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www.gthelp.com
gthelp.com is up for vBulletin Board of the Month ... would appreciate some positive feedback from you. http://www.theadminzone.com/forums/i...es/biggrin.gif
What is the name of your forums/website?
gthelp -Web solutions for webmasters and business professionals.
Description of your forums topic?
The goal is to give webmasters and business professionals the tools needed to create a successful web site. At the same time, we give you the abilty to customize the main page.
For example, why should you be bombarded with B2B articles when you are interested in Design & HTML? We believe that you should have some control of what content you read.
The ability to customize the front page is available to all Registered Members.
You control the way the site appears and what information is displayed or "pushed" to you.
coming soon: the abilty to view external RSS files from main page eg. yahoo style--do you offer RSS on your site? email me and request your RSS to be added to the list (no promise of inclusion)
Available sections:
http://www.gthelp.com
Date of Launch?
We officially opened 8/18/2004.
What software do you use for forums?
the complete site is vBulletin - but it's been heavily hacked
I have left the "vBulletin-Default Style" as an option in the Style Changer. This will be removed once the site has it's "official" launch.
Please answer these questions for me:
What is the name of your forums/website?
gthelp -Web solutions for webmasters and business professionals.
Description of your forums topic?
The goal is to give webmasters and business professionals the tools needed to create a successful web site. At the same time, we give you the abilty to customize the main page.
For example, why should you be bombarded with B2B articles when you are interested in Design & HTML? We believe that you should have some control of what content you read.
The ability to customize the front page is available to all Registered Members.
You control the way the site appears and what information is displayed or "pushed" to you.
coming soon: the abilty to view external RSS files from main page eg. yahoo style--do you offer RSS on your site? email me and request your RSS to be added to the list (no promise of inclusion)
Available sections:
- SiteReview 101 - Looking for a professional, experienced, and honest critque of your web project or web site? SiteReview 101 allows the members of gthelp to review your site with the use of a detailed ReviewCard based on current web standards. The reviews you receive are completely confidential and are only visible to you - the Publisher.
- Articles - Our Articles section is an ever-growing collection of articles written by professionals in the business. You will find a wide variety of topics including: browser compatibilty issues and work-arounds, interviews with other professionals in the field, usability concerns, and much more.
- Scripts and Downloads - Looking to enhance or add functionality to your web site?
Our Scripts and Downloads section is a depository for a variety of web site enhancements. Including JavaScripts, PHP, Contracts, Templates, and more, you can search easily and effectively to find the solution you need. - Support - Suffering from coders block? Been looking at your work too long and can't see the error? Support is the place to get and give support. A little help can go a long way toward success: yours or someone else's.
- Web Professionals Directory - Are you new to web design and need professional assistance to create a web site? Are you looking for a professional to sub-contract specific work? Want to hire a web designer/developer to create your online presence? Web Professionals Directory is the place for you!
- ClubHouse - Grab a cup of coffee or your favorite herbal tea and get comfortable. Catch up on the latest technology, news, or share your favorite recipe.
The ClubHouse is the place to hang out, relax, and step away from everyday stress. - WebMarket - Coming Soon
http://www.gthelp.com
Date of Launch?
We officially opened 8/18/2004.
What software do you use for forums?
the complete site is vBulletin - but it's been heavily hacked
I have left the "vBulletin-Default Style" as an option in the Style Changer. This will be removed once the site has it's "official" launch.
Please answer these questions for me:
- What do you think of the default style?
- Do you prefer FALL over the default (SPRING) style? (Style Changer found within footer)
- Is the content readable?
- Is the poll working correctly? eg. Are you able to vote?
- Did you register? If you haven't ... WHY? Get listed within our Web Professionals Directory!
0
First of all, congratulations on your site - it's a quite interesting rendition of vBulletin! I'm impressed. However, I, too, agree everything is pretty squished together. I would even go so far as recommend you change it to a liquid layout taking the full width of the page, or maybe even 90%, etc.
In the Fall template, I think the bright red background is too bright. Perhaps toning it down with a maroon or something. The spring template, constrastly, is too white for me. The table's white background is way too close to the page background's pale grey background. I would make the pale grey just a tad darker. As for the Grape template, I admit others may think it's very nice, but to me, as a vB person, it just looks like a default vB 2.
A big problem with your layout is that you just seem to offer way too much that it confuses the user. I would definitely call myself an Internet expert, in addition to a pretty decent vB hacker, and even I was confused by your site. That's not a very good sign.
Let's start off with the homepage. The first thing the Internet has trained the visitor to expect is a logo in the top left. But yours isn't - it's in the top right. This, in itself, can be confusing. There actually is no indication that <gthelp /> is the name of your site - it just looks like some words in bold italics in the sidebar.
In addition, it's very hard to see the subject matter of your site. The only way I really knew what your site had to offer was by reading the blurbs about it you posted here on DaniWeb. A good rule of thumb is to make sure the visitor knows everything you want them to know about your site without having to come out and say it. And if that doesn't work, then heck, just come right out and say it on the site!
For example, I would have had no clue whatsoever that the sidebar could be customized. Why not a nice big button that says "customize the sidebar!" near the bottom of the sidebar?
You have to make the site enticing to a visitor. Give a visitor what they want and like, and they'll become a member. For example, this was what the visit to your site consisted of for me:
Go to gthelp.com
Confused what site was about
Saw a section on site reviews near the top of the homepage
I clicked on PulseToday.com site reviews because I know them
(hi PulseToday!)
I'm expecting to see site reviews for PulseToday
Instead all I see is a small blurb about what the site is
I agree to try again and give it another chance
I go back to the homepage
I click EWS Gifts and again I only see a blurb about what the site offers
This time I see a vB threaded view box
I click on one of the reviews
I get an error message
I give up - I'm outta here
I think ... why bother showing "4 Reviews! 8 Reviews!" on the homepage or the big listing of reviews on the showthread pages if only the one publisher is allowed to see them? It's just a tease.
In the Fall template, I think the bright red background is too bright. Perhaps toning it down with a maroon or something. The spring template, constrastly, is too white for me. The table's white background is way too close to the page background's pale grey background. I would make the pale grey just a tad darker. As for the Grape template, I admit others may think it's very nice, but to me, as a vB person, it just looks like a default vB 2.
A big problem with your layout is that you just seem to offer way too much that it confuses the user. I would definitely call myself an Internet expert, in addition to a pretty decent vB hacker, and even I was confused by your site. That's not a very good sign.
Let's start off with the homepage. The first thing the Internet has trained the visitor to expect is a logo in the top left. But yours isn't - it's in the top right. This, in itself, can be confusing. There actually is no indication that <gthelp /> is the name of your site - it just looks like some words in bold italics in the sidebar.
In addition, it's very hard to see the subject matter of your site. The only way I really knew what your site had to offer was by reading the blurbs about it you posted here on DaniWeb. A good rule of thumb is to make sure the visitor knows everything you want them to know about your site without having to come out and say it. And if that doesn't work, then heck, just come right out and say it on the site!
For example, I would have had no clue whatsoever that the sidebar could be customized. Why not a nice big button that says "customize the sidebar!" near the bottom of the sidebar?
You have to make the site enticing to a visitor. Give a visitor what they want and like, and they'll become a member. For example, this was what the visit to your site consisted of for me:
Go to gthelp.com
Confused what site was about
Saw a section on site reviews near the top of the homepage
I clicked on PulseToday.com site reviews because I know them
(hi PulseToday!)I'm expecting to see site reviews for PulseToday
Instead all I see is a small blurb about what the site is
I agree to try again and give it another chance
I go back to the homepage
I click EWS Gifts and again I only see a blurb about what the site offers
This time I see a vB threaded view box
I click on one of the reviews
I get an error message
I give up - I'm outta here
I think ... why bother showing "4 Reviews! 8 Reviews!" on the homepage or the big listing of reviews on the showthread pages if only the one publisher is allowed to see them? It's just a tease.
0
thank you dani ... I appreciate the feedback.
We just launched 2 weeks ago ... so, I expected some interface 'issues'.
What do you think of YAHOO!'s interface? Overcrowded?
The idea is to provide as much as possible within an 800 * 600 resolution and before the fold.
One thng people have to understand is that the site is different ... it's definately not vbulletin and definately not like any other sites. Just like anything new that we purchase--there is a "learning" phase that we all must go through (become familiar with the interface).
About the layout -- we already started on a "liquid" option for users. However, this will take some time to enable as I currently have other projects on the table.
About SiteReview - It's a free service for individuals who would like an honest and private critique on their web site. Everything is outlined in our ABOUT SITEREVIEW (there's a link within the SITEREVIEW section -- this section outlines why the system is the way it is and how it works.
Any comments made by the Publisher (the person who submitted a site for review) can be read by the public.
Thanks to you ... I will add a short message visibly displayed to Non-Publishers.
The logo -- I agree with what you said. Plus, it has been mentioned to me a few times and I had plans to move the logo to it's "proper" place. The whole header area has changed since I first created the layout which is why you see it there.
There is a Getting Started - Customize Your Front Page found within the header which clearly states what you can do with the layout if you are a member.
The Styles - The additional Styles are avaiable as an option for users. At a later date, you will see styles with different layout options. As it is now, you can view the entire site in CMS, BLOG, or LINEAR style (you will need to register to see this in action).
Oh yea, the light-gray background is there to dim the brightness of the white. It's not there for contrast.
---------
On a side note, we will be launching our WEBMARKET section within a few weeks for web professionals of all trades.
again, thank you
We just launched 2 weeks ago ... so, I expected some interface 'issues'.
What do you think of YAHOO!'s interface? Overcrowded?
The idea is to provide as much as possible within an 800 * 600 resolution and before the fold.
One thng people have to understand is that the site is different ... it's definately not vbulletin and definately not like any other sites. Just like anything new that we purchase--there is a "learning" phase that we all must go through (become familiar with the interface).
About the layout -- we already started on a "liquid" option for users. However, this will take some time to enable as I currently have other projects on the table.
About SiteReview - It's a free service for individuals who would like an honest and private critique on their web site. Everything is outlined in our ABOUT SITEREVIEW (there's a link within the SITEREVIEW section -- this section outlines why the system is the way it is and how it works.
Any comments made by the Publisher (the person who submitted a site for review) can be read by the public.
Thanks to you ... I will add a short message visibly displayed to Non-Publishers.
The logo -- I agree with what you said. Plus, it has been mentioned to me a few times and I had plans to move the logo to it's "proper" place. The whole header area has changed since I first created the layout which is why you see it there.
There is a Getting Started - Customize Your Front Page found within the header which clearly states what you can do with the layout if you are a member.
The Styles - The additional Styles are avaiable as an option for users. At a later date, you will see styles with different layout options. As it is now, you can view the entire site in CMS, BLOG, or LINEAR style (you will need to register to see this in action).
Oh yea, the light-gray background is there to dim the brightness of the white. It's not there for contrast.
---------
On a side note, we will be launching our WEBMARKET section within a few weeks for web professionals of all trades.
again, thank you
0
I completely agree to put as much information as possible above the fold, but it has to be done in a more organized way, in my opinion. A liquid option would be great.
Read what you just told me - "Everything is outlined in our ABOUT SITEREVIEW." There is something very important you have to keep in mind - your visitors are not saints and they're not mindreaders. They surf their way. They're not going to do things the way you want them to. And you're not looking over their shoulder saying "click here" now "click here". You have to make them like your site first, and THEN you can convince them to do it your way. Don't expect them to go off reading the "about this site" and "get started" and "read me first" pages - they won't. You're lucky if you can get a small handful of your members to surf your way.
You also said: One thng people have to understand is that the site is different ... it's definately not vbulletin and definately not like any other sites. Just like anything new that we purchase--there is a "learning" phase that we all must go through (become familiar with the interface).
This is definitely the wrong mentality. It is a wonderful, wonderful thing to offer something new and different on the Internet. However, it has to be gone about in a familiar way. There should not be a learning curve to surfing a site, or your surfer will just get frustrated and leave within two clicks of the mouse. No matter how much you could will them to, web surfers are not going to take the time to read a tutorial on how to use a webpage. They just won't. They're an impatient bunch. If they don't find what they want within 2 clicks, they're outta there - just like I was when I visited.
Take mikeandike for example - the guy who posted the comment "it's too cluttered." I bet if your interface was more surfer-friendly and had a less steep learning curve, he would have had more to say. He might have even signed up. But he visited your homepage, thought it looked cluttered and confusing, and left.
Also ... for your light-grey background vs white table, the point I was trying to make before was that the light shade of grey you have was futile in dimming the brightness of the white - b/c it was still too bright. So you should still consider using a darker shade of grey.
Please also keep in mind - the ONLY ONLY reason why people visit Site Reviews forums - or surf around them, rather - is to learn from others mistakes. You really, really have to provide the ability for everyone to be able to read other people's reviews. From experience, I can guarantee you that this is a critical function.
Read what you just told me - "Everything is outlined in our ABOUT SITEREVIEW." There is something very important you have to keep in mind - your visitors are not saints and they're not mindreaders. They surf their way. They're not going to do things the way you want them to. And you're not looking over their shoulder saying "click here" now "click here". You have to make them like your site first, and THEN you can convince them to do it your way. Don't expect them to go off reading the "about this site" and "get started" and "read me first" pages - they won't. You're lucky if you can get a small handful of your members to surf your way.
You also said: One thng people have to understand is that the site is different ... it's definately not vbulletin and definately not like any other sites. Just like anything new that we purchase--there is a "learning" phase that we all must go through (become familiar with the interface).
This is definitely the wrong mentality. It is a wonderful, wonderful thing to offer something new and different on the Internet. However, it has to be gone about in a familiar way. There should not be a learning curve to surfing a site, or your surfer will just get frustrated and leave within two clicks of the mouse. No matter how much you could will them to, web surfers are not going to take the time to read a tutorial on how to use a webpage. They just won't. They're an impatient bunch. If they don't find what they want within 2 clicks, they're outta there - just like I was when I visited.
Take mikeandike for example - the guy who posted the comment "it's too cluttered." I bet if your interface was more surfer-friendly and had a less steep learning curve, he would have had more to say. He might have even signed up. But he visited your homepage, thought it looked cluttered and confusing, and left.
Also ... for your light-grey background vs white table, the point I was trying to make before was that the light shade of grey you have was futile in dimming the brightness of the white - b/c it was still too bright. So you should still consider using a darker shade of grey.
Please also keep in mind - the ONLY ONLY reason why people visit Site Reviews forums - or surf around them, rather - is to learn from others mistakes. You really, really have to provide the ability for everyone to be able to read other people's reviews. From experience, I can guarantee you that this is a critical function.
Last edited by cscgal; Sep 6th, 2004 at 11:41 pm.
0
Excellent feedback!
What do you think of YAHOO!'s interface? Are they "cluttered"?
Let me just say that www.gthelp.com is only 2.5 weeks old and it's not 100% complete. We decided to launch the site to start promoting the site. It's working. :mrgreen: The feedback we have received from members and visitors will only help us build a better site.
There is always a learning curve -- the first time you visit a site. For example, it took me a while to become accustom to how you have your layout.
Let's agree and say that the "tools" have to be easily available for user satisfaction. We can go on if you like?
dani-- the mindreader??
I was actually happy that he/she posted ... even with his/her short comment. However, I was hoping for a more "detailed" review which you have provided. It made me look at the site a little different. Therefore, I did make some adjustments.
This is the reason why we created SiteReview. It provides people with a second set of eyes--sometimes we (web programmers) just become to familiar with what we create. Which is one of the reasons why large companies pay millions for usability testing--they (we) understand that nothing is set in stone and nothing "works" until proven. I'm not afraid of feedback -- I welcome it. It's the only way to IMPROVE.
With SiteReview, we provide private non-prejudicial feedback. We take our time (longer than "2 clicks").
By the way, I have made some changes -- Did you even notice? Isn't this your SITE REVIEWS section?
Thank you ... I do appreciate the feedback and the traffic you are sending me.
What do you think of YAHOO!'s interface? Are they "cluttered"?
Let me just say that www.gthelp.com is only 2.5 weeks old and it's not 100% complete. We decided to launch the site to start promoting the site. It's working. :mrgreen: The feedback we have received from members and visitors will only help us build a better site.
•
•
•
•
There should not be a learning curve to surfing a site, or your surfer will just get frustrated and leave within two clicks of the mouse.
Let's agree and say that the "tools" have to be easily available for user satisfaction. We can go on if you like?
•
•
•
•
Take mikeandike for example - the guy who posted the comment "it's too cluttered." I bet if your interface was more surfer-friendly and had a less steep learning curve, he would have had more to say. He might have even signed up. But he visited your homepage, thought it looked cluttered and confusing, and left.
I was actually happy that he/she posted ... even with his/her short comment. However, I was hoping for a more "detailed" review which you have provided. It made me look at the site a little different. Therefore, I did make some adjustments.
This is the reason why we created SiteReview. It provides people with a second set of eyes--sometimes we (web programmers) just become to familiar with what we create. Which is one of the reasons why large companies pay millions for usability testing--they (we) understand that nothing is set in stone and nothing "works" until proven. I'm not afraid of feedback -- I welcome it. It's the only way to IMPROVE.
With SiteReview, we provide private non-prejudicial feedback. We take our time (longer than "2 clicks").
By the way, I have made some changes -- Did you even notice? Isn't this your SITE REVIEWS section?
Thank you ... I do appreciate the feedback and the traffic you are sending me.
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