Wanted: Website Review Perth site for criticism lol

[Systreg]

Just this minute uploaded all the files for my new www.perth.org.uk site I've been working on, basically it's an WP template that I'm using for a html site, taken bloody ages to get this far, spent most of my time on it over the last 12 days, not a lot to show for my efforts but I struggle with making sites, still, 190 pages on it for starters and I'll gradually add content to individual pages on an ongoing basis.

I'll also use the same template when it's done for my norwichcity.co.uk and southeastlondon.co.uk domains, just a case of changing urls with the replace all function in notepad and then sticking new content it and change of template colour etc.

 

[bensd]

It's looking good mate.

One question though: as it is such a large site why are you using the wp theme as html/css? why don't you use the wp theme with wp as the cms?

 

[Systreg]

One question though: as it is such a large site why are you using the wp theme as html/css? why don't you use the wp theme with wp as the cms?

Because I'm an old dinosaur and I don't know how WP works, hear people saying about plugin this and plugin that, I don;t know what a plugin is or how to install that stuff, so whilst it takes and age to make in html, it's what I'm used to, though it is so bloody repetetive, stayed up all last night and not been to bed yet just so I could finish 175 pages off for the towns and the directory, having to edit each on in multiple places for each one, absolutely mind numbing

 

[bensd]

Because I'm an old dinosaur and I don't know how WP works, hear people saying about plugin this and plugin that, I don;t know what a plugin is or how to install that stuff, so whilst it takes and age to make in html, it's what I'm used to, though it is so bloody repetetive, stayed up all last night and not been to bed yet just so I could finish 175 pages off for the towns and the directory, having to edit each on in multiple places for each one, absolutely mind numbing

WP is so easy though. You don't need to know how to install a plugin - it does it for you.

Would be well worth looking/reading into IMO.

Also, it makes things easier like editing hearder, menu, sidebar etc. If you want to change anything you just edit one document rather that 175!

With that said, it looks really good. But having the backend may save you a few hours next time!

 

[Systreg]

WP is so easy though. You don't need to know how to install a plugin - it does it for you. Would be well worth looking/reading into IMO.

Someone was going to set up WP for me to have a play around with a few months back, but never got round to it, I must go on MSN and bug them about that lol

Also, it makes things easier like editing hearder, menu, sidebar etc. If you want to change anything you just edit one document rather that 175!

Yes, that's a friggin pain, and guess what, I just noticed I actually forgot to put the boxes for the 125 x 125 ads on all but 2 pages, so will need to edit 186 pages to add that to them all, b&*$%rd , probably nobody will want to advertise yet anyway, so I might just add them in to pages as and when/if I get any ad requests to save me doing them all

 

[tifosi]

I always sigh when I see the standard black on white colour, font size & line-height used. Staring at a paragraph makes my head hurt!

I'd consider playing with the background or font colour (to a shade of grey e.g. #202020)to lessen the 'contrast'.

Have a look on css sites such as cssremix to see how they improve readability.

S

 

[donreeco]

Totally agree with bensd - I'd invest a day or so looking at WP.

Get some hosting with fantastico and it will install it all for you with a click of a button

I'm sure you wont regret the time spent doing so. It's no harder than using SB when you get used to it.

 

[jwm]

I would seriously consider implementing WP and using the original theme, it will be so much easier if you plan to add more content in the future.

It will take about an hour max to learn the basics of WP and will save you so much time in the future. If your hosting has fantastico it literally takes 5 minutes to set it up. Drop me a pm if you want to have a look around the back end of a WP site

If you are dead set against this then consider something like Perch which is a CMS that you can add to an existing html site.

Good luck with the site whichever way you decide to go

 

[Systreg]

I always sigh when I see the standard black on white colour, font size & line-height used. Staring at a paragraph makes my head hurt!

I'd consider playing with the background or font colour (to a shade of grey e.g. #202020)to lessen the 'contrast'.

I just leave font sizes the same mostly and I like black text on a white page, down to personal choice I suppose.

Have a look on css sites such as cssremix to see how they improve readability.S

Couldn't see anything on their homepage apart a load of boxes on the page, clicked a couple of them and they had black text on a white page, got a link to an example of what you mean?

Had a look in the css but there are load of things with the colour #ffffff so no idea what's what to change that, tried a few but no change.

I'm sure you wont regret the time spent doing so. It's no harder than using SB when you get used to it.

I tried Joomla years ago and spent a couple of days getting completely lost in the control panel, it wouldn't do anything I wanted, so I though sod it, better off sticking with html on notepad and stuck with that as that's all I know.

I probably would do a hell of a lot more sites if I had a quick solution like WP without days of editing millions of pages, puts me off making sites unless they are small with just a few pages.

 

[bensd]

I tried Joomla years ago and spent a couple of days getting completely lost in the control panel, it wouldn't do anything I wanted, so I though sod it, better off sticking with html on notepad and stuck with that as that's all I know.

I probably would do a hell of a lot more sites if I had a quick solution like WP without days of editing millions of pages, puts me off making sites unless they are small with just a few pages.

Joomla is a whole different ball game, massive learning curve needed for that.

Don't be put off by your experience as WP is very simple. As someone else mentioned, just as easy as SB once you get used to it.

 

[wb]

Another vote to use WordPress here just to tempt you even more... it will save so much time

 

[GreyWing]

Joomla is a whole different ball game, massive learning curve needed for that.

Don't be put off by your experience as WP is very simple. As someone else mentioned, just as easy as SB once you get used to it.

Saying that mate I use Joomla all the time, can't get my head round wordpress for the life of me.

I guess I keep trying to work wordpress like Joomla, suppose it is the same the other wway round as well and that is why people have difficulties.

But if you were starting from a blank canvass, Joomla for me just because of the size and availability of components and apps.

All the best
Graeme

 

[AssetDomains]

I really would try wordpress if I were you. It will make your life much easier. If your really against it why don't you use PHP instead of HTML and use includes for your header,footer, navigation and sidebar etc.

 

[Systreg]

If your really against it why don't you use PHP instead of HTML and use includes for your header,footer, navigation and sidebar etc.

All I can do a bit of html, but php is something I know nothing about, I once decided toi learn some, I read about it for 5 minutes before my eyes glazed over and my head exploded

I'm not totally against the idea of WP, it's just that most WP blogs I've seen, they all look the same, I just don't like them much because of that. Buf if as was said earlier in the topic, that's it's no harder to use than Storeburst, then it might be worth a go.

Oh yeah, and I have my first advertiser who wants the header banner space for a 3 month trial on the home page, and then decide to advertise for longer or not after the trial, well it's a start

 

[AssetDomains]

To be honest I learnt the little php I know from modifying wordpress templates.
Structurally wise its just HTML for the most part when you start your next project definitely look into it.
Are you currently using any type of include files for your header sidebar navigation etc.
say you wanted to add a link to your navigation now would you have manually edit each and every page of your site.

 

[FagEnd]

Kev, you really need that site wordpressed up, with plugins and widgets etc... It will take you less time to work out and learn the whole wordpress setup than it will to update shitloads of html pages.
Going forward, you really don't want to be wasting time updating individual pages. Gimme a shout if you want any pointers.

 

[GlasgowBob]

Site looks good mate.

Couldn't agree more about WP. Once you have played about with wordpress you will kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

Nice one on the banner sale - was that someone you contacted?

 

[Systreg]

Are you currently using any type of include files for your header sidebar navigation etc.

I don't know what an include file is so I'll assume I'm not using them, only files I know I use are the individual site pages and the css.

say you wanted to add a link to your navigation now would you have manually edit each and every page of your site.

Yes, would have to add a new menu link to each page presently, and yes, I can see the problems that can cause, as well as the waste of time do each thing, suppose I should have done it with the text of pages in a frame so that the main menu and right hand menu just had the one file, remember doing that on a small site years ago, a lot easier, but forgot how to do it now lol

@ FagEnd, not sure I should seek your help, you'll have me on weed and booze before I know it haha Will give you a shout if I need help, cheers.

Once you have played about with wordpress you will kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

@ GlasgowBob, your probably right, never had a site potentially with this many and possibly more pages, say I now wanted to put the site on WP, is it just a case of copying the html from each page and pasting it in to WP?

Nice one on the banner sale - was that someone you contacted?

Yes, it was a Perth IT/web design company who's following me on Twitter and saw the site today, not got back to them yet as just had 3 hours kip, will reply to them shortly as it's not sealed yet.

 

[AssetDomains]

Yes, would have to add a new menu link to each page presently, and yes, I can see the problems that can cause, as well as the waste of time do each thing, suppose I should have done it with the text of pages in a frame so that the main menu and right hand menu just had the one file, remember doing that on a small site years ago, a lot easier, but forgot how to do it now lol

Thats pretty much in essence what includes are except the other way round the header, footer and sidebar are all single files that are pulled automatically into whatever file you wanted using a small piece of code.
In the meantime you might want to try http://www.textpad.com/ instead of notepad you can find and replace code in all your files at once assuming there in the same folder.

 

[Systreg]

@ Newpbc, I'm a bit reluctant to use anything like that program on the textpad link you gave, honestly, I would somehow mess it up and kill my html files.

Loads of people have told me before how easy Gimp is to use for making images and logos etc, I once spent several hours trying to make a plain text banner but could not get anything to work, so I deleted Gimp after that effort, that's how bad I am with anything supposedly simple, but still techy.

Looking at the half price hosting offer from Krystal here: http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/hosting/79045-50-off-all-hosting-plans.html

Does anyone use Krystal, are they any good, as I searched Acorn and see a lot of "Krystal down again?" topics, is it a good host?

They do Fantastico WP which people have told me about, on their link here they list the one click install Fantastico programs: http://www.krystal.co.uk/hosting/fantastico/

What I'd like to know is, if I took a hosting plan and wanted to add a forum and gallery to my Perth site, how would I do that with regards to the my domain name, because obviously the domain name is pointing to my current Perth site, I know you can have sub domains but there isn't anything to do subdomains in the Nominet control panel, so how could I have something like perth.org.uk/gallery and perth.org.uk/forum to add to the site?

Also, on that Fantastico list of programs to install, not knowing what the things are, is there anything listed there that would be useable for a business directory listings type thing? And again, how would I do the subdomain for that to integrate it on the Perth site page?