. Like a 'before and after' or side-by-side comparison graphic of an image with and without your product? __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

March 25th, 2006, 11:29 AM	#30
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Yes true, an image says 1000 words after all. __________________ Thanks, Wayne.