[thelist] New site - Critique for look/feel/user experience (http://www.hughblair.com/)

[Hugh Blair]

> -----Original Message-----
> On Behalf Of lon.kraemer

> Now that you've changed 'style...' to 'page style', I get a horizontal
> scroll bar at 800. Still no mouseover/cursor indication on the 1-4 styles.
> (later, right?)

Right. I think all I have to do is apply a 'style' to them - later.

> I'll just comment further on the style changer. I love the ability to select
> a page style. But everytime I follow a link, I'm back at the default style
> on the new page. Kind of defeats the purpose? Perhaps a cookie might be in
> order, even if non-persistent, to stay with me throughout *my* session.

I noticed that. I'm not sure why it's working, but I sure want to stay away
from cookies if at all possible. There'll be a cookie set when ordering
a domain name, so I'd like to not add another one just for the styles. I'm
sure this on is going to be hard to fix - but I'll try.

> Actually, considering the commercial nature of the site, I'd be inclined to
> just scrap the feature. You're a registrar, not a designer, so why
> complicate the UI with features that are nonsequitar?

Mostly for the play of it?!? You -do- have a point though, I may scrap it
just because it is a commercial site.

> I guess I can say the same about .US news. At first I ignored it. The
> heading and scrollable region suggested it was a news feed about the US.
> Given the nature of your business, I would fill the main column (center)
> with news about TLDs and use the right column for a brief pitch.

Or get rid of the right column all together as someone else suggested.
> \\
> It just seems to me that you're overextending your scope. I showed your page
> to my sister and she asked, "What is this about? What do they do? I replied
> that they are a domain registrar. "Where do I type in the domain I want?
> Dunno!

(sick LOL) - you might try "register"? But that's a great point. Center panel,
top center, text below. Right out front. Sell sell sell. (Oh, and all the
'real' functionality hasn't been rolled in - locked to the cgi/merchant
account stuff, yet.)

Thank, Lon. Your time is really appreciated. But not bad for a few hours work,
huh? Now for the *real* work :)

-Hugh