Website Revamp

[cmschool]

After many hours chatting and working out code with Jade Dragon, my site is ready to reveal it's new look. Note the before: http://www.covenantmontessori.org/index2.htm (my first site) and the after: http://www.covenantmontessori.org (after Jade Dragon's creative touch.

Let me know what you think.

EDIT

I have fixed the link issue...play around in both sites as you wish.

[newcomer]

Looks nice and sober and good for eyes. you just need to check why your calender is not working that's it...

http://calendar.covenantmontessori.org/

[cmschool]

Fixed my subdomain problems...everything should be working as planned. Thanks for hat heads up newcomer.

Anyone see something that I should improve/include? Let me know. :) Thanks.

[cmschool]

*Bump* Any other takers out there for comments? (please)

[RamjetFDO]

Well done... this is a great improvement over your original. :)

A few small suggestions:

1) Put some more text/images/substance in the open area of your "home" page. Make me *want* to look more, rather than hoping I do. ;)

2) Try to "seamlessly tile" your sidebar graphics. There is a noticeable "start line" every time that graphic is repeated. If it were more "seamless", it would really be nice! Unfortunately, if you got the graphics from a web source, you may not have this option...

3) Be careful underlining text. The titles on most of your pages are underlined... and your *links* are underlined. That's confusing... Try using either a different font face/size/bold or some small graphic for each page title.

4) Playing back to #1 above... perhaps your "home" page shouldn't be exactly the same format as your others? Use a "full page" layout to describe (briefly with links to your detailed pages!) what it is you're doing... just a suggestion!

All-in-all, a very nice site... :cool:
Roger

[cmschool]

1) Put some more text/images/substance in the open area of your "home" page. Make me *want* to look more, rather than hoping I do. ;)

I am meaning to put a picture of the outside of the school on the index page, but haven't gotten one without glare in it yet.

2) Try to "seamlessly tile" your sidebar graphics. There is a noticeable "start line" every time that graphic is repeated. If it were more "seamless", it would really be nice! Unfortunately, if you got the graphics from a web source, you may not have this option...

Didn't get them from a site...Jade Dragon made it for me and sent me the flash file. How do I "seamlessly tile" it?

3) Be careful underlining text. The titles on most of your pages are underlined... and your *links* are underlined. That's confusing... Try using either a different font face/size/bold or some small graphic for each page title.

I will look into changing this. Thanks for the input.

4) Playing back to #1 above... perhaps your "home" page shouldn't be exactly the same format as your others? Use a "full page" layout to describe (briefly with links to your detailed pages!) what it is you're doing... just a suggestion!

How would I go about reorganizing it? Basically the rest of the site is what the school is doing/information about the school.

[RamjetFDO]

How would I go about reorganizing it?

Hi Kevin --

I wouldn't so much *reorganize* anything as just provide some actual content on the "home" page. If you want to keep the "home" page the same "look-and-feel" as the others, it's entirely your call... and won't look bad either way! :)

The "content" on the other pages is many paragraphs and/or bullet lists long. On the home page, you probably want to put a little more than just a "mission statement", unless it's some flashy (upper or lower case "F" there! :D) splash screen. Add some pictures of the school exterior or other facilities! That's something missing on the other pages, right?

Like I said... just my opinion... you want to make me go look at those links on the side, otherwise your "home" page is pretty much an extra click that is really irrelevant.

Make it relevant! :)

Regards,
Roger

[cmschool]

2) Try to "seamlessly tile" your sidebar graphics. There is a noticeable "start line" every time that graphic is repeated. If it were more "seamless", it would really be nice! Unfortunately, if you got the graphics from a web source, you may not have this option...


Didn't get them from a site...Jade Dragon made it for me and sent me the flash file. How do I "seamlessly tile" it?

[RamjetFDO]

Didn't get them from a site...Jade Dragon made it for me and sent me the flash file. How do I "seamlessly tile" it?

Whoops... my bad, Kevin. I wasn't clear enough.

The Flash-based rollover buttons are just fine! I'm talking about the (very lovely) grapevine/marble-looking graphics. If you look at those, you'll see what I mean. :)

And... as far as "how to" seamlessly tile an image -- here are a few links:

http://psp.tephras.com/tutorials/tile/

http://autumnweb.com/Roxys/2Tutorials/4SeamlessTileTutorial.html

Google search on "seamless tile" tutorial: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22seamless+tile%22+tutorial

Good luck... it probably isn't easy. ;)

Roger

[Jade Dragon]

I'm talking about the (very lovely) grapevine/marble-looking graphics.
:D Thank you
Try to "seamlessly tile" your sidebar graphics
the Noticible line is actually part of the "oak" design I used as an overly. Not sure if removing that little bar will make a difference, but I'll give it a shot.

JD

[Xinil]

Nice improvement over your original design.

However, I'm on a T3 here and it took over 20 seconds for the flash on the left nav to come up (actually, I didn't even bother to wait for it to finish). Thus, If I'm immediately thrown off because of that, imagine people on a 56k. :)

[Jade Dragon]

the flash is only 7k, hardly the thing holding it up. The "hearts" image is something like 65K, header 55k, left block 19k and bottom block 13k.

On dial-up I tested on 53.5k connection at 36seconds for the whole page to load.

[Xinil]

Hmm, well, then I suggest thinking about something other than a flash nav. :) And yes, I do have flash on my computer (and all my computers at work)

[Jade Dragon]

Is there anyone else having trouble with the Flash menu?

I used FlashMX to build.

[cmschool]

New "oak" images are up (thanks to Jade Dragon). Border should load/look better now.

[RamjetFDO]

New "oak" images are up (thanks to Jade Dragon). Border should load/look better now.

*SO* much better!!!! Very nice job Jade Dragon! The "oak" images are now nicely "seamless". :D

Next up Kevin... some content on your "home" page? ;)

Roger