Made my first website!

[YamahaMAXdRPMs]

I have played around with the "free" websites, and doing html on myspace and all that, but i never really built a real website. This one i did for my company over the last week... planning on doing some video also. I used godaddys site builder, which makes it easy, almost too easy because you loose the "customization" of it... oh well.. i still like it... what do you think? i also took all the pics myself

honest opinions only! no "it looks good" just because you wanna be nice :thumbup:
http://www.bbmanufacturingco.com

 

[LERecords]

looks good .. but seriously.. its very well put together. no dead links. easy on the eyes (color scheme), easy to navigate (big link buttons) and the contact info is on the main page as well as the contact page.. very simple design, but thats good cuz to much eye candy takes away from the site. A+ if it really is your first full website.. :thumbup:

 

[Fz6Sa]

Immediate reaction:

Boring,
serious,
standard template,
no designer was attached to the project
Menu is slow
When changing page, the site disturbs you

I do alot of www work as as pro, - and it's always easy to tell if a pro has done the work, or like in this case, a decent amateur.


You asked for it, and you got it.

 

[04fizzer]

You asked for it, and you got it.

Quite frankly, it has all the needed information, and it's simple. For a company that's looking to easily share information, this is the best way to do it. There's no reason for flashy pages, or transitions or anything like that.

There's no reason for you to be a jerk about it.

I personally think it's a good site, and a LOT better than some that I've seen and dealt with.

 

[04fizzer]

One thing you might want to do is include the capabilities of either each machine (envelope size, materials, etc.), or just a general capability list of the machines (customers don't really care what machine you make their stuff on, as long as it gets made).

Example: *We* can machine parts up to X' in diameter, or X' long by Y' high. Our laser table can handle parts up to A'xB'xC" in these materials (anything that's metal can be laser cut, but it's still good to mention the most popular, and maybe some not so popular metals just to show you can do it).

Maybe also list an average turn-around time: "Depending on the order size, we average a XX day/week turn-around after placing the order". Also, it's a good idea to mention the quantities you'll do. Are you ok with prototype quantities (1-10), can you handle thousands of parts?

Aside from that, it looks like you've got a good start to a good site.

 

[Fz6Sa]

honest opinions only! no "it looks good" just because you wanna be nice :thumbup:
http://www.bbmanufacturingco.com

Quite frankly, it has all the needed information, and it's simple. For a company that's looking to easily share information, this is the best way to do it. There's no reason for flashy pages, or transitions or anything like that.

There's no reason for you to be a jerk about it.

I personally think it's a good site, and a LOT better than some that I've seen and dealt with.

I was not trying to be a jerk, - I just put out my honest professional opinion, - just like YamahaMAXdRPMs asked for!

And I have newer said it needed more "flashy pages, or transitions or anything like that.", - that's just putting words in my mouth.

If you read my post, - I called the site decent!

 

[MarinaFazer]

Firefox can't find the server at www.bbmanufacturingco.com.

 

[Fz6Sa]

Quite frankly, it has all the needed information, and it's simple. For a company that's looking to easily share information, this is the best way to do it.

What's your background for this statement?

 

[04fizzer]

I was not trying to be a jerk, - I just put out my honest professional opinion, - just like YamahaMAXdRPMs asked for!

And I have newer said it needed more "flashy pages, or transitions or anything like that.", - that's just putting words in my mouth.

If you read my post, - I called the site decent!

Maybe it's a translation thing, but you called it boring, disturbing, Boring, slow. Saying it's decent after those comments is conflicting, and doesn't take away from your criticism.

What would you do differently? Offer some suggestions rather than just being very blunt.

 

[YamahaMAXdRPMs]

Quite frankly, it has all the needed information, and it's simple. For a company that's looking to easily share information, this is the best way to do it. There's no reason for flashy pages, or transitions or anything like that.

There's no reason for you to be a jerk about it.

I personally think it's a good site, and a LOT better than some that I've seen and dealt with.

thanks 04fizzer, i appreciate it... i dont want it to look amateur, but at the same time, if we go too over the top, when people come to actually get the product, they will be confused as to why we have a flash intro with all sorts of java on our site, but have a small to med shop, it will look like we spent more money on the site than the actual company. I appreciate the good feedback, as well as the bad. I know its amateur, but like i said, im not Sony, and we arnt selling iPods... its a sheetmetal shop..

 

[04fizzer]

What's your background for this statement?

My background is a consumer, and a mechanical engineer who often looks for companies to do this type of work. It has the information I'm looking for (aside from what I suggested earlier), and doesn't have unnecessary stuff that wastes my time.

Just because you're a web designer doesn't mean you're always right.

 

[04fizzer]

Firefox can't find the server at www.bbmanufacturingco.com.

I was able to find it just fine.

 

[YamahaMAXdRPMs]

Immediate reaction:

Boring,
serious,
standard template,
no designer was attached to the project
Menu is slow
When changing page, the site disturbs you

I do alot of www work as as pro, - and it's always easy to tell if a pro has done the work, or like in this case, a decent amateur.


You asked for it, and you got it.

thanks for the input... you cant make things better if everyone says its great... always need a critic.. what would you change? remembering that its a small sheetmetal shop not a large cooperation.

 

[Fz6Sa]

Maybe it's a translation thing, but you called it boring, disturbing, Boring, slow. Saying it's decent after those comments is conflicting, and doesn't take away from your criticism.

What would you do differently? Offer some suggestions rather than just being very blunt.

I think I see your point ....

However, - I make a living out of designing and programming websites, - and since this site is a commercial one, - I won't "work" for free.

If someone had a personal website I would be more that happy to help, - since there would be no commercial interest behind it.
But a company making money of my free work ...,- not happening, sorry.

So the main thing here for me is that it is a commercial website, - and therefore the demands and conditions for it is different.

 

[YamahaMAXdRPMs]

I think I see your point ....

However, - I make a living out of designing and programming websites, - and since this site is a commercial one, - I won't "work" for free.

If someone had a personal website I would be more that happy to help, - since there would be no commercial interest behind it.
But a company making money of my free work ...,- not happening, sorry.

So the main thing here for me is that it is a commercial website, - and therefore the demands and conditions for it is different.

... so you can tell me its bad, but not tell me why? are you "on duty" right now?

 

[MarinaFazer]

My one qualm from what I saw was on the home page: (yea yea, i got the page working)

below the page line, the page isn't centered anymore. All the photos are on the left side which then throws off the rest. Perhaps photos on both sides to keep it all centered OR put the photos IN the text with a wrapping instead of seperated?

 

[YamahaMAXdRPMs]

My one qualm from what I saw was on the home page: (yea yea, i got the page working)

below the page line, the page isn't centered anymore. All the photos are on the left side which then throws off the rest. Perhaps photos on both sides to keep it all centered OR put the photos IN the text with a wrapping instead of seperated?

on the home page? there are multiple layouts that can be done, this one had a small box on the left with the photos, with the main being on the right with words, so it centers all the words to the right box.

Think it needs to be changed?

 

[MarinaFazer]

I don't think it needs to be changed, but it was just my first thought as I scrolled through the pages. It looks better than the website I made for my mom: http://www.maryjodurand.com

 

[Fz6Sa]

... so you can tell me its bad, but not tell me why? are you "on duty" right now?

Im self employed.

Look at it this way.
In my line of work all we have to sell are our knowledge.
It does not take any physical skill to do it, - so knowing how, when etc. is what keep you in buissenes.

It would be like asking you to provide the forum with free foot pegs, - be course you can make em in your company.
I haven't seen you volunteering to do anything like that for free .....

You are not the first ones to put a question mark on where I stand on this.
I meet people in planes etc. that have no understanding what so ever of why I can't just use 10 minutes to fix their computer for free while I am sitting next to them.

Again, - It's a commercial site, - so with that in mind (You are gonna make more money if the site i good), - it would be only fair to pay for the help if you wan't it to be better than someone in the company can manage.

I might not be explaining this the best way, - but please try and see the situation from my side of the boat.

 

[04fizzer]

One other thought that jumped out at me; the picture of the guy welding, you might want to pose someone welding, but wearing a welding jacket and gloves, to show that you're safety minded and responsible. It's a subtle thing that may turn some people off if not portrayed right.