The website

billyfromConsett · Post by **billyfromConsett** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:55 pm

I did notice Linda's news on the front page of our website. and I wonder what, if any, changes to the website we'll see.

The website looks like it's set in a different era, and isn't too clear to look for things on.

So I wonder if it will get a total redesign from a professional web designer, a in-house revamp, or just more subtle behind the scenes tuning.

Some of us have asked for more pictures and maybe video online.

Just a few questions now we've got some people changes.

stingman · Post by **stingman** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:15 pm

May be it needs to be a bit more colourful and not so cluttered with a few colourful pictures.
Some of the title pages content could be moved onto other pages.

Stingman

ned c · Post by **ned c** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:55 pm

Our AMPS website needs revamping so could you give a couple of websites you see as examples of what you expect, thanks

ned c

Post by **Dave Watterson** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:02 pm

Some of us have asked for more pictures and maybe video online.

I'll do the "defensive thing" on behalf of the old management and point out there are around 3,800 images on the IAC website 20 movies and a couple of illustrative quicktime clips !!!

But you guys are right: the point is that if those things are not obvious ... the site's not right!

And Ian puts his finger on a huge problem ... the front page. For something with a relatively simple purpose - like a club website - it is possible to have a clean, simple, stylish front page. For sites packed with information aimed at all sorts of different people you tend to get front pages like Amazon, Yahoo, the BBC and so on which are very "busy".

When Atta revamped the website a few years ago he made massive improvements to the fairly crude version I had developed. But it took many months for the revamp. I'll let the new webmaster speak for herself about her intentions ... but from long experience I suspect her approach will be steady and thoughtful rather than jumping into very visible changes just for the sake of it.

Atta and Richard are still very much involved - working on some technical background elements which may have a fun impact on the website eventually.

Cheers

Dave (Are we having silliness yet?!) Watterson

Stephen · Post by **Stephen** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:03 pm

yep... definately a good time have a change of pace for the website...

as previously mentioned in another link .. just what can be achieved with this web thingie...

http://producten.hema.nl/

when I mentioned previously about embedding video etc
nice example here....

http://www.indianajones.com/site/index.html

and a simple google of cool websites brings up 168,000,000 in 0.28 of a second

here's a couple !

http://www.elan-yachting.com/pcc.asp?xp ... =&lang=eng
http://www.presentationzen.com/
http://www.engadget.com/
http://www.trendwatching.com/

and some sweet flash programming (explore!)

http://www.flashcomguru.com/apps/fullsc ... creen.html
http://andrius.esu.lt/10/go2.htm
http://www.angeloplessas.com/elasticenthusiastic/
http://uploads.ungrounded.net/221000/221483_Play.swf

things I like about these sites ?
it takes ages and ages to try everything
even just on the front page!!...
there is an amazing amount of info and retrieved very quickly
it is FUN !
keeping peeps interested like that tends to hang on to them and it becomes a daily visit !
(sorry... I am quite geekie these days... I check the IAC website every couple of hours !!)

hey.........and we haven't touched on forums yet !!!!!

Souterman · Post by **Souterman** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:05 pm

Here's a site that I like and visit quite a lot. F

http://www.birdforum.net/

Post by **Dave Watterson** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:27 am

Some fascinating websites there folks - more please! I am sure the new webmaster will be keen to check them out.

In passing ... here's a link you might want to keep handy for all those people who send you silly chain emails ...

http://info.org.il/irrelevant/may02-smi ... apbox4.swf

It sums up the whole silliness.

Dave

Brian Saberton · Post by **Brian Saberton** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 4:42 pm

That's a brilliant link Dave. Personally, I never, ever, under any circumstances, in any way shape or form, forward chain e mails to anybody as they are a complete waste of time and an utter nuisance.

Post by **Dave Watterson** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:29 pm

Our AMPS website needs revamping

said Ned and asked for ideas.

So ... with huge respect to Richard the AMPS webmaster here are a couple of thoughts.

1) Make it easily visible to all. A large number of users still have screens set to 800x600. Most are around 1024x768. An increasing number - especially on laptops have a wide-screen format and use tiny pixels. Your present site means even on my 1024 screen I have to scroll sideways to see all of the photos on the right of the home page. One simplish answer is to define table sizes as percentages of the available screen size rather than a fixed number of pixels. (There is a whole area of web design devoted to "stretchy" designs which accomodate all sorts of sizes and screen resolutions but that's more than we need to get into here.)

2) Keep the file size per page as small as you can - especially for the home page. e.g. those photos on the right are huge (widths of 576 pixels, 720 pixels, 576 pixels) yet you display them at 338, 346 and 345 pixels.) Use an image editor to make them all the same size as you want to display them.

3) Try to consider the impact of the whole page. I think the word "festival" or "festivals" appears 11 times including links and menus. You are right to be proud of it but that feels like overkill.

4) The top line of the home page says "AMPS" three times: once in a scrolling image (why?!) once on their own and once as the highlighted characters of the organisation's full name. I suggest keep the last and ditch the first two. Also ditch the strap line as part of a picture (header1.gif) - certainly do not use the word "oldest" ... I would add in normal text "the longest-established film festival in the world"

5) The javascript menu on the left ONLY works on the home page. It appears on the other pages and does nothing there!

6) In fact I would consider losing the left column entirely. Make the header1.gif a link to the home page and maybe use the menus from the foot of each page (which do work) at the top and bottom of each page.

7) The purpose of a home page is to catch the attention of surfers and point them towards where they may find info that will interest them. For regular users it should help them get to the detail they seek and highlight what is new. So keep the mention of the festival to a minimum, beef up reference to the excellent newsletter, mention other benefits of belonging - info about what other individual film makers and clubs are up to, contacts with other film makers at home and overseas, links to other festivals where n-c films are welcome ...

8 ) On the other pages I suggest more articles from the newsletter - both the "how I made" and the "hints and tips" kind. Some articles from and about individual clubs. Maybe Dicie would write about how to keep a group interested and active? Bob could write about involving young people and explosions (!), Roger could talk about preserving a record of our way of life and so on.

9) There is a lot of negative stuff on the site at present about everyone getting old, possibly disbanding etc - even the history of the organisation sounds like a bunch of argumentative types falling out or giving up. True as these may be - they are poor advertising.

10) Get some video on the site - maybe by embedding from YouTube and similar services so that it is not your bandwidth being used up.

11) Offer each club a page of its own to promote its meetings.

12) Highlight one State each month - touch on the filmic possibiltities in it, note any major films made there, mention any clubs in it ... try to engage with State pride.

13) Consider a forum !

14) Consider a blog by an active member who goes to events, shows and festivals ...

15) Have an ideas book to which anyone can contribute. (You can arrange to have entries approved before they go public if you are worried about spam.)

Is that enough to get started?

Dave

P.S. Yes, I know the IAC site does not meet all these ideals either. I did my little best. Atta improved on that vastly. Now this new woman will have a chance to see what she can do with it. We are all struggling to make the most of our websites when we would really rather be making or watching movies.

Ray Williamson · Post by **Ray Williamson** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:27 am

Heaven preserve us from "professional web designers".
Most "professional design" is slow and clumsy, with pointless bandwidth-gobbling animated graphics.
Not so much the world-wide-web as the world-wide-wait!
Anyway, with a site this size, it could cost a million pounds!

ned c · Post by **ned c** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:01 pm

Thanks Dave, ideas passed on.

Not quite sure what Ray's posting means.

ned c

Ray Williamson · Post by **Ray Williamson** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:12 am

Only those of us on dialup know what it means!

stingman · Post by **stingman** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:26 am

Ray Williamson wrote:Only those of us on dialup know what it means!

Ray, you old dog. Still on dial-up

It really isn`t that dear to have broadband....
........... Unless you live on a desert Island

Stingman

billyfromConsett · Post by **billyfromConsett** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:39 am

I wonder if we polled all our members to select either:
a) Professionally redesign the website
b) leave it just as it is

I wonder what the response would be? I mean, what percentage of our members use any of it in the first place?

Ray Williamson · Post by **Ray Williamson** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:17 pm

Good question, Billy!
I reckon very few surf in!
After all, only a very select few of us engage in these conversations!
Yes, I am at the end of a very long line, so it feels like a desert island. Only the slowest speeds available here (if I am lucky).
I am hoping for broadband to get a lot cheaper before it gets worthwhile for me.
But it doesn`t seem to be happening. ISPs just want to squeeze more and more money out of the poor old customer.
Anyway, I can keep in touch with you, and view the website, so what else do I need?