Topic: the kaz|root

Hey guys!
Don't know if anyone remembers my first review-requests - anyways - a lot has changed

Maybe somebody wants to make a short look - prefferably the one's who already did 1 year ago

The flash version just acts as a nestor for the gallery-movie that can be found in the html version too... so feel free to leave it alone

I know that the code is kind of weird and some contents just don't fit - your comment is welcome!

thx,

kaz|root

ps.: yes, I didn't want to use a corporate design



(Edited by kazroot on 03-09-2005 14:37)

Kill the splash page. The flash version doesn't come close to your HTML version, which is very nice. I think you should fix up your gallery so its colors play nice with your HTML version.

Having two different version of a site is really an old outdated way of doing things. If you want to have flash content you really need to have an auto detection script, you can use this script to prompt the person to go to the flash site to download the content, by making a small bar on the top of thier screen (similar to the bar the firefox pops up to prompt you to download an extension). Show the flash content to those who have flash, and show the alternate version of the element to those who do not.

Doing a site in all flash really limits you, it is the combintation of flash and HTML that makes sites really cool.

Good job, I like the site.

Dan @ Code Town

thanksalot WarMage for your nice review!

doing a site in all flash wasn't the idea - it only contains little things of interest
-> I should kick the splash, you're right

I surfed around a lot to find solutions for flash-replacement methods and found some, too.
The problem is that the main part of my page - the gallery - just can't be replaced that easy. it would take hours to implement a good solution
well, the guestbook could be replaced easily, since flash is kind of pointless for this kind of things - and the other movies aren't that important

concerning this auto-detection script - where can i find a GOOD one?
I'm tired of finding detection solutions that just don't help at all

(Edited by kazroot on 03-09-2005 23:45)

(Edited by kazroot on 03-09-2005 23:45)

Edit: I posted this before i noticed your reply above, thus big sections of it are't relevant now, but i'll leave em there none the less.

Actually, all flash websites can work well, it depends on what the website is actually for.

In this case, flash makes little sense. If you look at Flash and XHTML as a delivery medium (which they are), and ask yourself what it is you actually want to deliver. Use the medium that will let you most effectively deliver your content.

The flash gallery isn't bad, but it isn't well designed either. What if you want to add more categories than you can fit on the page? what if you end up having 100+ photos in one section -- do I have to page through all those numbers? Why numbers? What if you want to add long descriptions?

A simple thumb nailed HTML solution would perhaps be better served here. Again, it depends on the purpose. A personal photo gallery is better suited to HTML and thumbnails. On the other hand, a series of portfolio images is perhaps better as a semi-linear click though. Regardless, the intent here is the imagery, not the menus, not the way they load - content is king after all. Your current flash gallery is somewhat in opposition to that ideal. If you *must* use flash, keep is simple... really simple. JSM does simple well : http://www.jasonsantamaria.com/photo/ - take a page from his book if you must

Get rid of that bloody splash page already! I remember this from last time, and your justification (or lack there of) and use of the 2 versions is just as downright confusing and unnecessary as it was last time. You have no real need for a fully flash website, nor do you appear to have the necessary skills to carry one off successfully (sorry, but you don't, not yet anyway).

That being said, what you do have shows some promise. The tribal illustration style is nice, and you seem quite involved with it, but it's not working as an interactive piece and I'd strongly recommend that you keep to small piece meal flash work until you've enough experience to craft something worthy of a full blown flash website. If highly interactive work is what you're after that is - if you just want to showcase your illustrations then stick with XHTML and small bits of flash content where necessary.

On a whole, I really think you're trying to hard. The flash/html and all the alternative CSS styles just feels like you're trying to pack as much bang-for-your-buck cool shit as you can into it. Admirable, but not practical. And that that's what makes good design, form from function. Figure out what you want people to get from your website and start form scratch if necessary. If something isn't working, sometimes the best thing to do is start afresh, no matter how clever idea-x was, if you loose site of the grand picture you're just wasting your time.

I might get 2 seconds of gratification from being able to select a different style sheet. Yeah, it's cool. Yes, it shows some degree of technical skill and perhaps some design skills if the colour combinations were compelling enough - but that's about it. On the other hand your tribal illustrations are really nice. I could happily spend a few hours flicking through a portfolio full of them, but with all that needless motion and un accessible interface I spent more time cursing the site than appreciating your work. Sadly, form != function in this case.

Anyway, I think your work is great, but the site really killed it for me. The visual design wasn't bad, but the function of the site itself was it's ultimate undoing IMHO, well, the flash parts were, which is where you kept all the interesting content.

(Edited by Cameron on 03-10-2005 00:25)

Things I'll add is that you've used a strange combination of a table-based design and a CSS based design, remove the tables holding your page together and work on getting the CSS to fit it correctly, it'll make your code easier to look at and work with in the future, and the tables serve no real purpose that the CSS couldn't do.

@blaise. you're right - should've tried this one first - tables seemed to be the fastest solution for the moment. I'll fix that!

thanks for your fair review, cameron
but it's only kind of playground for me and most things (almost everthing ) has no purpose & doesn't even deserve to be hosted anywhere
if I only concentrated on things I WANT to be seen I'd do a plain gallery without the bang-for-your-buck cool shit
well, I'm not that professional & I wouldn't do clients the way I do my page
anyways - thanks a lot! You gave me a GOOD reason to overthink my page and get rid of kids-stuff

the only thing I'd NEVER do is taking someone's idea (e.g JSM's gallery) - I like mine more caus' (best reason) I made it all by myself, it fits to the actual gallery size - I made a db-related too where size doesn't matter! & it doesn't override window-borders!!

(Edited by kazroot on 03-10-2005 16:50)

If you would never take someone elses ideas then you have become really lost.

There is a difference between taking an idea, and copying someones work. I can say that nearly 100% of the stuff done here is taken from an idea someone else had. I can say 100% because not one thing I have scene here is new, I can't say I have sceen anything on the web that is new, completely new. The goal of design is to take a lot of good ideas and put them together and present them in a way that interacts with the user. You end up with something that is appealing by using the ideas of others.

This idea is crystalized in the oft used quote "Good artists copy, great artists steal" os "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants."

What these quotes are telling you is that using a good idea that someone else had is not a bad thing it is a nescessity for progress. I don't think you should limit yourself like that in your web design. You obviously use someone elses idea in that you do Tribal work is not an idea you came up with on your own. It is an idea that has been around for thousands of years, but you are able to use that idea and morph it into something that is yours.

Dan @ Code Town

yo, WarMage that wasn't what I meant to say
I didn't even invent the idea to make a homepage and use som flash... I took lots of ideas that aren't mine
I just didn't want to copy JSM's version of a flash gallery - though it's a good one

I have to say, your code is very well formed! On top of that, I like the color scheme system as well as the buttons for theme selection. The only thing I might suggest is altering the menu backgrounds of the flash gallery. Perhaps it could be made to better fit the different color schemes rather than remain gray in each instance. Also, the backgrouns have a linear color to them but the other pages' menus are plain. But the last item is for you to debate.

@Nada`King:
Thanks for your comment! I totally agree to the linear-bg abuse but to make a flash movie fit to a css...well - doesn't seem to be impossible - but it's just bit too time-consuming for me... (I hope I found a good alternative -> I changed it )

@WarMage & Cameron (whom my page always loves to be reviewed by )
since it was my own concern, too to redo the gallery I took - let's call it - good examples of other flash galleries and I'm pretty proud of the new gallery v4 which I made out of version 3 (I made it some time ago for a friend of mine - MiriamWeiss)

now the mainmenu and the subgalleries are split up
furthermore all menus and are completely basing on xml - even the thumbnails that I added to the buttons
that means:
- I freed some space
- it's easier for me to add new sections and
- in this case - if space is running low - the buttons automatically resize(thumbs too) and change their position

here's a direct-link to the gallery

(Edited by kazroot on 03-31-2005 01:33)

(Edited by kazroot on 03-31-2005 01:43)

I added picture information - I just love bang-for-your-buck-cool-shit