I am currently working on a new layout for my web hosting company, and I was wondering what people think about it. I also would like to know if it shows up right on all sorts of Operating Systems, resolutions, and color depths. Any input will greatly be appreated. None of the site works currently except for the main page. The current url is http://www.stratius.com/demi/ . Also any sugestions, comments, or anything else would be greatly appreated.

Very nice layout, easy on the eye, fits in almost any resolution. Good job.

Only thing : align the 'Order Us/other links' with the right side of the main table. On my IE5 1024X768 (Win95) it's coming up as jutting out around 4-5 pixels to the right of the main table below it.

Of course, make sure you don't use the words 'unlimited bandwidths' anywhere on your site, or we'll all shoot you, hang you from the rafters and leave you for the vultures to die :D j/k

Cheers!

Well I made the top nav thing go out a bit from the whole thing on purpose. do you think it looks weird that way? also if you look at http://www.stratius.com we dont use those nasty words like unlimited, well we do use it on the pro account for unlimited email addreses, but we actualy mean that.

Neat layout! :)


the top right hand side nav bar looks weird! :) Why did you make it jutting out anyways??

[Edited by kunal on 09-10-2000 at 09:57 AM]

You know, I'm not quite sure why I chose to do that. I kinda like the way it sticks out though, but if it appears to be a mistake to people I probly should change it.

Making the change would be a good idea :)

Originally posted by stratius-webmaster
Well I made the top nav thing go out a bit from the whole thing on purpose. do you think it looks weird that way? also if you look at http://www.stratius.com we dont use those nasty words like unlimited, well we do use it on the pro account for unlimited email addreses, but we actualy mean that.


I checked this url out. Very NICE job. It is easy to navigate, looks clean and professional! I run 800x600.
I like it.

I personally like the bar jutting out on the right, as long as it does so enough not to look like a mistake. It breaks the "box" pattern, and also helps a person spot the nav bar.

Good job, but you need to move the top right nav bar in a little more so it is over the rest of the content, and put a logo in the upper left hand corner.

Brian

I think if you are going to stick the navbar out you should stick it way out. Maybe line the 'd' of domain up with the box.
I like the overal design and layout alot. I'm viewing it at 1024x768 with IE5 on a MAC.

Stratius,

I viewed your above URL in Netscape 4.72 at 800X600 in 16 Million colors and it showed up just fine. Neat job!

Now here are my comments/criticisms:

1. All the edges (of your boxes/images/links/text area) are only rectangular in shape. Add some visual relief by using curves too at some places.

2. You have only used flat colors... try vignetting your colors for visual relief again.

3. I really liked your graphic showing the globe and the computer keys wrapped around it. But do touch up the arrow-head. It looks a bit clumsy. I am talking about the edge-definition of the arrow-head.

4. The NAV bar at the top of the page is just fine... its just that appreciation in this case lies in the eyes of the beholder!

5. You should change the look of the fonts in the NAV bar at the top of the page. some of the characters are too close to each other. For eg.: "ow" in ORDER NOW; "tr" in TRACK ORDER & "ok" in DOMAIN LOOKUP.

6. The blank space at the very top of your page looks a bit empty. I do suggest the same what Brian suggested... insert your company logo at the top left hand corner.

7. It would be a good idea if you used mouse-over effects for both the NAV bar at the top and the LINKS at the right.

8. Use a little 3-Dimensional effects at some places. Everything just looks too "flatish".

9. Your text content needs to be polished up. I am suggesting to you the following grammatical and impressionable corrections in bold font below:



It is the goal of Stratius Communications...

It is our goal at Stratius Communications...



to provide competitive, reliable, quality service...

to provide competitive, reliable and quality service...



Our quality services are competitively priced with other providers, but we believe our level of reliability and service is above and beyond what the rest can offer.

Our quality services are competitively priced as compared to most other providers, and we are always striving to maintain a higher level of reliability and service than what most hosting companies generally offer.



We pride ourselves in using only the best quality equipment and knowledgeable administrators to provide you with the best possible services.

We pride ourselves in using only the best quality equipment available and experienced administrators to provide you with the best possible services at all times.



Hope this helps!

Learner

Stratius,

I must also frankly mention that though I have polished up your textual content a little for you... I vehementally feel that the textual matter you have put up is not that impressive at all in the first place.

All hosting companies generally imply such things... they all claim, in one way or the other, that they are better than their competiton... SO WHAT'S NEW ??? WHY SHOULD READERS BELIEVE YOU ??? All this sounds very cliched... and actually goes against your website, believe me!

It would be more impressive to substantiate what you claim with facts. For doing so will make your textual input credible... which it strongly lacks at the moment.

By the way, I have been an advertising and marketing professional for the last ten years. So do email me if you would like me to review your entire website with similar comments/criticisms/corrections etc.

Learner

Learner, could you do me a favour?? Remind me to ask you to evalute my site for me?? ;) No kidding.. your a Guru at it while I am yet a learner :)

Kunal, you will have to remind me to remind you... just joking :D

You're always welcome, friend!!! Let me know when your site has more content, okay? I had a cursory look at it and it seems you are still working on it.

Learner

Originally posted by CFoxHost
I personally like the bar jutting out on the right, as long as it does so enough not to look like a mistake. It breaks the "box" pattern, and also helps a person spot the nav bar.

exactly! I had to go back to check out this jutting bar as I never noticed it the first time. Leave it as it is, as it counters the left sides bulk by throwing up over the right edge of the white main area. If you look at it and try to image color as weight (as you should), the right edge of that menu balances the left side of the screen. I like it :)

Greg Moore
http://www.akashik.net

I don't mind the bar, but the site is quite stark, both in terms of design and content. It looks and feels bare - I like whitespace, but maybe an injection of colour would make the page more attractive?

From a usability point of view, doesn't the 1-2-3 steps approach work better? Try putting the domain search in the middle of the page as Step 1, hopefully this will encourage customers to follow the process through to an order. That's what you want them to do, right? Why not make it the focal point of the page?

looks to plain and you have alot of space not being utilized! add a cool graphic logo or flash, maybe put an advertisement bar in there?