Re: if you can see this then please critique!

by katsuey <katsuey(at)katsuey.com>

 Date:  Wed, 19 Jul 2000 18:44:01 -0500
 To:  hwg-critique(at)hwg.org
 In-Reply-To:  net
  todo: View Thread, Original
At 06:35 PM 07/19/2000 -0400, fsima(at)outer-net.com wrote:

>http://www.csalt.on.ca

Fsima,
I really don't have time for this, so it will be short and sweet.  Viewing=
=20
at 800 X 600, IE 5.5 (yes, it works folks), Windows Colors, high contrast.

Actually the site doesn't look bad at all.  I say that because you ask how=
=20
to make it look professional.  It is rather mundane, not much that really=20
grabs you, but then a legal site usually is rather conservative.  The=20
buttons are nice - I'd like to see them as rollovers though for a little=20
"excitement" to the site.  I do see that they change colors when you arrive=
=20
at a new page - that looks nice.Third button down is missing it's Alt tag.

I don't like the banners at the end.  Too large, too tacky.  Also, I'd=20
consider making this first page a lot shorter.  People don't like to scroll=
=20
at the introductory page - this one is especially long.  Near the end on=20
the left hand side there is some red text that goes off the boarder.  This=
=20
is one of my pet peeves about these types of backgrounds.  I prefer a=20
background that is actually two separate columns so that this cannot happen=
=20
with the text.  But if one wants to use this background, they need to be=20
VERY careful that their text and images on the blue panel don't run off.=20
IMHO.  The same thing happens with your Search box from excite - it goes=20
just a tad off the edge.  This is a nice background, so I'm not suggesting=
=20
that you change, just make these adjustments.

The color scheme is very nice, very appealing to the eye.  Each time I peek=
=20
at it again, I like it. I'd drop the green text though.  Actually, when one=
=20
sees the red text it looks like it will be clickable, it's only when one=20
scrolls a little further down that they find that the links are blue and=20
red is just being used to highlight text.

http://www.csalt.on.ca/catalogue/open.html  Wow!  Can we tone down the=20
red!  I know that's the color of the Canadian flag and that amount of red=20
would be just fine but that large red banner took me from this very eye=20
appealing world into a world of "grab your sunglasses"!  And now, confuse=20
your visitors with changing the links to red - not a good idea.  Choose one=
=20
color for links and stick with it all the way through.  This page is not=20
attractive IMHO.

http://www.csalt.on.ca/admin/sitemap.html  Interesting - this design has=20
some potential but needs something (not sure what) to pull it=20
together.  However, I strongly disagree with changing the design on each=20
page - that is the only thing that really makes the site not look=20
professionally designed IMHO.  Choose one design and work through every=20
page with it.

Hope this helps some.  Oh, do check out Katsuey's Legal Gateway=20
www.katsuey.com as a potential fantastic link for this site!

           ((( =B8.-=B7=B7=B7- ^~~ ^
            (         {>=AAY=AA<}
             \     )_  `~-~/=B4
              \,,/,,/ \,,,=CD,,=CD
Katsuey's Legal Gateway
http://www.katsuey.com
KatsueyDesignWorks, Custom Web Design
http://www.katsueydesignworks.com=20

HTML: hwg-critique mailing list archives, maintained by Webmaster @ IWA