Sdsalyer.com - personal site / blog

URL: http://www.sdsalyer.com

Hello all,

This is my personal website / weblog. I just finished yesterday so there's no real content to speak of, but I am mostly interested in critique of the design, layout, compatibility, and ease of use (is the text hard to read?) -- portfolio and contact information type stuff will come later on.

I used CSS3 border radii, which doesn't translate well (read: at all) into IE. I may try some javascript options to handle that, as I really don't want to use images, but it won't break my heart too much to just have square borders in IE.

I've also used a lot of transparency effects (png's and CSS opacitity) in addition to z-index layering, which may not be very browser friendly.

I wanted to do it all up in HTML5 and PHP/MySQL, but decided I'd spend far too much time coding things myself that I would rather spend elsewhere (work, school, reading, writing, exercise, ...), so I decided to use a CMS/blog package. I think stuff validates aside from me leaving out alt tags on the images, but I haven't checked it thoroughly.

I'll stop rambling now. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Regards,

Drew



EDIT: I went ahead and fixed the validation problems. The site validates completely now. I tried out Nibbler also. The site scores 7.2 overall. I will check into correcting the concerns it raises in the coming weeks.

I would suggest putting a sold colour behind your text. Maybe white with a blue border and a black font colour.

It could have a low alpha transparency to show the background.

I just find the site difficult to read with the horizontal blue lines.

I think you're probably right about the background. I'm not entirely sure the mono font is going to work very well either. Thank you for taking a look.

No worries. I really like the background. What will you be specifically blogging about?

I'll give you the classic answer: "Whatever I want!" I enjoy writing and the blog is mostly just an experiment to keep me writing consistently, about anything. I figure to have a "real" blog you need to cover one specific topic and I don't expect I'll specialize anytime soon, if ever (at which point, I'd probably make a completely new site more relative to the topic anyway). I'm a computer science student and enjoy writing and personal development, etc., so topics within those realms are the most likely.

The site will also serve as a portfolio/resume type thing where I can exhibit some websites I've done semi-professionally, some of my photography, and possibly some of my short fiction.

Nothing too fancy, and mostly just for me. I had the idea for that space theme/layout with the planets and whatnot quite some time ago and I just *had* to finish it.

I'll try to work on that div background this week, as well as change the way comments and the comment form are handled, and probably add a contact form.

Thanks again for the critique!

I was looking for the navigational menu where it takes me anywhere on that site but couldn't find it. Later, saw the tags, where I can navigate with it. Not really the same, for me anyways.

otherwise, looks good.

Thanks for taking a look! I appreciate the feedback.

I think you're doing good. You're using H1 tags, H2 tags, and I would suggest H3 tags for the times you start your paragraphs off with a bold phrase.

However, I'm not sure why, but when I hover over a link, it takes longer than normal to switch to the a:hover state.

You've got an interesting last name. But everytime I see it on your site, I want to read it as 'slayer'. Just a side comment I guess.

I am wondering what the Accessibility <div> is all about? Is it for screen readers?

I just read your post on fitness... I have to agree with what somebody else said.. the text background is not right at the moment. It doesn't contrast well... A transparent background can work but you need a darker shade and to make it less transparent. Also, that white cluster of stars was right in my field of vision and was quite distracting!

Good work though.. keep it up. to drive traffic you could consider youtube videos on your subjects with links back or once you have topics sorted circulate a few articles in the article directories, with links back.

Thank you all for taking the time to look at my site. I think I may end up darkening the starscape background, which should make the text much more readable, even through the transparent div backgrounds.

The accessibility div is for screen readers and/or text-based browsers like Lynx.

I would think having opacity background settings on my a:hover may be causing your slowness issue.

Thanks for the tips on generating traffic! I've been trying to utilize Twitter for that, but I'm not quite sure I've got the hang of it yet. I'm currently swamped and may not have time to post as often as I'd like, so I may not push for generating traffic too much for a while. The site is just a writing outlet for me, so it won't be terribly crushing even if no one reads it!

Thanks once again. I do take the advice to heart and I'll work on correcting some issues as I have time.

No problem.. if you do get chance... Do a few of those things and leave them... just to see what happens for future reference. Also, i think you could keep the background if you just had a darker transparent background for the text in black maybe??

Here's a bump to elicit more feedback. I've tried to change a few things as per the recommendations here and did a bit of an organizational redesign as well.

I would leave to hear some feedback on the changes, and on site usability (is it easy to get where you want?).

I'd also be interested in hearing suggestions for making the site more IE friendly. Currently it works perfectly in Chrome and Firefox, but it's a disaster in IE (and I'm almost to the point of not caring). I just added syntax highlighting with javascript, but it doesn't work in IE. My beautiful rounded borders don't work in IE (though there are javascript options for this). I just really am sick of IE (not to start another one of those rants....). But yeah, suggestions are good!

If you take the time to read any of my very few posts, I'd love to hear feedback on those as well. I'm trying to go more technical and less personal-development (though those posts will still get in there occasionally as well).

Thanks so much!

I think for a personal site you've hit the mark. Your content is easy to locate, the site is easy to navigate and your links work. You are looking to share information, not sell something so the "rules of engagement" that apply to e commerce sites don't apply for your site.

The chosen images are pleasing and interesting. Best of luck.

Thank you, OnceUponAPuzzle!

I have looked at your website. I like it backround really cool. I suggest you to make your navigation better and to add more content. Also I think you need to change font style.