Right. Alex (Project ST) has kindly offered some input regarding my website.
He has composed a home page to give me an idea of what his ideas are.

It is to be found at http://fiftyonecl.hopto.org/gearboxman/

Please have a look, and compare with our current site at

http://www.gearboxman.co.uk

Your opinions and input would be welcome, and please take part in the poll. Thankyou

 

Hiya Bernie,
I think the newer one looks a lot more professional mate and the older one looks a bit outdated now.


Martin

 

I agree about it looking much better.

I'm just not the biggest fan of huge front pages that you have to scroll down.

Very good though Alex!

Maybe make the logo a bit smaller

 

Navigation looks a little 'Apple-ish' but a nice, clean and professional look to suit your company, Bernie

I'd move some of the homepage info to seperate pages though; Our Services, About Us etc..

 

I think both sites lack the price for a standard rebuild MT75 4x4 V6 box

 

I like the new one TBH pal, looks very modern and up to date

 

thanks for the comments

'Pon - might be a bit Apple-inspired

Billabong - good point about the scrolling

/al

 

Thought I'd have a quick look at the new one from home (dialup).
Logo does take a while.........

Keep the comments coming guys

 

Like it.

Your old one ALWAYS crashes my home computer (menu never loads) due to Java problems, so for me this new style would be much better.

But for me there is too much info on that home page tho, I got bored rather quickly. Hit me in the face with what you do and why, and if I want to know more I will select it via some links.

Im no critic sorry, but at least I could use this one

 

New one very nice - I like the cogs logo - looks like its about to hit you in the face! LOL!

Old one loads slower than the new one too!!

 

new one looks alot better, but i would put the info that causes you to scroll down on the empty spaces at the sides. if that makes any sense!!

 

on 800x600 there is no empty spaces phil as I have just checked

 

new one looks loads better

 

just back from pub............absolutely shited...............
who cares?..............I like the new site, but.....needs some orange.............ARSE![/tourettes]

 

New one

 

You're right!
They do..........
See the phone number below, dial it, ask for Bernie.
When Stuart says "Bernie's busy/out on road test/got a day off", threaten him with physical violence unless you get to speak to me.
Stuart will then become all evasive, but, if you pressure him enough, then eventually you WILL get to speak to me.
Ask for a price. If I get all evasive, then threaten ME with immediate violence.
I normally hang up about there...........!

 

More like "Bernies busy at the moment - I can see him near the kettle"


What you been drinking

 

people still use that setting........ even stig of the dump evolved

 

Ok folks, I've listened to all your comments and I hope Bernie doesn't mind that I've had a play with the layout.

The text content of the page was lifted off the existing site in a bit of a hurry today as I needed to sleep before work and wanted Bernie to have a chance to see how it's looking before the weekend (I'm guessing they let him out to play at the weekend, or does he spend it all on here? ).

Bernie, just for you - loads of orangey bits added - links, graphics, text highlights, etc. The menus also highlight a dark orange instead of blue now.

I've shuffled the text content around and edited out a lot. The site's layout would also be redefined so each page holds less info and gets to the point a little faster (I'm working on the assumption that most people can't be arsed to scan through a lot of text to find what they're looking for).

What do you all think now...?

/al

 

New one defo, looks much more up-to-date and theres less IN YA FACE scrolls of text.

 

I know it's in development, but Im struggling to read the white on orange, the orange on grey, and without my lenses in most of the small black text. In the real world I would just hit the close box at that point.

On 1152x864 there is an aweful lot of white space either side and all the details are crammed into the middle. Can't it be justified to fit the browser window ?

Please dont get me wrong it's no criticism of the work being done, I like it, just offering my thoughts as asked

 

Wow! like the orange bits
PMSL @ Tony

 

I think it looks a bit busy to be honest, could do with a little less info on the front page.........might be better once the thumbnails are uploaded.
don't want to seem critical but i thought i would be honest


Pugo

 

i think that says it all on your original site

new one like said is too busy though, you gotta remember the company are gearbox builders, not an online store/dating agency etc with all the fancy crap etc....style it to the product, make it less tarty

 

new one hunny much better the old one is an bit too out of date hunny

 

i prefer the new one

 

OK, I just don't like wasting people's time on the phone during work hours for something that I don't need yet and can't afford yet
I'll just ring ya when I need one to find out whether I can afford it

 

Bollocks, that's where I put the lonely hearts pics.

www.ratemysheep.com are gonna be mad when they find all the gearbox information on their site...

How 'bout we lose some stuff off the front page then...

/al

 

I think te new one's miles better Bernie - needs a pie in there somewhere though.........

 

why did i expect to see a pic of spiky there

yeah i have problems with the old site, cant get some of the tabs to load ,takes ages to find a page where they do correctly sorry but the new one is better , i also agree hoooge spaces each side on my settings .. but the cog is sooooooooooo good

 

Love the new one Bernie, mind you i think your old one is very good also.

I'm not one for flashy crap, I like to be able to get to the information I want quickly and easily, and your old site fits that bill a treat.

However for people that don't know you or CTS, then the new one will geive a lot better first impression in my opinion. And I am sure you can make the new one just as packed with good info as the old one.

Sean..

 

Jon, I know, I know.......

Seriously though, I am worried about having the world's most professional looking website, that scares people away!!

Currently, our website, that I built yonks ago, brings in squillions of visitors, people know that we're NOT ICI, and that most of all, WE'RE APPROACHABLE.

I am scared of having a website that looks like we're "perveyors of tranmissions for touring cars" etc., cos if it looks like that, then our REAL customers will feel they're not welcome........

Non-seriously though, spent a while on www.ratemysheep.com
After some hours..................nothing there of interest. No Spiky, or anything

Sean, sorry. I was very pissed last night when I answered your question.
Unfortunately, being Saturday night, I'm pissed again. Ask Stuart

Alex, so how much does a professionally built website cost, with a similar number of pages to my original?
Also, is it possible to reproduce, in Java, my Excel ratio calculator? (that should keep him awake for the reat of the weekend )

 

New one is good - Any chance of a free gearbox now

 

.......ask Stuart

 

New one is so much cleaner! If it's a little Appleish, that can only be an improvement right!! i mean not everybody can have the pleasure and privalige of owning one of those comps.
But yeah, the new site is user friendly which is what you want for potential new customers. I like it.!

 

So, fairly hard to tell public opinion from the poll then..........

Does this mean that Alex is going to take indecent amounts of money from me?
Has anyone actually quoted Alex for the gearbox he wants yet?

Too late Sean, we've done your bill already

 

DOH!!!

 

Bernie, to build a new website that does everything your current one does ... won't cost you a lot (I did put it here then thought better of it and have e-mailed you instead ).

Can probably have it finished by next Friday, unless I get lumped with a tonne of coursework, in which case it'll be next Friday.

The java calculator thingy - we can sort that out somehow, I'm sure

/bakedbeansmunki

 

Wow Alex!
Just read your email, which I'll reply to tomorrow.
That is fookin reasonable

Incidentally, I like the latest edition of the front page, with less clutter

And just to keep you lot busy, what vehicle does that cog on the new frontpage come from, and where in the transmission does it sit?
5 litres of gear oil to the winner
Alex, you're not eligible to play

 

Wouldn't make a blind bit of difference fella - it'll take me the rest of the week just to figure out what website it came from.