Lance and Tomas, along with others, have noted that comments are getting downright buggy now. I think there must be something in the code for my comments.php, so instead of trouble-shooting that and taking things offline and risk losing everything (AGAIN!), I went theme-hunting.
I hunted high and low for something that will allow me to update my toons’ portraits in a prominent place and also attempt to shorten the page by adding one more sidebar. It is going to take some monkeying around with the margins and padding, but I think I can muster a good layout from this:
I have already edited it for most of the colors I want, but I still have several overhauls to do that I have code already existing in my posts for:
- smilies have boxes
- images don’t have padding
- some links are bold, they will all need to be normal
- I may need to stretch some of the columns out a tad
This is your first preview. What do you think? Lemme have it if it sucks. Give me props until the sun goes down if you like it.
EDIT: Here is an updated version. I will look into moving the navigation, but the links column needs to be widest because of the long names. Maybe I’ll move the widest sidebar to the far right.
Seems kinda…..static. Not diggin the lines in between everthing. Looks cluttered with them. I feel like I’m looking at some companies online interface. The picture of Gitr…..um looks like hes possesed with the rabies. The Fung Shui is way off. The “Love me” Pictures seem a little large for the interface you have set up. Its too busy. You might wanna tone down the cleavage on Bloodr. Too much and she looks like a hooor. Oh and another thing…..um….nope got nothin else.
I agree that the lines between each link are a tad annoying. I’m not a big fan of 3 or 4 column layouts, but for the amount of links and such that you have, and the look that you’re going for, this one does work.
Mayhaps think about toning down (making smaller, I dunno..) the images on the top. I like the idea you’re going for but they are a bit distracting.
The basic scheme could work though, I think with a bit of tweaking and perfecting it would be fine.
Also…
I give you props for being able to go in and change your own CSS and such. Free WordPress is as far as I’ve gone so far (I never feel like dishing out the cash for buying my own webspace if I don’t really have to. Haha cheapo.)
Sooo…put a new chestpiece on Bloodr, halve the height on the pics (or less), and get rid of the margins between the column headings?
I think I can do that. As for the pictures, I had to go with what I had here at work, which is limited.
Gah! I keep thinking of things… Sorry, haha. I promise this will be the last suggestion (maybe).
It might be better, in terms of navigation, if your “Pages” and “Categories” lists were in the 2nd column (where General blogs are now). Just to make it a bit easier to find them at first glance to navigate the site.
Content is king.
Your page shouldn’t be 2/3 links, 1/3 content at any viewing “angle”. My primary rule of web design is readability – if your content doesn’t stand out or isn’t readily identifiable, the page isn’t user-friendly.
The issue is that you have _so_ many links. Clearly, you enjoy your collection, your ‘network’ for blogs, which is perfectly acceptable – this is the new web after all.
I’d simply point out that if you want people to come to your page, it should be as readable as the RSS Aggregators many of us use. I personally prefer to aggregate your blog via Google Reader, since your page really is consumed by links, categories, etc that 9/10 readers aren’t particularly interested in.
Check out my blogs:
http://justjoshin.net/ – going over a major redesign at the moment (and relaunch) but still, its mostly content, clean and clear. I don’t even have a blogroll, but maybe I’m antisocial :p
http://justjoshin.net/wow/ – our blog. Content is a little less prominent, but deliberately slow to advertise the presence of our (now defunct) podcast.
Respect your reader – specifically respect their time and patience. Make your content clear and the masses will adore you 🙂
I like it But I agree with Mindkiller about the lines. Oh I semi started my own Blog thought I would give it a try.
http://lance-dailyrambles.blogspot.com/
Tell me what you think so far, It is only a welcome message as of yet but will add later.
Hey, Josh. I thought you guys dropped off the face of the earth. You are Down Under, after all, and I thought maybe there was a rift in the gravity field…
Ok, I seriously thought that one day your threw your exercise bike out the window (picturing you in a 3rd floor apartment) and the bike fell on someone and they threw your butt in jail.
Actually we did.
Our internet connection was killed and we had to move house. Kate is now studying hard at TAFE (college) and I’m 9-5ing it at a software house.
We were planning to do the “sorry” post/podcast, but we didn’t receive even a single e-mail or comment, so we shurgged it off and let it die quietly.
Good to see you’re still kicking along mate. I did not kill anyone when disposing of the X-Trainer, I promise… >_>…