Great Site and Some Style and Format Suggestions

[mwgr5]

First, I think this is a great site. I think that the format specific NL subject is a great idea and hopefully this will limit the amount of crap that often plagues other forums. Also, I appreciate the time taken to share your successful ideas with other players.

I think the format of your website is great and very functional, but their are some issues, although small, that could be cleared up. I don't want to sound like I am being really picky, but I am a webmaster and I have noticed some items that could be changed. I don't know what you used to make this site, or if you used style sheets, but whenever a user mouses over your links, they change font size. I don't know if you want this. Also, the email address link at the bottom of the page has format problems, it changes font when moused over and the link extends over the entire width of that row. The advertisments format on the formum page is also not correct or visually appealing. The advertisments are overlaped by the forum. Last, I think you could attempt to make a more visually appealing logo. Also, having the "Click here to return ot our main site" on the forum page is very redundent, when you can just click on the logo to return home.

Hopefully you can also have an achive for your articles, bad beat stories, and hands of the week. You could just make the heading a link to an archive page, this would allow new users to read old information.

I hope this rant wasn't to terrible, but being a fellow webmaster, I thought that I should point out some of these issues.

Good luck and great site!

[tetsuo]

Hey! Thanks for taking the time to give some feedback.

I'm the webmaster/administrator of the site, and - you guessed it - this is a 'first proper website' for me, even though I'm a back-end software engineer by trade. So of course we're open to suggestions.

* The links going bold on hover: Is this terribly bad form? I kind of liked it. I did actually put it in there on purpose. I am not aware of a font size change, but they do go emboldened. Perhaps I should change it. What would you recommend?

* Admin email: Yes, that is strange. I'll clear that one up.

* Advertisements: I've made the ads slide under the content so people with low resolutions or limited screen area are not affected. Suggestions welcome on its placement, as I'm not exactly happy with it myself.

* The logo: Sure, if I had the time The iceman likes it, but I guess I'll make something a little better when I have the time, or someone else can offer. Any volunteers?

* Click here: We put this in to make it 'obvious'. I know that one or two people had problems working out how to return to the main site after going into the forum.

* Archive: When we get more content, we'll surely do that. We wouldn't want to hide any content!

[iceman5]

I'll leave most of this to Tetsuo, but I'll comment on a few things.

I like the links going to bold font
I like the "bet the pot" logo (but Im easy to please)

[mwgr5]

Thanks for responding to my suggestions. I think the links are fine the way they are currently. You were right about them changing to bold. I think if people like the logo then you should keep it. Web design should be centered on user accomidation and the users seem to like the logos. What did you use to make this site, or did you just use raw HTML? Also, their are many web design sites on the internet if you are wondering about other issues since this is your first major website. I suggest goind to

[mwgr5]

Also, if you haven't allready, you should submit your website to search engines, like google and yahoo. Their are some free tools you can find to sumbit the site to multiple engines at once.

[tetsuo]

The components I used were

CMS: phpwebsite (http://phpwebsite.appstate.edu/)
Forum: phpbb2 (http://www.phpbb.com/)

The database is of course mySQL.

Yes, we do have plans for search engine submissions and other traffic-driving opportunities. This will be done after the site is 'stable' (i.e. no more major suggestions or gripes from users, which takes priority right now).

Private message me anytime to discuss technical aspects further.