http://ncsuoc.org/

just redid this thing. i'm more worried about the functionality than looks, but if you think it's disgusting looking then i'd like to hear that. it's just using a modified theme from the forum software that powers the news as well as the forums. my main concerns are that someone who has never been to the website before be able to:

a) figure out how to join (the club not the forums)
b) find out what trips we have coming up and have led
c) how to contact someone
d) how to sign up for the listserv

some notes:

- if you are using IE you will see a lower quality logo than other folks. this is because IE can't correctly display transparency in PNG images (yet)
- i realize the gallery doesn't blend at all with the rest of the site
- i also realize that if you view a post in the forums that are still some colors from the old theme left. ill fix that...one of these days

thanks for your time



[Edited on August 8, 2006 at 9:41 AM. Reason : ]

8/8/2006 9:32:40 AM

a) I would think you'd want a link to Join the Club promenantly displayed on the main page. I went to the FAQ and was suprised to not find that (or at least not have it jump out at me when I skimmed the page). Having it under "How It Works" is not intuitive although since it's only one click down, if someone is determined to find out how to join they will find it.

b) Seems pretty straight forward with the Trips box on the left. Maybe you could draw more attention to it with some icon or graphic (unless you want to keep with the minimalist thing you've got going).

c) I see the "Contact Us" link in the About Us description, but that should definately be a link on your navigation menu.

d) Have the Join option showing by default.


Looks pretty nice to me though, good work.

8/8/2006 9:51:56 AM

I would change the red color. Maybe it's just from going from TWW to there but its a sick red to my eyes.

Also you can bypass the png problem using a .gif. I did it on my site (http://www.raige.net). Otherwise nice format. Easy to navigate.

8/8/2006 9:58:56 AM

Thanks for the feedback so far.

What IE users see is a gif but it's looks a lot worse than the png. I'm pretty sure I made it at the highest quality settings and with no dither and it still looks much worse than the png, it also adds some whitespace around the edges.

You can compare the two:
http://www.ncsuoc.org/img//logo-1.png
http://www.ncsuoc.org/img//logo-1.gif

obviously the white around the edges won't show up when the browser background is white, but it's there. you can also see how the gif is grainier.

8/8/2006 10:19:22 AM

um actually PNG transparency works in IE6+ I use it often. Only the alpha channel transparency isnt supported properly

site looks very basic and nukeish, but thats fine. its easy to navigate, especially for inexperienced users

8/8/2006 10:53:45 AM

Quote :

"its easy to navigate, especially for inexperienced users"

exactly what i was going for

8/8/2006 7:06:08 PM

keith, looks good, maybe if you have the spare time create a few other home page logos, like a climbing, biking, backpacking one that will change when the page is refreshed, def. a minor detail but still cool

8/9/2006 1:09:52 AM

ive been thinking the same thing, ant. hopefully i can get around to that.

8/9/2006 8:18:44 AM

Since the outing club is all about outings (aka trips), i would try to feature the trips more prominently...maybe list them on the upper right corner. you can barley read them as it is.

i would also put a box somewhere on the front page with a submit button where people can subscribe (and maybe unsubscribe) to the listserv.


and yeah, it is a bit bland now tho so try and spruce it up with some more graphics or something. its very functional tho, good work.

8/9/2006 3:33:21 PM

thanks, ya'll. ive put some of these suggestions to use. still working on the logos...

8/9/2006 7:50:56 PM