I have a web site

[Anime_Lover]

Please go and take a look and tell me what you think of my 1st ever site. All the classes didn’t really prepare me for the hard work.
Well I hope you all like it.
I want to personally thank someone in here who not only helped when I was stumped but stood by me when I was ready to quit and was crying in frustration.

Thank you with all my heart and soul TM!


http://www.geocities.com/debra_ann1120/index.html

[cpmcgraw]

Debra,

It gets easier now. Really...

I have to ask, is that Flash on the banner with the "Finger In The Pool" effect? That's cool!

Since you indicated this was something of a "class project", you were probably encouraged to try out everything, just to see it work. No harm in that. When I was first starting out in HTML coding, I tried out as much as I thought I could use. It didn't take me long to realize I needed to rip out nearly everything and completely start over. That's why I said it gets easier. Less fiddly bits means less to maintain!

That's also something a lot of "professional" websites still can't wrap their brains around -- keeping the site clean and easy to load by the user. One complaint I have about Flash, and for that matter, almost every multimedia "goo-gah", is the time it takes to download the files when you're on a dial-up modem (like I am). If you're not waiting for the actual image (or audio) file, then it's the plug-in you have to load. Grass grows faster...

Keep pluggin' at it. You might want to try this: Create an entirely NEW site on your personal computer, using your current theme, but rip out all of the Flash and other animated stuff. This will become your update for the posted site later. Fill the new site with content that doesn't require fancy coding. Only add the Flash (or whatever) if you really need it to get the message across. I know it sounds boring, but I think you'll be happier with a site that you can maintain easier.

I'm having fun getting back to pure coding now, but I agree, it can be hair-pulling frustrating at times when you know something should work, and it doesn't. Been there too often. Still run into it on my website occasionally. When that happens, drop back to something that does work for the moment, but keep looking for the real solution for the next update. You'll get comfortable with it soon enough!

Good work on your first site!

[Anime_Lover]

Thank you cpmcgraw . I have to admit that TM also said to keep it simple stupid! But being a pig headed idiot I really wanted the Daruis Waterpic effect and I begged for him to show me how.
He too said about the visitors wanting to load it faster so keeping it light is the best way.

I really really wanted it with all the graphics being I guess I am kind of dense. I even blew his mind I guess when I added yet another graphic last night as well as an email link with a Chi. Oh I joined a web ring for newbies as well as put the link to my school. I dare say TM may be a bit how to put this...a bit over it. He is a God sent with tons of patience but I caution anyone who is thinking of asking him for help...don't! I think he needs a vacation after dealing with little ole me ROFLMAO.

I am in the process of making an anime site for my daughter and I promised him I wouldnt ask him for help, I'd just do it. This site will have very little if any special effects. So I will be coding an all plain and simple stupid type of a site :-).

Oh before I forget,,,DE I hope you are reading this because TM got me good when he added his off the wall graphics to my guestbook that he signed. I guess he is a flasher in the making LOL




Well maybe after a few days of basking in the glow I will tone it down. But what about the slide show you didnt comment on it and I was wondering what you thought. Again that was thanks to TM. I am guessing you really were asking about the Darius Water pic and not the slide show correct?

Thanks and I will use any and all advise if I can just calm myself and lt it all sink in. That my friends will come in time with all your help.

[animgirl]

Hey Debra,

Don't beat yourself up :)
Think about it: you made a website, your first one! Isn't it exciting?

Everytime you build something, you'll learn something new and you'll enjoy it!

I know how frustrating it can be! You try and try and something that should be so simple; it becomes a seek and destory mission
... must... figure... out... code...

I think I've heard it said by someone, maybe by db but I agree with the fact that flash is best used for extra elements. I think flash is good when used in moderation, and download consideration, which is what you did.

I might suggest that your flash slide show open in a new window, because once you go to it I don't see any navigational way back to the main site.

Something you might want to take into consideration for the future, your pages should have a unified theme to avoid confusion. Basically, a main layout that will work with all your content. That way on every page the navigation and header is in the same place, and is easily seen.

And don't worry, many know the kiss method (keep it simple silly) but admittedly it's hard to implement, expecially when you are new and have all these new ideas you want to see.

Actually I think it's good in a way that you are kinda dissastified with your work. It means you are open to grow and learn new things!

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung/verkleidung/costumed-smiley-072.gif
animgirl

[MikeParent]

The reason it was hard work is you did somehing *way* more complex than a beginner should ahve tried for a first site - so kudos for pulling this off...

I am not sure if you are looking for a critique or not, and on what basis it should be given...

[Anime_Lover]

Any and all comments, suggestions, pros, and cons to what I have up are greatly appreciated.

I have learned by my mistake of not talking Moose's advise about keeping it so simple so please throw it at me and trust if I don’t understand what your throwing I will kick it back for more explanations :-)

With that said...animegirl can you please explain the following being I may be a bit dense cause I am not understanding it.
<<I might suggest that your flash slide show open in a new window, because once you go to it I don't see any navigational way back to the main site.

Something you might want to take into consideration for the future, your pages should have a unified theme to avoid confusion. Basically, a main layout that will work with all your content. That way on every page the navigation and header is in the same place, and is easily seen.

I might suggest that your flash slide show open in a new window, because once you go to it I don't see any navigational way back to the main site.>>

[animgirl]

I might suggest that your flash slide show open in a new window, because once you go to it I don't see any navigational way back to the main site.
Right now you have a flash slide show that loads when clicked on. It opens in the same window as your main site, so when I'm done viewing the slide show, there is no navigational way back to the site, because it loaded in the same window as the main site was in.

Something you might want to take into consideration for the future, your pages should have a unified theme to avoid confusion. Basically, a main layout that will work with all your content. That way on every page the navigation and header is in the same place, and is easily seen.
Well, the overall look of the homepage is entirely different from that of the "Bill of Rights" page. It would be a good idea to keep the same main layout throughout all your pages, it lessens confusion because the user knows no matter what page they are on, where the navigation and header is. When every page has a different look, it's hard to know how to get around on every page. So when you make your main site layout, it's good to take into consideration the type of content you will have on your site, so you can make your layout able to work with any content on any page.

I hope that helps :)
animgirl

[Anime_Lover]

Hi animgirl, thanks for taking the time to explain futher. I thought the whole point to having several pages was to have several looks per page?
You don't mean keep the same background on each page do you? Again sorry to be dense.

I do understand the need for a nav bar. I thought I kind of was doing that when the box was created with the pull down menu?

Also when I go to lets say the bill of rights page when it is loaded I hit refresh and it shows that page and gets off the home page.

I guess I still have tons of work to do and more reading to do perhaps more classes if I can do more after I took 3 full classes the same time and all were 2 week classes. Man that was tough never ever take frames, tables, and forms all at the same time. It is nuts!

[Anime_Lover]

Thanks David for the links. Points taken. Each are uniform and neat.

I cant believe all these years surfing the net I never stopped and really looked at each site in detail.
Maybe I have been hanging out at either the wrong sites or too many personal ones LOL.

I have really taken sites I have visited for granted. This was a hard lesson to learn when I started the classes then when I finished and set out to do mine.

More and more I am starting to think personal sites should be as simply made as possible and company sites and business sites should be the ones with fancy thingys :-).

I do like the nav bar that the sites use. I am partial to the drop down types and I havent the foggest notion why but I do like them?

Okay question here....I am in the process of drawing up the anime site. I do have a page ready that I created for my midterm. Its only about one of the shows over at terrashare.

I want to make the site about several different anime shows and if I do that then the background will have to be different due to the different shows. So how can I work around that? Is it wise to create a nav bar with drop down links to each page by show listing? Or would it be better to create a site for each show? GOd I hope not but I would like your thoughts.
Thanks