30 replies to this topic

[PlugComputers]

Hey all-

Check out the link in my sig to my new computer company website. I finally added the e-commerce side to my business, should help me out.

Let me know what you think of design, I know the "New Technologies" link doesn't work right, as I haven't uploaded that page yet.

Oh and 1 thing specific, in the header what do you think of the line "Explain your needs and let us build them" Does that sound right? Any suggestions?

Thanks, any constructive critism would be appreciated..

[the_aggie10]

nice...but on pages you cant see the text...look at the submit your build...you cant see the text above the boxes

[TypoMage]

Sorry but. What is with the black and grayish text? It is kinda hard to read. But nice job on your site. Going into the computer buisness. (I want to build my own computer)

[PlugComputers]

Yeah, Some people have been saying that. Maybe I just havent noticed it because my monitor is nice and bright. I guess if a user is browsing the website with an older monitor is may be a little bit more difficult to see the lighter text on the black background. Any suggestions to what color I should change it to? Maybe closer to a silver, rather than a gray? Something a little more white?

If you goto the "Schedule your build" page and see the cases that are links.. is that color easier to read? Maybe all the text in a similar color?

[the_aggie10]

i guess i could answer for a free computer....muhahha but yea a little more silver will do for those of us with old people vision

[PlugComputers]

Haha a free computer eh? Well I don't know what I could do about that. How about one like I have listed in the Portfolio page? I bet anyone would go for one of those, very unique.

But anyways, thanks for the suggestion. A brighter, silver color would probably be nice for those who have "seeing issues" as I like to put it. Haha you're not old, just moer seasoned than some of us...

[the_aggie10]

omfg! that is a beautiful computer....it shall be mine....im breaking in and stealing it...dont tell anyone though!...yes im seasoned heh

noticed that in your html you didnt have this

<meta name="description" content="your site description goes here." />
<meta name="keywords" content=" words that the user can search for in order to see your site on the search engine, seperate each word with a comma." />
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />

filled in...will bring in traffic...believe me

[PlugComputers]

Hmm, must have missed those metatags when doing the coding. Definately need to fill those in for some traffic.

Oh and that computer can be yours for about $1100? Around there, in blue, green, orange, or red. Haha your choice, incase you DON'T want to steal it.

[the_aggie10]

its worth that...nice price....but im afraid im out of quarters...but i will have it no later than 2 years! still be around then ? ...not joking
i will work for it

Edited by the_aggie10, 25 October 2006 - 02:15 AM.

[PlugComputers]

Of course, 2 years from now I think you'll be able to get a little bit more for that amount though, as far as technology goes, but still the same cool look. The clear cases are really neat, it lights up the whole room. If the lights gets annoying there are switches that can turn off 2 of the lights, or all 4. Cool computer.

[the_aggie10]

what are the specs of your computer?...mine is crappy as can be

[PlugComputers]

The actual computer I use at home, that I am on right now are as follows:

AMD x2 Dual Core 4800+
2 GB Corsair Memory
400GB Hard Drive
Geforce 7900GT Graphics Card
Dual Layer DVD+-R/RW Drive
500 W Power Supply

Its not bad, I've had it for a month or two. Ohh and my favorite, my new Dell 24" Widescreen LCD monitor, its a beauty. It makes the computer about 9000 times better.

[the_aggie10]

im going to cry.my sucks not even worth mentioning but then again its about 3 years old and a compaw presario...so i could expect much out of it.

[PlugComputers]

Haha it can't be that bad. What specs does it have? Like a 1.2 Ghz Intel P3? and 256 MB of memory? Haha just guessing.

[the_aggie10]

oh but it is!

Windows: Windows XP5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2
Internet Explorer: 6.0.2900.2180
Memory (RAM): 224 MB
CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 1800+
CPU Speed: 1531.7 MHz
Sound card: Avance AC97 Audio
Display Adapters: S3 Graphics ProSavageDDR | NetMeeting driver | RDPDD Chained DD
Screen Resolution: 1024 X 768 - 16 bit
:
Network Adapters: Microsoft Loopback Adapter | Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC - Packet Scheduler Miniport | WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
CD / DVD Drives: D: LITE-ON DVDRW LDW-811S
:
COM Ports: COM3 | COM1
LPT Ports: LPT1
Mouse: 5 Button Wheel Mouse Present
Hard Disks: C: 37.3GB
Hard Disks - Free: C: 12.0GB
USB Controllers: 2 host controllers.
Firewire (1394): Not Detected
:
Manufacturer: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
Product Make: DA201A-ABA 6310US NA850
:
AC Power Status: OnLine
BIOS Info: AT/AT COMPATIBLE | 12/16/02 | KM266 - 42302e31
Time Zone: Central Standard Time
Battery: No Battery
Motherboard: KM266-8233
Modem: Lucent Win Modem

Edited by the_aggie10, 25 October 2006 - 02:33 AM.

[PlugComputers]

I'm impressed you're actually running XP service pack 2 on that computer, especially with only 256 MB of memory, or "224" in your case...? (Whats up with that? Haha)

You have to be loving that 1024x768 resolution too. Now I see what you meant when you said you couldn't read the grayish text on my website. Ha

[the_aggie10]

dont know about to 224 lol....its horrible...im leaving now to steal that computer then i will see that gray text on your site...which would be the first step to ruling the internet

Edited by the_aggie10, 25 October 2006 - 02:41 AM.

[Kubi]

I don't seem to have a problem reading the text. I suggest you make it white, not grey. Also, you might want to give price ranges. I don't see anywhere where it says prices, and onces you see the specs that's what everyone is interested in. Very nice layout also.

[Saint_Michael]

The design is not bad at all, I think with the text if yo udo go white you pick another bright color to give it that off set look, maybe a yellow or a bright orange.

Also add a bit more dynamic to it I recommend this script for your portfilio page

http://www.javascrip...imagezoom.shtml

Also I would center the text in the buttons more and maybe drop a FAQ and visiable contact page as well.

[PlugComputers]

Ok all, I took some of the recommendations into consideration -

First- I added a small table at the bottom of the page with links to Contact, Help, FAQ, and Privacy Policy.
Let me know what you think of that- I know they will come up 404 Not Found, but just check out the "look", centered look right to you?

Second- I brightened up all the colors a little bit, making the grays a little whiter. Compare the two pages here:

PAGE 1 (original): Original (Gray Colors)
PAGE 2 (new): NEW (Brighter Colors)

Thanks for all the input, let me know what you think of the changes.

[Yacoby]

PlugComputers, on Oct 25 2006, 03:35 AM, said:

I'm impressed you're actually running XP service pack 2 on that computer, especially with only 256 MB of memory, or "224" in your case...? (Whats up with that? Haha)

the_aggie10, on Oct 25 2006, 03:40 AM, said:

dont know about to 224

The integrated graphics chip uses 32Mb of your ram, leaving your computer with 224Mb (out of an original 256Mb of ram)



The brighter text is definitely easy er on my eyes. On the Schedule Your Build! page it would be good to put a gap between the check box and the computer case name, as they are a bit hard to read at present

[lindsaybernsen]

saying you are "building needs" does sound counterproductive.
try something like,
explain your needs and let us tailor our design around them
or explain your needs and let us build around them
or explain your needs and let us build a machine to fit

also, some grammatical errors which make the page look slightly less polished than it could:

Quote

-"Plug Computers was established in 2005 with those computing individuals and businesses in mind that understand their need for a computer," a person ought to be referred to as a "who", not a "that".
-"what was technicaly nescessary" - "necessary"
-"In general, do not be tentative when buying a computer from a large company, not fully understanding what you are getting for your money. Talk to a Plug Computers build specialist to help gain an understanding for what computer is right for you." for should be of. This whole idea seems contradictory. Do NOT be tentative when you don't understand what you are buying?? And why say "in general"? That would seem to include Plug computers as in the category of "large companies" who dont fully explain to you what you are spending money on. What I think you are intending to say is that Plug computers is not one of those companies, and that your representatives will provide the needed one-on-one. If that's the case, revise it to say so.
-unpresidented ought to be "unprecedented"
-"We can assure you that you will be getting the perfect computer for you, no matter what your price range." try "We assure you that you will receive a computer perfectly suited to your needs, regardless of your price range. "
-"whether it be Microsoft Windows XP Home, Professional, or Media Center Editions the choice is yours." "either Microsoft... : the choice is yours."
-"top of the line" = top-of-the-line
-"Need to the power to edit multiple videos at once? Look no furthur." either "need to have the power" or "need the power", "further."
"From time that you contact Plug Computers to being your customization" consider rephrasing, it sounds awkward. "to be your customizer"? perhaps or "to do your customization"
-"Each customer is assigned a representative that will take care of your individual needs" - again, a person ought to be referred to as a "who", not a "that".
-"One representative will consulte, build, test, and ship your computer, all making it easier for you." "Consult"? all making it easier for you sounds odd too, but i cant quite place why. possibly say "making it easier for you to keep tabs on its progress"? something to that effect... Also, taken with the sentence "each customer is assigned a representative..." its slightly redundant. Either choose one sentence or the other or combine the two, but dont keep both.
-"our customer Guarantee", not Guarentee, you do that further down in the paragraph too.
-"and we will analize the problem,"- analyze

Maybe run your content through spellcheck?
The page design itself is very sleek.

Notice from jlhaslip:

Added qute tags per report

Edited by jlhaslip, 24 November 2006 - 06:18 PM.

[PlugComputers]

Thanks for all the advice guys and gals. I recently made some changes to my "Schedule your build" page. I have it set up as follows, when the vistor clicks the "schedule your build" link at the top of the page they are taken to a page with a base level AMD system, and base level Intel system. From there they click on which system type they would like to customize, AMD or Intel.
You can see it here : www.plugcomputers.com/schedule.php

I am having a hard time getting that page to look right, I dont like how users have to scroll down the page to get to the Intel based computer. I need some way to set them side by side. I tried fooling around with creating images last night, as you can see, a black AMD picture, and a white Intel picture, each with their respective computer cases. I dont know how found of these I am either. There has to be a better way to set this page up.

If you actually click on the system, AMD or Intel, you are taken to the form page. Each computer category with choices that are sent to a build specialist and the vistors is quoted a price based upon their selections. I like the look of these 2 pages, but its the transition page that needs some work (schedule.php).

Please any advice to make this page a little more visually appealing would be greatly appreciated. I would like to do it somehow where both systems were side by side, rather than on top of each other. I tried a table, but the amount of information gets crammed into table with a width of a max 600 pixels.

Thanks all, look forward to any recommendations.

[PlugComputers]

Is bumping alllowed? I could really use some input on my design folks. Thanks alot.

[michaelper22]

PlugComputers, on Oct 24 2006, 08:17 PM, said:

Hey all-

Check out the link in my sig to my new computer company website. I finally added the e-commerce side to my business, should help me out.

Let me know what you think of design, I know the "New Technologies" link doesn't work right, as I haven't uploaded that page yet.

Oh and 1 thing specific, in the header what do you think of the line "Explain your needs and let us build them" Does that sound right? Any suggestions?

Thanks, any constructive critism would be appreciated..

I think your site is pretty nice looking. I am not such a big fan of dark backgrounds, but on your site it all works nicely. The header image is very sharp.
I actually looked at the content of the site, and I like what you offer. If I ever need a good, custom-built computer, I'll keep you in mind.