Web Hosting Vodahost    

Home Take The Royal Tour! Order Now Features Prices
Go Back   Web Hosting > VodaHost Talk & News > Customer Website Reviews - Your Testing Ground

Notices

Customer Website Reviews - Your Testing Ground Are you ready to show your website to the world? Are your hyperlinks working?, Do you have any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors? How does it look? How can it be improved? Have your website reviewed and critiqued by other VodaHost Community Forum Members. DO NOT BE SHY!!! We want to see it , we are here to help each other. This is your testing ground.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 09-28-2007, 04:15 AM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Site for review..

This is a site I have been working on for what seems like forever.. Two of the pages still need revamping - trees and other plants, but I sure would like some review and commentary on the site as a whole..
'gulp' ... here goes...

http://www.pondandgardennursery.com

Thanks in advance for your honest appraisel of this site..
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #2  
Old 09-28-2007, 05:35 AM
mwalsh62's Avatar
Major
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: U.S.A
Posts: 426
Default Re: Site for review..

Hi Liz!

It's a great site, with all the photos it still loads pretty fast. Nice subject, makes me wish I didn't live in a crackerbox! The usual FF vs. IE text snafu.
Overall very nice!


I
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #3  
Old 09-28-2007, 07:21 AM
philipc9635's Avatar
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 745
Send a message via AIM to philipc9635 Send a message via MSN to philipc9635 Send a message via Yahoo to philipc9635 Send a message via Skype™ to philipc9635
Default Re: Site for review..

Hey Liz, Job well done as Mike said it loads well and navigates easy.

Your sites always turn out great. Oh and I love the Garden Sculptures, they would look good in my garden.
__________________
Phil Cartledge (Aussie Phil)

Discover A Simple Approach To Online Business That Locks In Your Success.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #4  
Old 09-28-2007, 11:18 AM
PlayItByBeer's Avatar
www.froggdesigns.com
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Posts: 639
Send a message via Yahoo to PlayItByBeer Send a message via Skype™ to PlayItByBeer
Default Re: Site for review..

Hi Liz,

Another goodie.

A couple of personal preference suggestions:
  • The bookmark page and map seem to clutter a great header and logo, maybe place 'map' into nav bar
  • Consider placing nav bar at bottom of page as well, so visitors can read down and then move to second, third... pages with ease.
  • Maybe place nav bar on contact us form (in case I change my mind and want to read on. LOL)
  • Have you had a look at placing the border (as per nav bar) around your header and whole page?
  • The red bordered info bar (top right) draws attention away from your logo is this your intention?
  • On the product pages consider giving the alt tags a name similar to the price list name (we tend to purchase with our eyes) so visitors can see product picture and reference or relate it to the info and price.
  • Maybe add a 'purchase or product enquiry form' (drop down list of products) Painful I know, but it makes for 'ease of purchase'.
All that said, I enjoy your site and sushi is still a favourite of mine LOL

Cheers,
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #5  
Old 09-28-2007, 12:07 PM
whiteshepherd's Avatar
Brigadier General
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,342
Send a message via Skype™ to whiteshepherd
Default Re: Site for review..

no wonder it is taking forever ... it is looking fantstic ... my thoughts were for a border around the page area as it looks like the elements are floating ...
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #6  
Old 09-28-2007, 12:51 PM
Patience's Avatar
Colonel
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Outskirts of the Big Apple
Posts: 962
Default Re: Site for review..

Oh Liz.....you must be exhausted!!!

It's wonderful! OMG the work you have put into this is phenominal. Don't change a thing. It's perfect.

I especially love the dwarf conifer page. So unique.

Congratulations Miss Liz, so what's next? hee hee
__________________
Vicki

www.vickswickscandles.com
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #7  
Old 09-28-2007, 04:56 PM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Re: Site for review..

Thank you all so much for your comments. I appreciate them considerably.

You know how it is - you work and work on a site, staring at it for hours and hours, tweaking it again and again, and then at some point you hardly know what it relly looks like.. more eyes really help.

Glad it loads okay - some of the pages, especially the catalog pages, are pretty heavy, but I made the images as 'light' as I could without sacrificing too much quality..

Beer and Shepard - Thought about a thin border around the pages, but some of them are already so crowded I didn't want it to look stuffed in the middle, know what I mean? Think I will fool with the idea a bit, though as it could give it a more finished look, I think.

Beer, couple of questions for you: I think you are right about the bookmark and map cluttering up the header, so I will be finding another way to do those. The map, at lease will go in the nav - will figure out where I want the bookmark button, maybe make it smaller or something.
I like the idea of bordering the header, though, make it look more intentional.
The red border around the info box was to let visitors know easily what the page was about, maybe I can thin it out so it isn't distracting..
Question about your alt tab names comments - could you elaborate, perhaps for me, maybe an example page for me to look at? I am not real sure what you mean?

Phil, Mike and Vicki, thanks fo having a look. I love this stuff; everytime I make another page I want more and more plants, and a koi pond, and some trees, and lots and lots of hostas and dwarf conifers.. and on and on and on...it is seriously addicting, just like website building, only more expensive..LOL
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #8  
Old 09-28-2007, 05:29 PM
PlayItByBeer's Avatar
www.froggdesigns.com
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Posts: 639
Send a message via Yahoo to PlayItByBeer Send a message via Skype™ to PlayItByBeer
Default Re: Site for review..

Quote:
Originally Posted by larazovich View Post
Question about your alt tab names comments - could you elaborate, perhaps for me, maybe an example page for me to look at? I am not real sure what you mean?
Hi Liz,
You are going to laugh at me, but can't find the page in question (you have the largest aqua product portfolio I've seen LOL) I had a look at other pages and the 'picture alt tags' are fine on description. (the page was plastic or pvc pond bins or something along those lines???)

Cheers,
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #9  
Old 09-28-2007, 05:34 PM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Re: Site for review..

Quote:
Originally Posted by PlayItByBeer View Post
Hi Liz,
You are going to laugh at me, but can't find the page in question (you have the largest aqua product portfolio I've seen LOL) I had a look at other pages and the 'picture alt tags' are fine on description. (the page was plastic or pvc pond bins or something along those lines???)

Cheers,
LOL - I will have a look and see if I cn find it.. Yep the catalog is enormous! It took forever..
Thanks
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #10  
Old 09-29-2007, 02:10 AM
TWO CATS's Avatar
First Lieutenant
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: brisbane australia
Posts: 185
Default Re: Site for review..

WOW!! SPENT AGES ON YOUR SITE COULDN'T STOP LOOKING AROUND
I am a nature lover at heart and loved your hummingbird pics should be on National Geographic.
Hope you do well
Two Cats
www.magicpallete.com
www.catpetalogue.com
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #11  
Old 09-29-2007, 02:41 AM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Re: Site for review..

Quote:
Originally Posted by TWO CATS View Post
WOW!! SPENT AGES ON YOUR SITE COULDN'T STOP LOOKING AROUND
I am a nature lover at heart and loved your hummingbird pics should be on National Geographic.
Hope you do well
Two Cats
www.magicpallete.com
www.catpetalogue.com
Why, thanks Twocats, I appreciate the coments.. Know what you mean - I love the subject matter, too, and the site has been a blast to build!
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #12  
Old 09-30-2007, 04:09 PM
Bethers's Avatar
Major General & Forum Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,271
Default Re: Site for review..

Liz,
I've sent you a long email in response to yours. If you want me to post any or all of it, let me know and I will - or we can continue via email.

Overall, as I told you there - I love what you've done. You've spent hours and hours and it shows.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #13  
Old 10-01-2007, 06:19 AM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Re: Site for review..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bethers View Post
Liz,
I've sent you a long email in response to yours. If you want me to post any or all of it, let me know and I will - or we can continue via email.

Overall, as I told you there - I love what you've done. You've spent hours and hours and it shows.
Either way, Beth; Most likely will go with email, but I want to thank you publicly for your help. Your comments are so precise and well thought out; so valuable to me.
I appreciate your eye for detail and your direct communicative style. You are a gem.

Thank you so much.
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #14  
Old 10-01-2007, 07:00 AM
Collectors-info's Avatar
General
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London (UK)
Posts: 8,247
Default Re: Site for review..

Hi Liz,
Sites looking good. On the bookmark part you may like this one? http://www.addthis.com/ Gives a nice load of alternatives as well as a bookmark. There is one on one of my sites under the bird/logo’s feet http://www.collectors-info.com/ It’s a freebie.
Ditto with the Fire Fox issue. It quite bad on some pages. Most of the images are great & load well, but may of pushed the reduction a bit to far on 1 or 2, & have gone a bit grainy. I do like a bit of gardening myself & at this very moment discovering they joys of buying the wrong bamboo for a small garden. It’s a bit like a child that used to crawl & has now found its feet & getting into everything. LOL.
Got 1 or 2 pushing 20’ plus this year.

Good luck with the site.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #15  
Old 10-01-2007, 03:34 PM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Re: Site for review..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Collectors-info View Post
Hi Liz,
Sites looking good. On the bookmark part you may like this one? http://www.addthis.com/ Gives a nice load of alternatives as well as a bookmark. There is one on one of my sites under the bird/logo’s feet http://www.collectors-info.com/ It’s a freebie.
Ditto with the Fire Fox issue. It quite bad on some pages. Most of the images are great & load well, but may of pushed the reduction a bit to far on 1 or 2, & have gone a bit grainy. I do like a bit of gardening myself & at this very moment discovering they joys of buying the wrong bamboo for a small garden. It’s a bit like a child that used to crawl & has now found its feet & getting into everything. LOL.
Got 1 or 2 pushing 20’ plus this year.

Good luck with the site.
Thanks for having a look, Chris.

Thanks for the bookmark tip, Chris - looks cool - am having a look-see.

Regarding Firefox - Seems the biggest issues come where I have h1 or h2 tags - then there is this wierd spacing that is really hard to get rid of..Got any tips?

Yeah I was afraid I had overdone the reductions on a couple of the pictures, bummer. I sometimes find it hard to acheive that balance between clarity and load time.. You are the master of that! Tips?

LOL about the bamboo - Planting it in your garden can be the most brilliant of wizardry or your worst nightmare.....

Thanks again for your appraisal..
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #16  
Old 10-01-2007, 05:45 PM
Collectors-info's Avatar
General
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London (UK)
Posts: 8,247
Default Re: Site for review..

Hi, just been trying one out the Winntec just posted on the H1 problems, & seems to work well.

http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk/report.php?p=185017

With the images its sometimes better to have a few less but retain quality of the ones you are using. Or just add another page.lol
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #17  
Old 10-03-2007, 02:08 AM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Re: Site for review..

Chris (or anyone who understands this)
Is this the post to which you were referring regarding the h1's and Firefox?
I am not skilled enough to understand how to use this information.. is this something that you can explain how to do simply to me?

thanks

h1 tags still seem to be important from my experience
I fixed this as follows:

<style type="text/css">
h1 {margin-bottom:0em; margin-top:0em; color: #black; text-align: left; font-family: BlackChancery; font-size: 200%; }
</style>

It's the different margin sizes that mess things up, by setting them directly to whatever suits you it overrides the FF & IE defaults.

John
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #18  
Old 10-03-2007, 05:34 AM
Bethers's Avatar
Major General & Forum Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,271
Default Re: Site for review..

Liz,
That was the post he was referring to, yes.

How are you adding the h1's currently? Are you doing it using the text box or using the html box? If you aren't using the text box - try that - and enter the html by right clicking after it's done. Using the text box puts it in the same spot on the page on both browsers (I think) where using the html box, they are sometimes a little off.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #19  
Old 10-03-2007, 05:53 AM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Re: Site for review..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bethers View Post
Liz,
That was the post he was referring to, yes.

How are you adding the h1's currently? Are you doing it using the text box or using the html box? If you aren't using the text box - try that - and enter the html by right clicking after it's done. Using the text box puts it in the same spot on the page on both browsers (I think) where using the html box, they are sometimes a little off.
Here is what I am doing:
I enter the text I want in a text box
Then I right clidk to html and enter <h1> in the before tag and </h1> in the after tag
Is that correct??

That is how I have been doing it, and it seems to drop the text in Firefox ...
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #20  
Old 10-03-2007, 06:39 AM
Collectors-info's Avatar
General
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London (UK)
Posts: 8,247
Default Re: Site for review..

Hi, bit of a case of experimenting. But the 1st part of the code go’s in the head of your page & adjust the 100% for your font size

<style type="text/css">
h1 {margin-bottom:0em; margin-top:0em; color: #black; text-align: left; font-family: BlackChancery; font-size: 100%; }
</style>

The second part is the text on your page& this go’s in a html box.

<h1>your text will go here for your h1 header</h1>
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #21  
Old 10-03-2007, 04:08 PM
larazovich's Avatar
Amazing Feat
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: near San Francisco, California
Posts: 5,828
Send a message via AIM to larazovich Send a message via Yahoo to larazovich
Default Re: Site for review..

Thanks to you both, Beth and Chris for this solution.
It worked easily when I :
1. put the aforementioned code in the between head tag tab, adjusting as you said for the text size,
2. Used the text box for placing the text, and then right clicked to place the h1 tags as before.

I also repeated the procedure for the h2 tags

Thanks to you both. Much appreciated.
One problem solved, on to the next group.. LOL
__________________
Liz
www.sebastopolparty.com
www.raynordescendents.com

Ring the bells that still can ring
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
  #22  
Old 10-03-2007, 05:24 PM
Bethers's Avatar
Major General & Forum Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,271
Default Re: Site for review..

It's actually something that will help a LOT of people - Chris - you want to start a thread with the instructions - and they can use the html box or the text box (text box is easiest now) or do you want me to?
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!Spurl this Post!Reddit! Wong this Post!
Closed Thread


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:18 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.2.0 RC7
2005-2009 VodaHost Web Hosting Your Perfect Web Host - All Rights Reserved

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210