need opinions

[tastegw]

I want to get ahead at my current job, so I have started teaching myself the basics of web design and how to use the programs that I would be working with.

Currently I just do web support for existing websites, update content and such, I also build out shopping carts.

But designing new sites would pay more.

here is a basic 4 page site i started on today about my pc.
Untitled 1
I dont have any flash programs yet, so all I can do is work with microsoft expression web (html generator) and my paintshop.

Tell me things that I can do to make this look better or things that I shouldnt have done.

thanks, any and all comments welcome.

 

[KSoD]

Well first i would say that the page is set to a specific size limit. which limits it look on various monitors.

[img=http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/882/tastesite1.th.png]

As you can see there is a lot of dead space not being used. So for that you would want to use a % amount not a fixed amount. The site looks the same in every browser. Tested in Opera 10 Beta, Firefox 2.5 Beta, Safari 4 Beta, chrome 3 Beta, and Ie8 all in Win7. So that is a plus that it is identical.

Other than that little gripe i think it is a good job for a start.

 

[tastegw]

edit again: reset table size.

this should be fixed

 

[KSoD]

It still shows up the same in all browser for me.

 

[CrazeD]

Things you shouldn't have done: Used tables for layout and using image maps for navigation bars.

 

[tastegw]

what is another option(s) for layout, tables is all i know atm.

as far as the navbar, i think i know why image maps is not preffered, and im ok with that for now.

 

[hikaricloud]

There's some positioning problems with the navbar for sure, it's making my OCD go nuts. Lol.

I'm thinking you're getting the right idea, but the layout looks way too busy. If you are going to keep the girl in the middle, you could make her more transparent to fade to the background instead of the foreground.

Besides that, the navbar positioning, among a few other formatting things...really making my OCD go nuts...

Must...organize...bookshelf....

 

[tastegw]

what if i were to have the nav bar run the table left to right 100%
or perhaps, run it down on the lefthand side.

 

[hikaricloud]

Eh, I think you should stick to it being in the middle somewhere, since the sides are pretty empty at the moment. Just need to work on the positioning.

It's pretty good for just trying out new stuff though mate, I have to say.

 

[zmatt]

I'll just tell you know before you use it. Don't use flash. It's big, slow and fixed size. Use ajax. Ajax means you will need to learn javascript, but the benefits are great. I do all of my web 2.0 work with Ajax now. It's powerful and you don't need an expensive program like flash CS4 to work with it.