Webuser Forums: Liverpool Are Magic Revamped

Hello everyone

I must admit I have been working on this website for about two years. I always had an idea in my mind that I wanted to learn web design, and the different ways of doing it. First of all I started with some awful freewebs editor that I'm embarassed to admit I went near. I did a site on Euro 2004 as I'm a big football fan and that seemed a good idea to use as a subject to learn the basics, the right's and wrongs, the do's and don'ts.... in fact the less said about it the better.

Shortly after that, I started making simple animated GIF's using Serif Photoplus 5.5. Two years ago, animated GIF's much like today were being vehemently frowned upon, a relic from the days of early browsers, early geocities websites, with big flashy graphics everywhere that made people get away from the site ASAP.

So why build a site full of animated GIF's?

The reason being was that being a member of several Liverpool Football Club message boards and forums, most members seemed to have static avatars or small animated GIF's as their online personality. So I thought I would have a crack at something different. Instead of little smileys as avatars, what about LFC goals, or LFC moments, Robbie Fowler lifting the FA Cup, Steven Gerrard blasting in from 30 yards.... there were so many moments to choose from.

Another reason was that back in 2004, there were predictions that 100MB connections would be breaking through by the time the world hit January 2006, so animated GIF's by that time would not have much effect on page loading speed. At the time I was on a 750kbps connection and that was fast for the time. Not sure if 100MB is the case yet anywhere in the country having not researched the broadband speeds for a few weeks (you now how fast these stats change anyway....)

I acquired a copy of Animation Shop 3.0 and the Macromedia Suite MX 2004 which has a VERY steep learning curve and persevered until I was building avatars for forums. The rest is history.

Two years later, my site is currently on it's third design. The first was very, VERY unfriendly to dial up users. It consisted of my Blueyonder page filled with about twenty animated GIF's, about 100 frames large and 500kb+ in size. People were complimenting me on the site, but saying that it would not last in the state it was in. It was a learning curve. I changed the site and made it so if they wanted to see the animation, they clicked a static image. Problem solved.

Then I didn't like the design etc....... So I changed it again. All the time, all the way, learning new stuff as I went along. It was probably worth doing it wrong just so I could figure out a better way for next time.

Anyway, after creating just an avatars website, I received an e-mail from a person all the way from China saying that the animations made great mobile phone screensavers. Most applicable mobile phones use GIF's as screensavers and it was an idea that had not ocurred to me.

So the next step for my website was to market it as an avatar/mobile phone screensaver site. Then on from that came a static mobile phone wallpaper section. Finally I added a wallpaper section. I have only just completed the the first pages of the two new sections in the last couple of weeks.

I know it's not perfect. I am a member of another message board on web design skills and I am not posting it on there because if it isn't compliant with the W3 standards on CSS, XHTML, DHTML, XML (which it isn't and is a million miles away from to be perfectly honest....) and all these other acronyms I've not even heard of, they gang up on you and crucify you for it, and then start taking the mickey out of you. And that's the Liverpool fans!!!!

Then they start saying it's not compatible with all these browsers I've not even heard of!!! Really snobby. I mean who's perfect anyway? You'd think everybody needed to be a professional to make a website!!!!!

Anyway, I would like your feedback on my site. Like I say, I know it's not perfect, there are things I'm aware of already like the fact that you always have to go back to the index to go to a different section but I have addressed that. But if I ever get round to making a fourth re-design of the site, your comments can help me make right what is currently wrong. Please though, give me some compliments in your replies, not jut pointing out the faults!!! Even if you are an Everton or Manchester United fan.

Or an AC Milan fan.

Five times, baby!!!!

For example there will be 24 buttons on each page, each representing a page in the relevant section. Well, buttons 22, 23 and 24 will direct you to a different section on every page you are on. I just haven't added them yet because it would look stupid because the site isn't big enough to accomodate them yet if you see what I mean when you have a look. Besides, the main banner always takes you back to the Index page.

The mobile phone screensavers look really smart on my brothers phone as my phone is not compatible believe it or not!!!! I'm currently using the Steven Gerrard wallpaper on my PC right now so I am happy with my work.

Please leave feedback. Thank you very much. I will try and reply to every post made.

The site is at http://www.liverpoolaremagic.co.uk or you can click my signature.

John

--------------------