TR-x 145 website
 

The Tr-x website has been changed a lot during the past couple of days and we want to know how it looks. Feel free to give comments below this because we shall look at it regularly. And also it is not fully going to stay like it is because its still in beta stage. We would like to have your comments.

http://www.trx145.net/index.htm

For our beta template, check it out at http://trx145.net/beta/index.htm

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Wow... that's different.

Love the background picture, don't like all the animation on the home page. I have to scroll down before I find a link to the content which takes me to the next "home" page and then...

Wow...that's different ;>

Three scrolling frames with Navigation in one scrolling frame, a Sponsor list in another scrolling frame and links to other schools in another scrolling frame. I would ditch the frames, move the navigation to the side of the frame with the list of schools, have the sponsors frame on another page. The link to "TRX 145 in the news" is broken.

Maybe open the links to the other schools in a new browser window rather than loading them into the current frame.

The Link to Proctor and Gamble will not let you use the back button to return. Definitely a candidate for opening in another browser window.

On the Mentors Page, listing the Mentors in Black text on a dark background makes me think you are trying to hide something ;> I cannot read the names.

Overall, content looks OK, but the organization and layout could use some work as described above.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Uhm.... I basically agree with Mr. Sisk. You guys have the content, but the delivery could use a little bit of rearranging. Erm..... where to start. Most of this will try to come from a visitor's standpoint, some of it from a developer's view. Don't take any of it personally, I'm just here to help. Here we go.


Splash page:
The scrolling sponsors could probably stand to sit still. I'm pretty indifferent on the Flash intro. One comment on it, though, is that there is a FIRST logo officially made for dark backgrounds, and I would use that instead of the light-backed logo.

There's a lot of content under the intro which, if this is an initial landing page, is probably not the place for it.

The link to becoming a sponsor probably should go, since it leads directly to your HTML page, and not to the page including navigation (more on the frames later), which potentially could lose visitors. Page opens up with no way to navigate, naturally I'm going to close the tab/window.

The counter can probably stay if you really want it, but signing up for Google Analytics (http://www.google.com/analytics/) is a much more accurate and in-depth tool to use, and is free. But to each their own.

Awesome background, dude. Not too overpowering, not too obstructive. I like it.

If at all possible or desired, place a timed redirect on the splash page, so that a few seconds after your intro, it goes to the next page.


Main Site:
Delete the frames. Elaboration down the road. :cool:

If you are keeping the scrolling marquee at the top of the main body, please insert the code to pause on mouseover. That way, if I'm to click on the link in the scrolling text, I won't get frustrated trying to chase it and give up.

Mentors page, as Mr. Sisk pointed out, needs either a solid background or (my personal choice) lighter text. Maybe meet each other half-way. Some light text and a semi-transparent dark background. Also, fill out the content so that it takes up more space on the page. Either that, or pictures of the mentors in another <div> so that you have a more interesting page. Another note on this part, I thought that when I clicked "Mentors" that I would see a list of the actual mentors, maybe a short bio, and not a blog-style listing. Not necessarily a bad thing (if you decide to make a blog/news section) but it misleads the viewer. Same goes with the "Students" button. Name your navigational buttons appropriately.

"TR-x 145", there's a team picture that's 2427.39KB LARGE!!! :ahh: EGADS!!!!! Even on a cable connection with 15Mbps/down, it took me a good ten seconds to finish loading the page. There are plenty of free tools and websites that can scale that down, please take advantage of that.
So about the blog-thing I talked about earlier, I didn't know it was on this page. Again, change the text colors and background color/image. Read that? I do not want. :P (lolcats reference)


iFrames is not iCool:
Definitely shy away from using those frames. At the very least, make it two frames: Navigation on the left, and main content on the right, sponsors on the Sponsors page. But I highly recommend just removing them altogether, leaving them in 1999 where they belong. ;)

Otherwise, it looks like you've got what you need to make the site interesting as far as text and words. You just need to fix the code up so that it's presentable.


You can tell I had nothing better to do tonight, even though I'm actually putting off working on a team video. :D So don't take this as me flat-out dogging your site, but as a small project to waste time.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Technically they arnt iframes, lol ;)

And if done right the use of iframes [in combination with div tags and css, or even tables if they don't know css] can look and flow great. It might be something to look into for this site

Im also going to agree with Richard and David and i don't think that i need to pick it apart anymore then it has been. I do, however, want to congratulate you on at least having a web presents tho. There are way too many teams with out one. :)

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Well the problem is the .css file got messed up and some is in black and some is in white. Were trying to fix the error but most of the pages are in white but we have to go in manually and change it to white font, but some spots like the trx145 page if i remember right is not allowing us to do anything so we got some fixing to do. the frames are not going to be there for long because were making a different home page once we get it all fixed and right.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

When you get the new site up, be sure to post it and we will do our best to give you constructive criticism.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

I know, I know. I was just trying to make a cool header for that section. ;) :rolleyes: I guess if done correctly, they can be very useful and elegant, I think it's just how they implemented it.

Anyway, I agree with you, in that a lot of teams don't even have a site, so two thumbs up for any team that has one or starting one. :)

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Mike, I love that you and Kyle are working so hard on the site, but you guys are trying to add too much "flair". KISS, Keep I Sweet and Simple. The information is there, but it's hard to find it. Also deleteing the meeting minutes and Mentor notes from last year would be nice and use them again this year. They where VERY helpful since we had only had the whole team present on Saturdays. If you guys just keep it simple, clean, and efficient it will be a very nice site. Also looking at award winning team sites for inspiration would help. I know 48 (Chief Delphi) has won the website awards many times and have links to them up top on CD. Again with the suggestions that the others and I have given you, I know you and Kyle can make a nice and clean website. Good luck to the whole team, say hi for me to everyone. I hope to see you guys in Atlanta, I know you guys can do it.


Oh one more thing MARCO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Well once we get it all the way done it will mass updated were too lazy to do a little by little and mess it up again. So JUST WAIT!!!!!

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Well now the website is been fixed for now the frames are gone. REMEMBER ITS A BETA TEST!!!! how does it look now????

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

I hereby grant you the award for most improved web site ;>

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

much better, still needs a lot of work, but your getting there. With the team history (About Our Team) some pics of the past robots that have not been disassembled.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

i like the site except for the fact that it wants me to download the pictures. i like how u changed the template. all the pages load fine. the buttons are all working. every once in a while a few of the buttons will disappear. i like the background pictures. so as long as u fix the pictures (either with some sort of slide show or album, or just a simple browser) and the buttons, i think u have made a huge improvement to the website.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Nice Site, every site is FIRST robotics site is unique in its own way. David put out some really nice suggestions. He could help you out if you need it, make sure to hit up.

Really Cool intro and site.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

You need to make your title smaller, and perhaps use a graphic for it.

An excellent, free, and very easy web-based generator is cooltext.com

Don't overdo it though. In fact, I see they have one that fits your sight exactly called "Nova" style. Give it a try!

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

You still need to fix the pictures. Non team members (and even some team members) dont want to download our pictures and no one is going to pay to get Win Rar just so that they can look at our pictures. Please just put the pictures back to the way they were or in some sort of Virtual Album.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Its a FREE PROGRAM!!!! and we are not fully sure what we are going to do with the pictures yet. We might set up a photo gallery but most of the time there are way too many photos and we don't want to limit 5 or 6 that's why we set up the .rar files to make less bandwith usage.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Host off-site then use a third-party script?

Flickr is a popular one. Upload pics every week, you get multiple sizes, people can order them on mousepads and stuff, and it's free (although I would push for the Pro account). Plus, they have an open-source API, so not only can you find some code to include your gallery on your website, but there are plenty of options out there.

BTW, WinRar is technically free only for 40-days, after which you get a "REGISTRAR NAOW" message each time you start it up, which can get annoying as *heck* after a while. You can still use it, but you just have to live with the screens.

7Zip, on the other hand, does not nag you. ;)

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

On suggestion i have for the site. I think that it would make it easier to read if you put the text into a semi transparent table. I like the background and pretty much every thing else, but i have a hard time reading the text some times.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Well the website deadline is coming up and it would be nice to hear some last minute comments before time runs out. I took alot of your suggestions and put them into effect and put a few of our own in. It would be very nice to hear once again whats good and whats not

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

Top images are missing.

http://trx145.net/beta/images gives a 404 error.

Re: TR-x 145 website
 

i forgot to say its all live on the Trx145.net website