Rvovk,

Yes, you're right - I think I'm just using the resolution at which the scrollbars just about disappear. Will fix the CSS, thank you again

Fusion,

Thank you so much for the input. It helps a great deal I'm still looking for the right background for the frontpage. Will come along soon, hopefully. That comment was spot on I'm looking forward to some more color, although colors that won't be too conspicious.

Thanks again!
Cheers...

Hi cmatcmextra, I am very ruthless when it comes to reviewing, so be warned.

Header:
1. Headers go in one of two places, the left or center. Never put it on the right. Your header is the thing that visitors first look at when the enter a site. The first thhing I saw was the flowers and time/ date. This is a bad practice and you should try to stay away from it unless you are extremely talented and have a perfect layout.

2. Am I right in thinking that you are a newbie to webdesign? If so it doesn't matter, and this would be a very good start at it. But the header is something to be desired for. Headers should always make a statement, grab the visitors attention with an array of varying effects (simple layering of textures / patterns).

3. A very bad design sin. I have seen many people do it and it just destroys the site completely. Never fill your header with text. There should always be at least 1/2 (preferably 2/3) of the header cleared.

4. Gradients in headers are often used inappropriately. You are not the first person to do this and you wont be the last. Gradients should always direct the user's eyes down. That means a horizontal gradient should be used with a darker varient of the colour on top (or bottom if it is the white shading) and gradually lightens to a higher tone of the colour. By using a vertical gradient, the eyes are directed to the side of the page. This stops everything for a split second from being noticed. This is where you should always be incapturing the visitors attention. A split-second can make a visitor leave.

5. If you have an image, then the site name with a slogan to the bottom right of the name, then this gives it a more standard look.

Menu:
1. You have the plain unformatted menu links (below the header). Using simple CSS will help you overcome this. If you do not know how to use CSS, then I suggest you use Google to search for tutorials, or you can do what I did and teach yourself by trial and error.

2. The menu links need to be bigger or the gab between them and the next blue gradient smaller.

3. The button links. If there is something I can't stand more than a hot summers day, it is buttons arranged in a nasty way that link to an image. Buttons should be used sparingly (like on message boards). And the bttom four buttons make the stand move down a couple of pixels on hover.

Content:
1. I would say it is ok, but there is not that much of it. You also need an opening paragraph. I have no idea as to what your site is about and why it is up on the Internet.

Time / Date:
1. Something that many people overlook is the little things, like simple PHP time and date scripts. However, the people that do use them don't always make them work efficiently.

2. The time and date should be within a line or box either on the header (as a layer or table nesting) or in a side column. Somewhere it isn't in your face, but still accessible.

3. Make sure you keep consistency, have it on every page at the same place.

Footer:
1. You need a footer. It is the basic rule of all websites. A footer should contain information like copyright and disclaimer link and also links to the different parts of the site.

And don't forget to put the appropriate images to text (70% text or psace and 30% images unless otherwise).

Wow, this is great review, even I got few ideas on how to change my site, especially about index page, what is on your site and so. Great thing you said here, pilgrim_of_mini-monkeys, I guess you are webdesign expert. Best regards.

Hi pilgrim_of_mini-monkeys,

I really appreciate the time you took to look at the site, and there is no need for the warning, all your observations are spot on

With regard to the header issues, I agree with most of what you've said. I am wondering if the content on the top-left of a site loads first by default. I only want my header to be some sort of a title, and I didn't mind filling it up with text therefore. Much as I don't want to bother you too much, it'll be very nice if you can give me examples of the standard 'good' headers that we're talking about?

Erm... the menu links below the header are deliberately plain and unformatted. I didn't quite realize this doesn't look good. I know a little CSS (mostly self learning through trial and error) and use an external stylesheet for all the content pages. I am sorry you don't like the buttons, but I would really prefer to keep them for a while, at least till I feel sick of 'em myself. The front page was an experiment, I am not sure if I will stick to the layout anyway... I'm trying to figure out the problem with the last four figures. Maybe I have to recreate the graphics and upload them again.

The content... well, maybe I did not mention it, but most of the real content is really yet to come. I haven't shown the site to anyone yet, except here, of course. Hopefully will be completed soon. The intro paragraph is something I will include, it occured to me too I just hoped people who want to know what the site is about will go to the 'about' page... doin' too much wishful thinking these days, sorry

I wanted the time/date beside the flowers to give it a table-clockish look. I didn't intend it to be in-your-face, but now that you mention it, I will look at it again. I'm afraid I will break the consistency rule in favor of (pseudo)dynamic content, I rather like the quotes that go with the separate pages.

I thought I did include a footer for navigation. The copyright/disclaimer notice is missing because I am still trying to phrase it properly. IdeaZ is not a corporation, or even an organization. I'm just hoping to build a student community that interacts in a healthy, intelligent way...

Finally, thank you very much again for all that feedback. It's very kind of you to take the time I hope I will be able to pull up something more tolerable next time. On a side note, I am new to web design, this is indeed my first attempt at putting up a website. And this is mama_soap (although you could call me Neel) and not cmatcmextra.

Regards and cheers,
Neel

Neel, howdy,
thanx for your email.

I guess you are on your way to learn CSS in future. Good site for CSS and HTML goodies, thus website for webdesigners and administrator would be A List Apart (ALA). I am visiting this site reguraly and you will notice that there are lot of examples of CSS navigations, even I have used their example for CSS navigation bar which is excelent, only thing you must do is to compose those script to your site. Well, just learn and try it.

Can't wait to see your site will go fully operational

Best regards, Robert

Well i can tell you the "ideaz" is great. I specially like the flowers and the billboard and the color theme you choosed. Still on the front page there is a bug... the text that links to the forum , faq and so on has the default font which doensn't match the rest of the website.
Also the font on the other pages have the same problem as the front page. The font for Ideaz Unlimited is great even if it is pretty hard to read. You should try to apply the same font to all texts. Of course that is just an "ideaz"

Hm..I like this very much,the firs off all the colours beat me in positive thought,your site colours are in harmony and it is very peacefull to look at it,I also like the navigation-button on your home page..I've also checked out your forum,it has a very interesting topics and themes to talk about...I personally think,that you did a good job,with your website and when you put some little details on it,it will be perfect..

Congratulations!

Ok I'm going to rate a site based on these factors: color, navigation, content, and overall layout. The maximum score for each criteria is 5 so 20 is the perfect score.

color (3/5) - The color you chose for the site is so plain and a bit boring. Try to liven up the site by adding a couple of other different colors or another shade of blue just to give the page some personalit and style.

navigation (3/5) - I'm not too keen on your navigation links. The first few seconds that I was on your site I got a bit lost and confused. There are links on top, at the bottom, and on the side. I didn't know what to click! another problem when it comes to your links that bothered me so much is when you try a link (e.g. the poems) with a content that is really long, the navigation links at the bottom don't seem to move down. They end up in the middle of the page intersecting with the page content. I supposed that you used DIV for your navigation links at the bottom that's why they don't go down when the content is long already although I'm not quite sure what codes you used as I didn't have the time to check it. You might want to make this a bit more organized but if you don't have the time to do so it's not that big of a problem. Visitors will figure out sooner or later what or where they'll will click.

content (2/5) - Since the site isn't finish yet some of the links lead to an 404 error page or "nothing in there yet" page. The poetry section is nice though.

overall layout (2) - The overall layout isn't that eye catching and unique. I can say there is nothing special in it. Another thing that I didn't like is the google ad that is so huge located in the midle of the page!!! I f you are to put ads on your site for profit, you should at least put it in a strategic spot that will help you earn money but will not ruin your layout. It should blend well with your layout. But the positive part is the site is simple, nice, and clean.

OVERALL RATING: 10/20

additonal comments: Try to advertise your site a bit more so you'll have more visitors and forum members. Good luck!