₦airaland Forum

4 hours later and with not that much to do, I am back.

1) no contact form

2) banner area in middle of page is too big, thus pushing down the most important part of the site - content. Also, based on the photos in the slide show and the fact that there is no international contact info for the company, I didn't know that we can build (american) football stadiums in naija. If we do, then kudos to them

3) Gallery section: photos not optimized for the web - too large

4) I am assuming because of a set height in the content area, on pages with little content, there is a HUGE white space left barren. naturally, you should let your content area size itself dynamically.

I don't think it is nice to say, "it is what the client wants" or "he who pays the webmaster dictates the tune". I mean, by that standard, if the client wants a 500MB logo on his site and is paying N1m for it, we should give it to him right? WRONG!

We are not just code monkeys. Our job is to use our knowledge base to advise the client as well. How many times has a client come up to you and say, "this is how I want it but you are the expert and that is why we are hiring u. You know best wat needs to be done and how", or something to that effect? If they haven't ask you that then I dare say you are not being recognized for what you do or you haven't presented yourself well. I hear that statement pretty much all the time.

only josie and vass sites came up. Next time, at least verify your urls before posting.

It is tough to appraise one's php skills based on looks. One must c ur code and most importantly, what you have done with the code (for example, membership registration, etc). Based on your contact page, which didn't even validate on the front and back ends, I would say your skill set is low but far from me to pass judgement without looking at your code in more detail.

10 minutes (literally) later, site still loading. Will check it again in an hour, if at all.

pie1ct,

As always, a well-written piece.  Welcome back!  Hopefully you won't go back undercover again

Speaking of NTDC, I can now c y cyberimon would say that such ppl r lazy - they didn't even bother removing the "resources" and the other module on the left hand side.  Then again, the originator of the contract probably charged millions before paying 10K to the person he subcontracted it to. As I have always said, sometimes you get what you pay for.

God help us all!

delitine,

no offense (and I know it depends on "the eye of the beholder") but with respect to the "pure online" website, I beg to differ.

zstyle,

Yes it is. The only way to ensure that your website will display properly (with respect to XHTML) across a myriad of browsers/devices is to ensure that it validates for the defined DTD (xhtml-transitional, etc).

wow prodgal, you left adobe? I thought it would be "from cradle to grave" for you over there. Hopefully, the move is for the better.

We haven't chatted in a looooong time. Perhaps it is time to "rekindle the flame"

It looks clean and I in particular like the "sun animation" - it isn't too invasive, very subtle.  Good job!  Consider the following though:

1) Why are "distributor" and "webmail" at the bottom?  I think especially webmail should be at the top or you take them out altogether.

2) Form validation: first site in a while to be reviewed that actually validates on the front end.  Having said that, it would be nice if, once you notify me that I haven't filled out my name, that you set focus to the name filed, and maybe even go a step further by indicating with red text, the fields I haven't filled out.  I also think the physical address should be at the top and make the asterisks red.

3) Email isn't validating properly - I entered "dddd (note, no "@" or ".com" and the form didn't flag it.  same applies to phone number.

With respect to #2 and #3, it appears that you are only checking for " " and not doing any kind of regular expression checking for proper format.

4) I think the ancil logo, right under the navigation, should be not as tall - when i loaded the page on my 1024 resolution, that is all I saw. If you made it shorter, perhaps it would bring up some content for me to preview.  Worse case, remove those 3 "bubble" images.  The 2nd one in particular, is a repetition of the bigger image above it.

5) I think the "about us" page is too long.  How about providing intra-links to each section and each section in turn having a "back to top"?  I think that would give the impression that the page isn't that long.

6) Products page: First off, I wasn't expecting each block to be clickable. When I saw that they were, I was expecting it to take me to a more detailed description.  It took me to the contact us page.  Consider not only making each block smaller but link to a "products detail" page of sorts.

7) I think you should at least add a "-" or "_" to the name "distribution form.pdf".  I could be wrong but I am thinking the web host is windows-based.  If served off a unix-/linux-based server, it might not open.

Once again, good job! I would give you 100% but cos of the above, I will reduce it to 85%. Having said that, don't be satisfied with 85%. Aim for at least 90% (which you can do by taking care of the easy things stated above )

I don't think that using a CMS makes one lazy. Having said that, I am not saying you should use it for a 5-page website. It has its place. Let me give some history:

Back in the day (I am talking 1997 or so), you could only code using notepad. While this was good, it made sense to "automate" the process. Hence WYSIWYGs were born. Again back then, a website had content (text), presentation (what we use CSS for now) and (what we use javascript for now) all on the page. In other words, if Mr. A wanted me to change "a bottle" to "some bottles", I the developer had to do that. It only took time before developers started saying, "hey, I am paid to develop, not copy and paste/type english. Enter the CMS.

Note that CMS stands for "Content Management System". In other words, its first goal is to manage the "english" part of the site. You code, provide the "spots" for content and a non-developer can go to the necessary portions within the CMS to add the content (english).

Of course, knowing us humans, we aren't okay with the status quo. Soon enough, developers were like, "I think it would be cool if we could go beyond the standard template and customize the CMS to something that fits our needs", hence the various modules, extensions, components, etc. In the end, we are all better for it as developers.

Conclusion:
You can't call ppl who use CMS as Lazy (Assuming the 2 "*"s are for "A" and "Z" ). CMSs if used properly can be very efficient and especially so for the non-developer out there - you code it, they go in on the backend and add content. If you feel that any of the CMS tools don't have what you need (and I personally don't see this happening but what do I know?), there is nothing wrong in building something to your taste. While you are at it, think of making money off of it by marketing it to the outside world. As it is, I am sick and tired of seeing all the cool stuff advertised internationally coming from oyibos

Anyway, whatever you write it in doesn't matter so long as it works.

I beg to differ. It DOES matter, otherwise those who came up with XHTML wouldn't have bothered. The best way to show this is to walk someone through an HTML file (preferably using tables) and coding the same file in XTHML, noting the change in page size, how easy the XTHML version is to read and understand, etc.

The only way to convince anyone of anything in general is through proof and statistics. If there is anyone who needs me to whip up a quick page to demonstrate this fact (heck, if you give me your own website, I will use it for the demo ), let me know.

Among others:

- Implement Web Standards (google for it) in you coding (Use P tags for paragraghs, not BRs, Use H tags for headers,etc)

- Make sure to keep fresh content on your pages

- Register your site/site map with Google Webmasters

- Create and upload a sitemap.xml file (www.xml-sitemaps.com is where I go to generate my free sitemap files)

- Visit sites in your niche, view source and see what they have on their sites that you don't have.

- Encourage sites similar to yours to add a link to your site from theirs and you do same.

- Add Google Analytics to your page and use that to monitor how ppl are coming to your site and optimize your site accordingly.

Good luck!

zstyle,

I just checked out the photos page and must confess that but for a tiny flaw (the borders around your content area, as they exist on the home page, don't exist on the photos page), I am impressed. See, such cool effects can make me, and I am sure others, forget about other issues with your site. It is very interactive indeed. I am happy you have learned something

I don't see any issues with what you have used. What mootools issues were/are you having? Keep us posted. The only things I would point out are:

1) Remove that, "Click here" and add an actual photo AND
2) Replace if possible the green "next" and "previous" links with actual images to the same effect. It shouldn't be that hard to find the links and replace them in the code.

Once again, good job.

Short of google and asking around, no. Sorry.

sega,

I don't click on mailto links and so proceeded to go to your "contact" page so as to contact you. What I got was a blank page.

Just an FYI

1) http://www.lincolncollegeliberia.com/photo.html - your photos are bleeding thru the background in FF. Something tells me you set the height of the light blue area, hence the bleed thru. As a matter of fact, I think I am write, courtesy of this code:
<div id="left" style="width: 516px; height: 289px"> on http://www.lincolncollegeliberia.com/partner.html

Remove the height attribute and let the page flow naturally.

2) http://www.lincolncollegeliberia.com/contact.html doesn't validate and consequently forwards me to http://pub43.bravenet.com/emailfwd/senddata.php and you also have a yahoo address listed. Why? The light blue background is also non-existent.

3) http://lincolncollegeliberia.com/study.html - too long. Why not have a "back to top" link after so many links.

4) You are using the xhtml transitional dtd yet your code doesn't validate (for example: <br> instead of
)

5) Consider using one of the many javascript libraries (jquery, mootools, etc) for a more interactive gallery.

Good luck!

nitation,

No problem. The invitation is open. If you could even attend as chaperon, no ya wa

As I have stated above and will say again, I have no problem with anyone here. My posts are strictly business and not personal. Take it or leave it although for the sake of growth, I would suggest you take it. As one proverb goes, "when you have a hammer, everything around you looks like a nail". Not to imply that all dhtml knows is javascript but when 101 out of 100 posts and solutions to posts are javascript-based, it does make one wonder. Javascript does have its place but as you have rightly stated, there is a reason why you do things "severly" even though it requires a round-trip to the server.

Perception, they say, is reality.

@poster

Please tell Adeniyi that not only is his article very informing but that his website is wonderfully done. In particular, tell Adeniyi that I like the fact that all links on the site either point to "#" or are broken altogether.

I just wish we all started doing sites like that. He has earned and won my business

Americans and Indians are not better,

and who said they are?  Aren't they human like you?  No need to go there. It stinks to high heavens (at least to me) of envy.

What are the goals of our association?  How much will (or will'nt) it cost? What kind of structure do you want for the association?  Will it dictate pay?  Is it more like a user group where ppl gather on a regular basis for the purpose of learning?  I think if you start by brainstorming on the above among others, you stand a better chance of getting others enticed. 

I for one am not in favor of any association, at least in the way Nigerians see associations (salary-fixing, power-grabbing, etc) but am in favor of more like a user group where we meet on a regular basis for the purpose of information diseemination on latest trends and learning.

hmmmmmmmm

The version i use in reality is very very different from this one.

Then you are doing the people who are learning from you a great disservice.

The guy's question is like someone who says he wants food - he doesn't want it hot or cold but he wants food. It is up to us to proffer, based on our experiences, why someone's choice is wrong or right, not to give a solution just because the person says they don't want A or B. Look at it this way, again take the food scenario - the guy wants meat but doesn't want it raw or cooked. You then offer him roasted even though cooked is best for him. Yes, roasted meat tastes good but may not be the best for his health. Get it?

is it my fault that i know how to use it so well?

By the way, in no way should you take my challenges (in particular) to your posts as an affront on what you know (or don't know). My posts on here are strictly business, not personal. I would however stop the "know so well" type statements. Pride they say comes before a fall. Just advice from someone who has most likely lived on this earth longer than you have

Oooookay

Yes, but not the way you have it. You could have still written it generically. Again, reference your direct quote above.

hmmm, all this reliance (or should I say over-reliance) on javascript is itching me the wrong way

I choose not to use javascript today.

Haaa-le-lu-jaaaaah!

Your code works, yes, but it is very specific to PHP.  I would have posted same but didn't because of one of the things you wrote above:

Any website language is welcome. In fact i encourage it.

By that statement, the implication is that the solution should be generic (hence my timestamp solution) unless of course you are implying that I could copy the code you have above, paste it in a JSP page and it would work flawlessly (something I doubt)

Again, good question.  Keep them coming.

I am afraid you have no choice. It is one (google or any other free resource out there) or the other (database).

For quick implementation at little or no cost, I would go for the former.

But of course, "I mean, this one is way too eaazzzy" to you because you are the one asking the question.  Who are you kidding man? 

Sha, to answer your question, here is how I have handled this in recent years:

I tack on a timestamp name/value pair like so:
<img src="images/bla.jpg?ts=222" />

Thus, the timestamp (generated by a function of your backend language of choice) will change with each page refresh and so is guaranteed to be the latest one.  Also, just for kicks, you could even tack on a "version" for tracking purposes, like so:
<img src="images/bla.jpg?ts=222&version=33" />

By the way, the above also applies to other files (js, css, etc) as well. 

Granted, I am sure there are other ways of doing this, I have used this technique for at least 5 or 6 years and it works like a charm.

I find this question quite interesting. Hopefully, there are more like this to come

Feyisara,

I wish I could but it isn't an ebook and I scoured the net extensively for an ebook version to no avail, hence my buying the actual book online.  I wish you could get it.  It was a pure coincidence that you posted your question just when I had it with me and I actually typed everything in my original post (cos from your posts, you are a nice person ).

Not to rub it in but it is a damned good book and worth every penny!

Hopefully it will make it to rapidshare et al in the near future.

Why bother? So what if they don't pay you for maintenance? Is that good enough reason to hold them at ransom? Let's flip the coin for a sec - what if you got handed such a site from someone else. Would you like it?

Let sleeping dogs lie. If you don't win the maintenance contract, no get bad belle. Simply move on to the next project.

Definitely not a challenging question.

You this javascript man!

dhtml, you see what I mean when I said you have been typecast?