Need web site critique

[Mallette]

I really can't hold the Regional Music Heritage Center web site much longer.  I am so swamped it's crazy trying to keep it all moving forward in so many ways I can't even attempt to summarize.  That said, I have something of at least a basic site in place and your help in ensuring it's at least basically functional, navigable, and makes some sort of sense will help. 

 

I am at best a mediocre programmer and probably worse at design.  Hopefully in the future I'll be able to pay somebody or find a good soul wanting to aid this cause to fix it, but right now just doing the best I know how.

 

I'd appreciate forum input on all points.  Does it suck entirely?  Does it work at all?  Need a reality check and those who know me realize I can take it no matter how painful. 

 

It is publically accessible, but not publically announced. 

 

If your points are that it's all crap, fine.  If they are about specific pages or functions please be as specific as possible.  Screen shots are best with notations.  Factual issues are critical as I want the site to be unquestionably authoritative.  Provide a citation. 

 

Other than a handful, you folks are the first.  I should have pages specific to PWK up in a few days, but they aren't present now.  Once I have them complete and your input I'll go public or shoot myself, whichever is indicated.

 

The help will be appreciated no matter how brutal.

 

www.texarkanarmhc.org. 

 

 

Dave

[oldtimer]

So you want advice on which gun to use to shoot yourself?

[Mallette]

So you want advice on which gun to use to shoot yourself?

 

Naw.  Have a 4 gauge bong that will do the job nicely.

 

Dave

[oldtimer]

That is a big bowl.

[Mallette]

That is a big bowl.

​Just a thimble there.  I meant the business end.  Nobody ever got their brains blown out by the primer. 

 

Dave

[oldtimer]

Depends on what you mean by "one hit" bowl.

[Mallette]

Depends on what you mean by "one hit" bowl.

 

If it takes more than one, it's a misfire. 

 

Dave

[Mallette]

Anyway, suicide is illegal and I don't do anything illegal.

 

Dave

[twistedcrankcammer]

Dave,

 

You are not allowed to shoot yourself, that is my job and we'll talk it over at Rodney's

 

Roger

[Mallette]

You are not allowed to shoot yourself, that is my job and we'll talk it over at Rodney's

 

Roger, Roger.

 

Dave

[BusaDude]

I looked at the website on my phone using both Firefox and Chrome. There appears to be an issue with the spaces between the text... Or should I say the lack of spaces between much of the text. See attached screenshot.

I know nothing about website programming, so I don't know if it's related to the site itself or because I'm viewing it on my phone. Though the problem did not go away when I requested the "desktop site" versus the mobile version.

[oldtimer]

It looks fine on my laptop.

[Mallette]

There appears to be an issue with the spaces between the text...

 

Not optimized for phone...but needs to be.  I'll check into it and thanks for that!

 

Dave

[Ceptorman]

Dave, overall the site looks great, lots of great info. Your passion for this project came through nicely. It's easy to navigate, and it flows well.

I did find quite a few areas where words were combined. There's one on the main page, here….."A place to study, celebrate, and share our regions musical contributionsto America and the world"

 

I don't know anything about web page design, and this might go away when it's completely finished, like an auto-correct system will fix it.

 

Also the page about Texarkana with the musical notes are in the background with the text written over it, it seems hard to read. maybe if the musical notes were a little lighter shade in color, it would be easier to read, they're about the same color as the written text. Of course I'm on the other side of 50 now and my eyes aren't as sharp as they once were.

 

I'm on a laptop but the pages came up quick and are easy to see. I can visit there again a little later to browse it some more.

 

Overall I say great job….Bill

[Ceptorman]

I also noticed under pics of rock, blues, and jazz, the caption says it's a 1955 picture of Elvis on stage but I don't think it's Elvis in the pic.

[jason str]

Looks good, i like the green and the layout.

 

Needs more cowbell.

[Wardsweb]

I would have the links for  Texarkana: A Foxtrot and Marshall open in a new page, unless it is your intent to have viewers leave your site.

[Wardsweb]

 

 

Not optimized for phone...but needs to be.  I'll check into it and thanks for that!

 

Dave

 

 

What you are looking for is called "responsive". This automatically adjust the site to the viewers screen size.

 

Another option is to add a script that detects screen size and sends the viewer to a new page built for them. This is bulker and more labor intensive because you have to basically build two or more websites (one for each screen size you want to have available).

[Mallette]

Thanks so far, and keep it coming.  It is, in fact, set to shrink or fill the screen on PCs.  Mike Bentz (Dr. Who) didn't like that because it doesn't allow the zooming as it simply reconfigures when one tries.  However, more liked having it than not so I've left it for now.  As it actually consists of 6 different programs (so I don't have to recompile and upload the whole thing after changes to a given chapter) it's possible this setting is limited on one or more.  I'd be interested in phone users checking other subjects in there to see if they are all poorly showing or not. 

 

Dave

[Paducah Home Theater]

I think your editor is doing you a disservice.  This is what the code looks like for that first paragraph:

 

 

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<tspan>
given
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="-13.05" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
the
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="18.34" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
scope
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="72.03" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
of
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="94.71" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
our
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="128.48" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
mission
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="199.98" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
to
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="221.60" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
study,
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="278.50" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
celebrate,
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="364.46" y="-58.53" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
and
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="-420.50" y="-32.43" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
share
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="-370.38" y="-32.43" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
the
</tspan>
</text>
<text x="-338.98" y="-32.43" font-family="Times New Roman, Times, Serif" font-size="16.0pt" fill="#fffaf0" fill-rule="evenodd">
<tspan>
incredible
</tspan>
</text>