atechonline.com

Well, here it is.

My only nemesis is, of course, Opera! It refuses to display the green hover effect for the main selections, everything else appears to work fine. If anyone has a solution, please let me know.

The site is pure CSS/XHTML strict. It's completely fluid and only really breaks when the browser gets down to 300 wide or so. It's all text based and you can increase the text size all you want and it won't break until it gets insanly large. I've tested in IE, Firefox, Netscape, Opera and the Safari test website showed it correctly, but that's been my only test for anything Mac related.

I'm pondering ideas for the right side "Services" navigation once you enter one of the pages. For now, it's fine, but I'm going to do something, just don't know what it is yet. I'm still working on beefing up the content and have plans to add some photos throughout, still pondering ideas for this as well. For now, the site pretty much has everything my original site did so I decided to go ahead and make it live.

Oh.. and if anyone wants to offer some graphic artist help, I'll take it. I suck at graphics!

http://www.atechonline.com/

Load your guns and fire away...

The design is awful, sorry

Your content isnt shown in an appealling way, there is no structure to the site. Things dont flow.

It would be a 2/10 in my book.

Improve the design and the way content flows. It has to look pretty to the eye or people will find it hard to process.

Different strokes for different folks. I wouldn't expect any design awards, but I think the approach -- straightforward and functional -- is fine, especially considering your stated philosophy of "less code, less javascript, faster loading". You might think about a prettier page for the target of your web design link.

The only thing I really dislike is that meaningless mission statement: What am I supposed to learn from that? It tells me "these guys full of hot air". In the same vein, I wouldn't use the adjectives "informative & accessible" at the start of my web design headline. This is more hot air. If you want people to know what you do, say "Web Design & Site Hosting". I would also make this two different categories.

You say you aren't a great talent with graphics, but IMO, you need more work on the copy than the graphics. Your graphic design is sparse, consistent, and to-the-point, while your copy is inconsistently structured and bloated.

Okay, to illustrate. Computer Peripherals & Support: 1. What does that first sentence add? It's just hot air.
2. The second sentence actually changes the person of the copy. Furthermore, it is an introductory sentence.
3. The entire paragraph does not say one single thing that would differentiate ATI from any of the other million companies that sell peripherals.
4. The structure of the copy is different from the other Services.
5. You misspelled "suit".
6. Do you install peripherals?

Compare your copy to something decent: "We sell, install and service peripherals, custom-tailored to integrate with your system and budget."

And no, you don't need another bank of "services" links that are identical to other links on the page. I don't like the right bank of links on the individual pages that are identical to the main page. I expected to see links to subcategories of the page, not a repeat of the home page. If you want lateral links, put a "jump" dropdown box at the bottom of the page.

The fonts are too small, both headlines and text. Don't be afraid to use a little more space.

You do have a tiny bug in Firefox - the graphics in the links in the header disappear when you rollover the first time. Then the problem goes away.

The links on page "Architectural . . ." don't work. If you are live and have a link, it had better go somewhere.

To sum up, I like the uncluttered, functional, and clean approach, and I think the site looks nice. You need to redo the copy so that it is as informative and to-the-point as the page design.

work on mason barge's comments and come back to us....please! lol

Well, I fully expected some harsh reviews, but I think a few comments are bit much and wrong. Hope you can take some comments back. I'd rather fully understand the issues here.

The design is hardly awful. Not everyone wants a site to look like the million other template sites with a different header graphic and colors. There are plenty of unique designs around and mine is just one among them. I'm not attached to the layout by any means, but I'm not going to accept that it's awful. It's completly fluid and functional unlike so many sites that are static and have no font size flexibility and are completely table based. When doing a fluid site, you have to look at things differently. You simply cannot do certain things because the site will break when the font sizes are increased or the browser gets to small or large. The solution for most people is to give up and just make static text or a static site. I'm trying to expand the possibilities without using pre-made templates from a CMS.

No structure? You telling me you can't figure out the basics of everything we do from the homepage? I find that hard to believe. It's simple, straight forward and if we offer a service someone needs, then more info is one click away.

The slogan I chose fits what we do. Slogans rarely list the actual services that a company provides. It's a general idea and means exactly what it says, it's not a mystery.. we offer professional technical services. Look at Ge "Imagination at work".. yeah that's discriptive. Dodge.. "Grab life by the horns". The list goes on. If you expect a slogan to be more then a slogan, then I don't know what to tell you here.

Hot air? You can't exactly say the same thing for every service. You have to break it up, change and add a few things here and there. Nobody wants to read a spec sheet either. I realize a fine balance has to be found and I admit that I'm hardly a writer. However, hot air as you call it has to be used to change it up a bit.

---1. What does that first sentence add? It's just hot air.---
It's making a point for people NOT like us who don't understand that all peripherals are not the same. I'm not after techs, they won't use our service since they do things themselves. It's amazing how many people think a $50 printer is the same as a $300 or how both monitors at $200 are the same.

---2. The second sentence actually changes the person of the copy. Furthermore, it is an introductory sentence.---

I can see where switching it with the first sentence would flow better and will make that change.

---3. The entire paragraph does not say one single thing that would differentiate ATI from any of the other million companies that sell peripherals.---

Everything has been done already so there is no chance of differentiating no matter what is said. You don't think anyone has come close to ---"We sell, install and service peripherals, custom-tailored to integrate with your system and budget."---? It's all been done, so you have to select something and move on. Should I use this same basic text for every service since you think it's the best one? "We sell, install and service computer systems, custom-tailored to integrate with your performance and budget". "We sell, install and service networking equipment, custom-tailored to integrate with your existing computer systems and budget". Starts to sounds like a spec sheet to me. You have to mix it up. One little extra sentence doesn't mean you aren't getting to the point.

You further tell me to change "Informative & Accessible Web Design" which is something that does set me apart from others to simply "Web design & Site Hosting" which makes me look the same as everyone else. I find that interesting.

---6. Do you install peripherals?---

The word support has a pretty common understanding among every client I've ever done business with so it's news to me that it doesn't also mean we install peripherals.

Fonts are too small??? Heck, most of my text is twice the size of 90% of the sites posted around here, give me a break. Check your browser font size because this site is accessible and allows all the text to be adjusted by the browser.

I mentioned in my original post that I'm pondering ideas for the content and navigation in the secondary pages. For now, the navigation is fine and gives the visitor the option of going directly to another service page. I don't like popups and dropdowns, so that isn't going to happen. I'm not sure why you see the side links as a problem. We are full service company and I want our service options visible as much as possible and this achieves that. If somebody is on the computer services page and wonders if we support peripherals as well, then the link is right there, one click away. No need to go back to the homepage and then to the peripherals page. Far as the content, I'll be tweaking that more as well.

Not sure what to think about the firefox issue, it was working fine at one point... will have to see what happened. I did miss taking out those architectural links, I ran out of time and didn't get those pages created.

I can't say I don't deserve the harsh criticism, since I tend to be pretty straight forward in my reviews, but I tend to look at sites from a visitors view first and I'm wondering if this is lacking here.

There are three links toward the top that seperate our services in to three categories which most people are going to see first after reading the slogan and this flows perfectly fine. Professional services... and here are the basic categories A B C. I then have the homepage displaying a quick overview of all our services if they choose to scroll down the page instead. This is a perfectly acceptable standard web function. There is no confusion here. If they don't see a service they need, then I waisted very little of their time. If there is a service they are interested in, then it's one click away for more information.

If you dont want reviews dont post your site.

Yes your layout is unique but not in a good way. The service images are just floating.

You see when designing you cant have things such as images just ending, they have to flow into the design.

Matt - Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I spent over 30 years as a professional writer/editor. I have an honors BA in English from Yale University. Please understand, I am trying to help you out. This isn't a matter of opinion or taste. It's as if you have text extending outside of boxes and broken links. You apparently don't even understand basic principles, such as what constitutes a change of voice/person and why it is bad.

I do think you are probably a good businessman and that you can understand this piece of advice: You need to hire someone to write your copy. There are a number of unemployed Ph.D.'s in the humanities who are both inexpensive and good. Try Craigslist or a local services directory.

Who said I didn't want reviews? I'm just discussing what was said to get a better understanding of why.

I just think your straight up awful remark was bit much. The site is more functional then many of the sites I've looked at in your portfolio where many of them use practically the same template. So I'm just curious how you can be so quick to dismiss.

They flow fine, they are under their proper headings and next to the service description text. Just because they aren't squared off within a table cell doesn't make them wrong. Where is your justification for this?

mreine this critique forum isnt a personal attack. We are critiquing the website.

I pride myself on being able to create original designs. So none of my work is copied or duplicated for other sites.

I come from an art background, i know what flows and what doesnt. At the moment your layout doesnt flow.

You didn't offend me

I explained that to you. I believe your browser font setting is set to smaller instead of the standard medium which is causing the problems. The site is completely fluid and allows font sizes to increase and decrease. I'm currently working on solving the issue when the fonts decrease, but CSS isn't cooperating at the moment.

So every bit of text on my entire site is crap? All the descriptions are crap? I don't get what your saying. I'm not writing a dissertation here that requires so much formality. I'm trying not to be so formal as to push the average joe away which is our primary business. I'm trying to keep the descriptions different while basically saying the same thing for each one.

I'd like to hire a writer, but it's not my decision.

Yes I know this, can't I ask questions as to where an opinion comes from?

This is why I asked what you are basing your opinion on. My site is not about the artwork, it's about the text. The artwork is practically meaningless how I'm using it. It's only there to add some color and interest and I don't want it to be the main focus.

Explain what you would do to make things flow better so I can try it and see how it goes and if it works for me.

Because the eye processes things better if they flow right.

If they break or dont quite look right the process gets interrupted. And if you competitior offers the same service with a much better site who do u think they will choose?

Doesnt validate because of a tiny error.. what was you thinking?

And erm its bad design! also think about visually impared people, and accessibility... thats very good that side.

Sypher your site http://www.homevisioncare.com/
is supposed to be accessible, however it's got 18 errors on the HTML Validation making it truely inaccessible. and if you come from an art background why is your graphics, bad? too many Tables ftw!

and on the side of mreine it doesnt matter about his text size as you can change it to anysize you want or need and still keeps a decent look, do not overlook the people using small resolutions and the power to hold CTRL + moving your mouse wheel up or down

Sort the validation problem and u get semi thumbs up Getting a valid site is hard, and their not always gorgeous you only have to take a gander at www.w3.org to see that.

And id use a PNG for that company logo, either that or a JPG as the quality doesnt seem that great. If its not already get your CSS Validated

They're not fully supported across the browser world yet.. pretty close though.

Anyway mreine...

Tsk, tsk.... The way you've been raggin on people as of late, I was expecting great things... What you've delivered is mediocre at best.

I can apreciate that you've gone for a less is more kind of approach but in doing so you've made the site bland and uninteresting (sort of shooting yourself in the foot.)

The good.

• I like the fact you've actively gone for a "less is more" accessible site.
• The liquid layout means it will be good at a wide range of resolutions.
• I like the page where you give explanations to people about worms, spyware etc... that's helpful and relevant.

The bad.

• Navigation is a little bit iffy, people may well get confused looking for a traditional navigation bar and not realise that the headings in the content are actually links.
• It has a very sharp and unforgiving appearence, graphically speaking.
• The home page lacks any kind of explanation as to who you are or what you are about. A small paragraph on this will go a long way.
• The banner ad at the bottom overhangs the bottom of the page footer and looks kind of ugly.
• You include the W3C icons but your page DOES NOT validate. I believe you owe a few people an appology for getting on at them for making false claims.
• Your CSS validation link is trying to validate a php page as CSS... I don't know what you were thinking here...
• You have links all over the place. I think you need to rationalise your navigation.

My advice.

• Pay a lot more attention to your graphics. If you need someone to come in and take care of them for you then so be it.
• Rationalise your navigation into an easy to use nav bar. Home, about us, services, links, contact, info... This might seem obvious and you might think you want something original but I assure you, this is what people expect to see and want to see.
• Take more care validating your code. Especially if you're going to openly claim it is valid by including the W3C icons!!
• Make sure you leave plenty of room for your ads or else they may get put there and shift things about or give ugly effects as we've experienced already.

The site is dead people... it was a concept and not 10% complete. You raggin on something barely started