A third attempt and maybe, just maybe...
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- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:39 pm
A third attempt and maybe, just maybe...
www.frenchsecrets.co.uk is the offending website!
I originally designed my site using Frontpage which I found very limiting so I've attempted to redesign it in Dreamweaver and am now struggling BIG TIME!
While I was doing it I previewed it all along using IE and Firefox and all seemd groovy but now I've uploaded it it does not display well at all in Firefox.
There are problems which I just can't get my head around so if anyone can help with the following:
Getting the form to work (online reservation enquiry form)
How to get it to display the same in Firefox as IE
Also, as if I've not asked enough, what do you think of the general appearance, layout, font, ease of navigation etc?
Waiting, with baited breath and in the hope someone can help me out...(Brooke, are you around? )
Nicola
I originally designed my site using Frontpage which I found very limiting so I've attempted to redesign it in Dreamweaver and am now struggling BIG TIME!
While I was doing it I previewed it all along using IE and Firefox and all seemd groovy but now I've uploaded it it does not display well at all in Firefox.
There are problems which I just can't get my head around so if anyone can help with the following:
Getting the form to work (online reservation enquiry form)
How to get it to display the same in Firefox as IE
Also, as if I've not asked enough, what do you think of the general appearance, layout, font, ease of navigation etc?
Waiting, with baited breath and in the hope someone can help me out...(Brooke, are you around? )
Nicola
Last edited by MadDogWoman on Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It doesn't seem to work well in FF on OSX and I assume you have a Flash file embedded somewhere? If so, it doesn't work for me.
Looking at code I can't see any use of H1- H6 tags and these are your friends when it comes to SEO.
If you want to get a glimpse of what your site looks like in various browsers and platforms then take a look at: www.sitevista.com
Well worth the money in my opinion. They also have a utility for CSS too.
Looking at code I can't see any use of H1- H6 tags and these are your friends when it comes to SEO.
If you want to get a glimpse of what your site looks like in various browsers and platforms then take a look at: www.sitevista.com
Well worth the money in my opinion. They also have a utility for CSS too.
- Normandy Cow
- Posts: 2687
- Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:14 am
- Location: Normandy
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Nicola,
I'm sorry to hear that you found frontpage limiting - I have used it to create my website and have had no problems with it. Looking at your website, I couldn't see anything that you appeared to be trying to do which you couldn't have done using FP.
I know that FP does have certain limitations, but for a simple website such as mine (and yours?) I don't think they are an issue.
Anyway, you asked for honest opinions, so here goes...
My first impression was that your site looked a bit "messy", but when I looked closely at it I realised that this was not really the case, it was just that most of the text was in Times New Roman (a bit of an "old fashioned" font), with a bit of verdana here and there, and then a smattering of italics and bold which also made it look messy. I think that the site would be much improved with a clear, simple font such as verdana or arial. But then when I looked at the underlying HTML code I realised that it did specify the font family as verdana, arial etc - but for some reason this is not being picked up by my browser (IE) hence the fallback to the default Times New Roman. Not sure why this is happening.
I did a screendump of the home page so that you can see how it appears on my computer:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pslack/Screendump.jpg
Looking at it more closely, it appears that the links are being displayed in the correct font, but not the ordinary text.
Other things:
I don't think you need those "read more" links on the right, as all they are doing is replicating the links on the left, and I got very confused about where I was on your site. I think you should stick to one or the other, but not both.
I like your Frequently Asked Questions section - this is something I have been thinking about doing myself for some time, and I think yours works very well. (Although some of the questions are in bold and others not - is there a reason for this? I couldn't see any apparent reason).
All in all, I don't think you need to make a lot of changes, although I have not looked at it from a Search Engine Optimisation point of view, and I can't help you with your booking form as I don't know Dreamweaver.
Good Luck!
I'm sorry to hear that you found frontpage limiting - I have used it to create my website and have had no problems with it. Looking at your website, I couldn't see anything that you appeared to be trying to do which you couldn't have done using FP.
I know that FP does have certain limitations, but for a simple website such as mine (and yours?) I don't think they are an issue.
Anyway, you asked for honest opinions, so here goes...
My first impression was that your site looked a bit "messy", but when I looked closely at it I realised that this was not really the case, it was just that most of the text was in Times New Roman (a bit of an "old fashioned" font), with a bit of verdana here and there, and then a smattering of italics and bold which also made it look messy. I think that the site would be much improved with a clear, simple font such as verdana or arial. But then when I looked at the underlying HTML code I realised that it did specify the font family as verdana, arial etc - but for some reason this is not being picked up by my browser (IE) hence the fallback to the default Times New Roman. Not sure why this is happening.
I did a screendump of the home page so that you can see how it appears on my computer:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pslack/Screendump.jpg
Looking at it more closely, it appears that the links are being displayed in the correct font, but not the ordinary text.
Other things:
I don't think you need those "read more" links on the right, as all they are doing is replicating the links on the left, and I got very confused about where I was on your site. I think you should stick to one or the other, but not both.
I like your Frequently Asked Questions section - this is something I have been thinking about doing myself for some time, and I think yours works very well. (Although some of the questions are in bold and others not - is there a reason for this? I couldn't see any apparent reason).
All in all, I don't think you need to make a lot of changes, although I have not looked at it from a Search Engine Optimisation point of view, and I can't help you with your booking form as I don't know Dreamweaver.
Good Luck!
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- Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Nicola,
www.browsercam.com is another service which shows what your site looks like in various browsers but again it's not free.
A partial answer could be to have IE, Firefox, Opera and Netscape installed as browsers on your PC. They’re all free downloads.
That way you could view your site on the main-stream browsers. I know it doesn't deal with other operating systems at all and it doesn't include all browsers but it does deal with the overwhelming majority of Internet users.
Just a thought!
Alan
www.browsercam.com is another service which shows what your site looks like in various browsers but again it's not free.
A partial answer could be to have IE, Firefox, Opera and Netscape installed as browsers on your PC. They’re all free downloads.
That way you could view your site on the main-stream browsers. I know it doesn't deal with other operating systems at all and it doesn't include all browsers but it does deal with the overwhelming majority of Internet users.
Just a thought!
Alan
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- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:39 pm
Thanks everyone for your comments.
The site that is now "live" is the first one which you guys helped me with originally .
Alan, I have already got FF and IE installed as browsers in Dreamweaver so I would have thought....
This website creation/design malarky is not for me. Maybe I need to get a professional in. Back to square one.
Just when I thought...
The site that is now "live" is the first one which you guys helped me with originally .
Alan, I have already got FF and IE installed as browsers in Dreamweaver so I would have thought....
This website creation/design malarky is not for me. Maybe I need to get a professional in. Back to square one.
Just when I thought...
- Normandy Cow
- Posts: 2687
- Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:14 am
- Location: Normandy
- Contact:
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- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:39 pm
Hi Catherine
It looks too home made.
I was using IE 6 too! I even looked at it on more than one PC (I am such a dumbass I had to check it out on PCs I knew did not have an software on it or any saved files tucked away).
I had problems customising the navigation bars on FP and it seems simpler in DW how wrong was I?
Live and learn, live and learn!
It looks too home made.
I was using IE 6 too! I even looked at it on more than one PC (I am such a dumbass I had to check it out on PCs I knew did not have an software on it or any saved files tucked away).
I had problems customising the navigation bars on FP and it seems simpler in DW how wrong was I?
Live and learn, live and learn!
Nicola,
I am not so keen on the centred text for the main content. Sure, use it for any one-liners like "click here for special offers" and possible (but only possibly) for the left menu, but not for the main text.
This may make it look less home-made, if that is the effect you are looking for. But remember, some people also get put off if the site is too professional
I am not so keen on the centred text for the main content. Sure, use it for any one-liners like "click here for special offers" and possible (but only possibly) for the left menu, but not for the main text.
This may make it look less home-made, if that is the effect you are looking for. But remember, some people also get put off if the site is too professional
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What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?
What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?
- Normandy Cow
- Posts: 2687
- Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:14 am
- Location: Normandy
- Contact:
Agree about the centred text, and about the copyright message on each image.
Why do you have a picture of your kitchen in the "Discover the region" section?!! (In fact, why do you have this section as well as the "Things to do and Places to go" section? When I looked at this latter section, it didn't have many details of places to go, yet you list a number of them in the former. Suggest you amalgamate the two sections into one).
Also, I would be put off by the fact that you have to fill in a form just to check for availability - I just wouldn't bother and would move on to the next website. I think that you should try to have an online availability chart on the site.
But, although you think the site looks home-made, I think that is part of its charm - and Garri, there is a big difference between "home-made" and "amateurish"!!!! I think that Nicola's site is lovely, and I would certainly contact them if I were looking for a property in their region (subject to there being an availability chart of course )
Why do you have a picture of your kitchen in the "Discover the region" section?!! (In fact, why do you have this section as well as the "Things to do and Places to go" section? When I looked at this latter section, it didn't have many details of places to go, yet you list a number of them in the former. Suggest you amalgamate the two sections into one).
Also, I would be put off by the fact that you have to fill in a form just to check for availability - I just wouldn't bother and would move on to the next website. I think that you should try to have an online availability chart on the site.
But, although you think the site looks home-made, I think that is part of its charm - and Garri, there is a big difference between "home-made" and "amateurish"!!!! I think that Nicola's site is lovely, and I would certainly contact them if I were looking for a property in their region (subject to there being an availability chart of course )
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- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:39 pm
Thanks again everyone. I would remind you that you are still looking at the original site.
The images are being revamped to remove the copyright thing.
Most people do use the enquiry form and the majority of my bookings are as a result of that. I prefer people to contact me anyway rather than check an availability calendar. If they contact me, I have the opportunity to use a bit of personal charm to talk them into another time, maybe, if I am booked. MOH is a travel agent by trade and it's technique they use with enormous success time and time again. In my experience (and I have another site linked to a travel company which does feature an availability calendar and is updated regularly) people ignore the calendars anyway and still contact me! One last thing, I get put off if I look at a site and see there is tons of availability and ask myself why? That's obviously just me! Still, never say never!!!
The new site is still in the process of being revamped - back to Frontpage! Funny, now that I have battled with DW I'm finding FP much easier and understand what's what a lot more!
Thanks Catherine, for the nice feedback!! You'd be more than welcome chez nous!! BTW I do like the navigation on your site so have "pinched" that idea from you. I hope you don't mind. I am also changing the font to verdana as the Georgia does not seem to display well on all PCs (the site looks horrible on my Mums pc!).
I take the point about the discover the region/things to do sections. I will have a rethink and try to separate the two and make them more distinctive. However, there is something to be said in having similar information on both pages as not everyone looks at every page!!
I am also reducing the mumber of irrelevant photos on each page and am including a gallery instead.
Keep the comments coming anyway, it all helps. I'll try to build them into the new site.
The images are being revamped to remove the copyright thing.
Most people do use the enquiry form and the majority of my bookings are as a result of that. I prefer people to contact me anyway rather than check an availability calendar. If they contact me, I have the opportunity to use a bit of personal charm to talk them into another time, maybe, if I am booked. MOH is a travel agent by trade and it's technique they use with enormous success time and time again. In my experience (and I have another site linked to a travel company which does feature an availability calendar and is updated regularly) people ignore the calendars anyway and still contact me! One last thing, I get put off if I look at a site and see there is tons of availability and ask myself why? That's obviously just me! Still, never say never!!!
The new site is still in the process of being revamped - back to Frontpage! Funny, now that I have battled with DW I'm finding FP much easier and understand what's what a lot more!
Thanks Catherine, for the nice feedback!! You'd be more than welcome chez nous!! BTW I do like the navigation on your site so have "pinched" that idea from you. I hope you don't mind. I am also changing the font to verdana as the Georgia does not seem to display well on all PCs (the site looks horrible on my Mums pc!).
I take the point about the discover the region/things to do sections. I will have a rethink and try to separate the two and make them more distinctive. However, there is something to be said in having similar information on both pages as not everyone looks at every page!!
I am also reducing the mumber of irrelevant photos on each page and am including a gallery instead.
Keep the comments coming anyway, it all helps. I'll try to build them into the new site.