New site showcase, a downunder site

[Zorro67]

Time now for my reveal.

 

First, a couple of warning notes.

- The primary site isn't yet finished, integration is not yet complete

- SSL isn't yet on the cart.

- a couple of the icons need to be replaced, as they were from an eps format and got interpreted differently.

 

http://www.ozsmebusiness.com.au/support

 

test client email: point[d o t]cook[ a t ]aapt[d o t]net[d o t]au

Pw: testy

 

Feel free to have a look around, although i will only keep this open for a few weeks.

 

Comments about the site will be taken in the spirit in which they were intended.

 

On a general note

To those who have responded (very kindly) to my post and questions, thank you.

Also, to all those who have provided code, ideas, and snippets , or even advice and support for the community, thank you for taking time away from your business to benefit others - As the old saying goes, "What goes around, comes around".

- Take a bow; you know who you are- come to think of by the number of posts made, so do we

To those that don't yet make a contribution - ask a question, get an answer, and this will give you some confidence to helping some-one else who then knows just a little less than you.

[Serenade]

Where did you get those icons? They're friggin awesome!~

 

Also, how did you manage to integrate your navigation in there?

[Zorro67]

I could tell you, but then i'd have to killl you..........

 

Seriously though, PM me & i'll give you the heads up.

[chickendippers]

My only suggestion would be to put a link to your homepage in the navigation.

[HostOrca]

other than what chickendippers said I think its a very nice integration. Excellent job.

[Zorro67]

Thanks for the comments, guys. @cd, yes the link to main site should go in

 

Just thought i'd let you know what is possible

 

Image

customised layouts on every page.

new front page layout, structured into categories

new icons, with nice hover colour change effect,with alt & title tags built in

new top menu with alt & title tags built into each menu

 

Structure

Multiple KB & download categories, with around 200 articles.

KB & DLs are structured in a logical sequence, with each category set to logged in only

customised tutorial centre with over 100 of the basics

Multiple support categories, targeted towards products as well as solutions.

Modified announcement structure & layout.

 

Content

New decsriptive text for each section, page and category.

Additional cart product categories, with custom products using both custom field & configurable options

Customised tooltip help for any ordering screens, as well as for client updating.

 

Substantial linking within each KB or DL arricle, back to a tutorial, a product, another article, or a support mechanism (cal email, ticket , skype etc)

 

Plus a shipload more

What's still to come?

More tweaking on the image (backgrounds and table colours aren't all quite there)

Complete SEO

Integrating with remodelled primary site (will probably maintain a distinction)

Multiple logins on 1 page for webmail, cpanel and Site CMS

Advanced web tools (coming soon)

New products and services

Online videos

 

Any other suggestions?

 

C'mon guys, don't just vote, comment.

good bad or ugly, I'm a big boy,... I can take it... (sniff).....

[chickendippers]

I'd certainly like to see integration with your main site design, so that it's seamless.

 

Really the only thing I can think to criticize if your main layout, having words in an image is inefficient (although I guess you might have realized that as you have SEO on your to-do list).

[DataHosts]

Not all the images do rollover for me in FF 2.0.0.12

 

client area stays the same while register goes to red on rollover

[Zorro67]

thnaks gopher,

 

Not all of the logo have red rollover attahced to them yet. Should be reolved by tomorrow.

How very observant of you

 

@cd, yes thats critical. just hadn't finalised the header of the main site, so this is the place holder until i work out what goes where etc.

 

Will probably have transparent background, couple of nice borders and real text. Just haven't finalise that primary look yet.

 

looking to have a graduated coloured backgound at both top & bottom, with solid colour in the middle (have 1 bg & colour in now), but can't seem to set 2 images as background (top & bottom). Any suggestons?

[Unspecific]

Far too slow at loading.

[dr2web]

Nice work!

 

I would like to know where you got the icons...

 

-Mike

[Zorro67]

Ok guys, here it is again, now at the 95%+ stage.

 

http://www.ozsmebusiness.com.au/support

 

SSL works well, almost all pages validate, most products are in, images are all in, lots of customisation.

 

Only thing is position of one bottom icon & not showing announcements is left nad column.

 

As soon as I fix those & add some nice shadow borders to my search box, I'm done.

 

Now, don't just look (and don't try to steal my templates) but do comment.

Come on, there's plenty guys that get lots of help in this forum 9by reading others responses) and never post themselves.

 

So go on, post something; the odd reply now & then won't go astray.

[Zorro67]

I must have missed something. Since I last posted 46 people have read this thread, and yet not one reply, to make a total of 576 people.

 

And its not just in this post, its all of them. its always the same people who seem to reply (well done guys)

 

Are the rest of you all vampires, just sucking up ideas?

 

Come on guys, bloody post something!!!

[Zorro67]

lets see if we can get to 700 without another post!

 

(I won't count any of the 'Senior' posters as a new post)

[bear]

Come on guys, bloody post something!!!

[/b]

*something*

Try to understand, not everyone feels compelled to review every site that gets posted. I have tons of work each day and little time for critiquing someone's work. I'm sure I'm not alone with being busy, if the hosts here are similarly successful.

Go, us.

[Zorro67]

Thanks Bear, how very droll.

 

I was perhaps making a more general comment about the level of posting in the forum.

[bear]

Some forums are very social, and others are more "get help and get back to work" type forums. I'd suggest this one leans more towards the latter.

[Dominic]

You got a whole page of replies initially (though quite a few were you updating), what more do you want? If people (such as me) have seen & posted in a thread which isn't a major issue for them (eg, discussion of a feature), they likely won't look again.

 

You posted a thread, people voted/replied on what they thought, that's it. This isn't a hand-hold "omg at every step of the way" design forum! We're a bunch of professionals and designing a site is somewhat of a basic task that we all have to do. Sort of like tax returns. Yes, what you're doing is good and you're making good progress, but it's hardly Earth-shaking things which compell everyone to look at it

 

Plus a vote is a quick thing to do rather than post! Oh and people often don't appreciate being told what to do and what not to do

 

In summary, chill out I guess, don't get too neurotic or you'll die before you're 30/40/50 (current age rounded up to next decade )

[MACscr]

I think he needs to look at the poll and get the picture that he needs to work more on his design skill and less on complaining about forum activity. =P

[Zorro67]

Thats funny,

 

Who ever said i was a designer? Why would I want i want to be one of those?.........

 

Like I said before, same people posting.....

 

And i also said "well done to those guys"

 

So I think this thread is done.

 

Any further comments would be better served with a PM