verhoevenc Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I finally finished up the website for my MuX Guitars. However, you have to have flash to view it, so all you people that haven't bothered to update your computer in the last oh..... 10 YEARS now would be a good time, cause this site is awesome! Includes my inlay work, finished and progress guitar galleries, tutorials, and at some point "prices" and audio clips. Tell me what cha'll think. Chris MuX Guitars Website PS: For some reason on MY computer when I click on this link it goes to the page.... but doesn't bother to load it... so either copy and paste the URL into your browser... or when it takes you to the page just go up to where it lists the URL and click enter. Quote Link to comment
Ben Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 For some reason it wont work in firefox... its fully updated too. Works in IE though; pretty cool site! That 34-page tutorial is fantastic! Quote Link to comment
Robert Irizarry Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 For some reason it wont work in firefox... its fully updated too. Ben: Curious - Does none of it work in Firefox for you? I'm on version 1.5.0.4 and I haven't encountered any issues with the site... Pretty cool site - interesting layout. Quote Link to comment
Setch Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I get a plain black screen in firefox. Minimalist certainly, but not very informative Quote Link to comment
Ben Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I get a completely blank, black page in firefox. I lied though... I just checked, its no longer the newest version. I'll update then tell you if it still wont work. Quote Link to comment
Robert Irizarry Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I get a plain black screen in firefox. Minimalist certainly, but not very informative Are you sure you have Flash installed for Firefox? If you don't, you can get it here: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/ Quote Link to comment
Ben Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 (edited) OK, I've updated. I'm now also on 1.5.0.4 and it is still just a blank black page The only difference is that wheras it used to say 'done' at the bottom it now says 'Transferring data from www.island-photo.us..." But I've waited for more than long enough and its not working. EDIT: Ok, now it works! I had flash installed in firefox, just not the newest version, so I downloaded it and it works. Its still definitely something worth considering though, verhoevenc. Maybe you could have a HTML version too, and let people choose upon entering the site. You'd obviously lose the flashy graphics, but thats not as bad as not being able to see anything at all . Edited June 19, 2006 by Ben Quote Link to comment
Mickguard Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I'm too lazy to go look for the newest flash version right now...how about an opening page with a link to that...common practice... Quote Link to comment
verhoevenc Posted June 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 this is what beta testing is all about, hearing what doesn't work for people and then fixing it. however, it WILL take more than... 3 and a half hours (that's how long it's been up lol). I'll get around to it either tomorrow, or if not that, a couple days later, cause I've got a nice long Singapore to Miami 24 flight coming up. Peace Chris Quote Link to comment
Setch Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 however, it WILL take more than... 3 and a half hours Not acceptable! Quote Link to comment
erikbojerik Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Same deal for Netscape 7.1, just a black screen. Meh..."I'm going to buy my guitar from a website that works!" This is what most people will think; even if its their problem on their ancient computer, they'll assume that the problem is on your end....and well, if the guy can't make an accessible website, what is the guitar going to be like? You only have one chance to make a first impression, it should be a good one. Quote Link to comment
Doeringer Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Cool site & some nice guitar work. I agree with the choice button for HTML or Flash. I couldn't find the link for the tutorials. I like the clean look of the site but I would prefer to not have to search for the links. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment
Ben Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I couldn't find the link for the tutorials Click the volume knob and download the word document. It's a very comprehensive tutorial, thats for sure! Quote Link to comment
Supernova9 Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 I like your guitar designs, and I like site design too. It's a good idea, just feels like it needs some refinements to make it better. The main source image you use for your site looks 'fuzzy'. Maybe it's just the stark contrast between the black and the guitar, but I think it could do with being a higher res photo, or sharper somehow. Do you have photoshop to play with? The inlay gallery scrolls a bit too quickly, either give the user ability to move through designs themselves, or give at least 3-4 seconds after the fade in of the complete image to view before changing. As for the guitar gallery - take photos on white or black backgrounds, with decent amounts of light. People (and possible customers) will not look as favourably on a guitar that's leaning against a windowsill or on a pillow as they will a guitar in a semi-professional setting. The main photo on the front page is also too long - I'm on 1024X768 and I have to scroll vertically. It feels like your site doesn't want to use pages of scrolled information (hence the current layout), so maybe you should consider shrinking it vertically to fit the world's most common screen res (at present that's the same as mine). Also, your articles are word documents. Bad idea. Use PDFs. If you want them converted to PDFs, I can do that for you, chuck me a PM. I know I've put a few points down, but my view of the site is not a negative one, it shows promise, I just want to give my views to help you make it better, hope you take it in the spirit it's meant Quote Link to comment
Mickguard Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 When I opened the site in IE, it immediately asked me if I wanted to install flash...I said yes, took 10 seconds and I was in. Don't know why that didn't work with Firefox (what I usually use). Maybe because I already had an older version of flash installed? Quote Link to comment
Daniel Sorbera Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 It works fine on my firefox. I would say though that it is one of the most unintuitive (and frankly, kinda ugly) sites I've seen in a while. I guess some people would think that it is cool. But it just doesn't float my boat in any way watsoever IMHO Just IMO don't take this the wrong way. Quote Link to comment
fryovanni Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 It works fine on my firefox. I would say though that it is one of the most unintuitive (and frankly, kinda ugly) sites I've seen in a while. I guess some people would think that it is cool. But it just doesn't float my boat in any way watsoever IMHO Just IMO don't take this the wrong way. Just your opinion don't take it the wrong way.... ... Thats brutal honesty Godin, but I am not sure if it leaves a whole lot of room to take it differently. I am sure Chris can take the critique though Quote Link to comment
Daniel Sorbera Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 What I ment was, I was trying to be honest with my opinion so he could improve etc. But I ment not to get all mad (at me) etc. As It was not ment to be a dig on his work or whatever. Just a simple critique. Quote Link to comment
verhoevenc Posted June 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 thanks for the input guys. I think at some point I will build at html version so people can chose. but that will take quite some time to get done, so don't expect it any time soon. also, Godin, it's ok if you wanna diss my site... i've seen yours (oh no he jus' di'int!?) If you couldn't find the tutorial, you should have read the disclaimer on the load screen before you click enter. it tells you that all the parts of the guitar send you somewhere, and that one says "volume: turn up your understanding". as for the PDF file, that sounds amazing. I'll shoot you a PM some time soon about that. and I'll almost for sure now make a homepage with say, jsut a pic, some words that tells you HAVE to have flash or it won't load, and where you can get flash. also, as for things like fuzzy pictures, pictures on window sills and beds, etc. that's fine by me, cause honestly, I made this site for you guys, and future builders who just wanna check out my work. hence why there's nothing on the prices page. cause i mean, the guitar the site's built around is the only finished guitar I've done to date... so I really don't have the current skill, ability, or need to sell my instruments. plus, my camera is getting old and takes about 4-5 pictures of each thing before you get one that isn't 100% fuzzy Chris Quote Link to comment
Mickguard Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I thought that was kind of fun, actually. Only problem I had (I only had a couple of minutes of time to look) was that it wasn't easy to get back to the main screen-- I think I kept ending up back at the intro screen instead of the guitar. Quote Link to comment
verhoevenc Posted June 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 ok, it now has a HTML based load up page. it's nothing fancy at all, but it tells you that you need flash to view it, where to get flash, and a couple tips on how to navigate the site successfully for those that have no imagination, etc. Chris Quote Link to comment
dash Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I thought that was kind of fun, actually. Only problem I had (I only had a couple of minutes of time to look) was that it wasn't easy to get back to the main screen-- I think I kept ending up back at the intro screen instead of the guitar. +1. if i used the back button on my mouse, i ended up at the intro screen also (i know that there is a home button now) pay no attention to godin chris, its just not "artistic" enough for him cheers darren Quote Link to comment
Setch Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Woah - 1 meg flash file? That needs *bigtime* streamlining! I know more and more folks have DSL, but good web design should still mean small file sizes to limit load times. Quote Link to comment
crafty Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 C'mon, you could have at least polished the pickup covers and the bridge on your guitar before taking the picture!! It's by no means a pro-designed site, but a good effort. Read up on standards for web usability and I think you'll get there. It worked fine with my Firefox/Flash versions. For starters, I think it'd be best if you had the page default to the flash version with a "Non-Flash" link at the bottom. And slow down the slide show in the Inlay gallery!! Quote Link to comment
verhoevenc Posted June 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Man, ya'll are brutal. I built this site mainly for ya'll to look at and no one else... especially since there's no way anyone else can find it... and so that ya'll would have a place to download my tutorial. I've seen TONS of more poorly designed sites with half the criticism. Chris Quote Link to comment
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