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heebiejeebieclub
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 53
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Hi! I am a young web designer and have entered my website for the Cable & Wireless competition (www.childnetacademy.org). I was wondering if you could give me any feedback before the judges review it? It's at: http://www.btinternet.com/~music.crush
Thanks,
HJC
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ourstanley
regular
Reg'd: Sun
Posts: 8116
Loc: Yorkshire, England
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Here you go, I'm too old to learn about music and I'm probably too old to learn about computers but I'm trying. My wife says I'm trying and you know you shouldn't argue with women. Any all the best it looks very professional. Good luck.
http://www.btinternet.com/~music.crush
XP Home-768MB-60GB-AMD 2400+-IE6-BT Broadband-500ml Stella.
...nothing's foolproof to a talented fool. 
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longplay
regular
Reg'd: Mon
Posts: 266
Loc: UK
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The site looks nice enough, when you can get to it. I use Mozilla and so was told that my browser probably wouldn't show the pages correctly, which they didn't, but that's not the point, it's relatively easy to design pages so that any browser can see them, users don't like being told what they must have to view the site, you should be working to let them view it, not the other way round.
The link I selected was didn't show (on the first attempt), and I have no way to get back (because you use frames it doesn't think it has changed the page), looking at it, I guess the site was created in powerpoint (frames and hints in the navigation). Powerpoint is not a good html generator, and terrible for basing a site on.
If you are a budding designer, not sure if that's what you meant, then some things to bear in mind:
Never, ever, use frames. Aside from making messy pages, they make it nearly impossible for search engines to list your pages, there are other ways around the problems they solve.
Try and make your links stand out, underline them or change their colour.
Try and keep navigation separate, or at least offer a separate nav bar that is consistent across the pages.
Overall a good idea, you just need a little more technical skill in the execution.
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heebiejeebieclub
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 53
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Uh huh, thanks. Yeah, I did do it in Powerpoint but I didn't realise it was going to be such a pain to do so. Powerpoint automatically creates frames, which is very annoying. I am looking to redesign the site in HTML, but I'll only be able to do simple designs, and that's not what I want. I've considered getting a web template free from somewhere, but isn't that cheating?
Anyway, if I do manage to redesign it, have you any tips for free promotion? Unfortunately, I have no money to spend on stuff like that.
Merci pour la feed-back,
HJC
HeebieJeebieClub - HJC - A young web designer
<a href="http://www.btinternet.com/~music.crush"> Manuscript Music </a>
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Jonny555
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 5331
Loc: Cheshire, England
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Free promotion?
First thing is to make sure you code is optimised with the necessary META TAGS.
Then submit the site to as many search engines as you can. It could take a couple of months until the site gets listed, but it will. Just don't keep submitting all the time to the same search engines as this can lead to them not listing the site.
Do a search on different search engines with the most important keywords that you use for your site. Visit these sites that are returned and if they look good ask for a reciprocal link. Basically you will link to their site if they will link to yours. Get plenty of these reciprocal links with other top ranked sites and it will do wonders for your ratings.
Make sure your sites content is regularly updated. Give people a reason to keep returning over and over to your site. A forum is a good idea if the subject of the site is something that people will want to talk about. It's also a great way to find out what they want from your site and so you can constantly build it to their needs.
As more and more people visit and stay, they will start to advertise the site for you. Look how many links to other sites you see in these forums.
It takes a lot of work to start with, but does get easier with time. As long as you don't rest on your laurels and keep it regularly updated it will go from strength to strength.
Good luck.
Amateur Watercolour Community
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TheFatControlleR
Forum Admin
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 6805
Loc: Megatripolis
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There's no such thing as cheating when it comes to web design/build, just short-cuts. My only advice would be to echo the sentiments of Francis Ford Coppola, "...if you're gonna steal, steal from the best...". 
 TFC
Nothing is a problem for me... 
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longplay
regular
Reg'd: Mon
Posts: 266
Loc: UK
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Posting on related forums is great for getting promotion, as is exchanging links with like-minded sites. Obviously you should try and participate in the first, and return a link for the second as no one likes spam or giving stuff away for free.
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TheFatControlleR
Forum Admin
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 6805
Loc: Megatripolis
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Although, we don't encourage that kind of activity here.
Just because you don't see  here doesn't mean we don't get it, we just have an excellent team of volunteer moderators, along with staff, that keep it at bay - in fact, we have a bin-full of it. 
TFC
Nothing is a problem for me...
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heebiejeebieclub
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 53
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Yeah, thanks.
Anyway, keep the feedback comin' in; i want as much suggestions as possible ;)
Merci,
HJC
HeebieJeebieClub - HJC - A young web designer
http:// www.btinternet.com/~music.crush - Manuscript Music
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heebiejeebieclub
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 53
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Hi again!
I am pleased to announce that measures are now underway to improve the sticky areas that you found of difficulty on my site - the aim is to create a 'splash page' which will:
1.) Be more friendly to search engines
2.) Give a nice friendly welcome to visitors
3.) Link to: a.) the main site b.) the new forum
---The link to the main site will now open it in a bigger window - therefore increasing the text size and making fit into the text boxes. For now, just press F11
Merci,
HJC
HeebieJeebieClub - HJC - A young web designer
http:// www.btinternet.com/~music.crush - Manuscript Music
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heebiejeebieclub
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 53
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I am, again, pleased to announce that the proposed changes can now be found on my website!
Results for the competition come in this month, so wish me luck!
Oh, and please, if you feel like it, come and have a chat in my forum.
Manuscript Music: http:// www.btinternet.com/~music.crush
Entry for 2004 Childnet Academy
Merci!
HJC
HeebieJeebieClub - HJC - A young web designer
http:// www.btinternet.com/~music.crush - Manuscript Music
Edited by TheFatControlleR on 14/02/2004 17:18 (server time).
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