help needed for my website

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

All has been good advice... I also like Moe`s website and wish there was enough demand here for detailing at those prices, but there simply isn`t... charge what you can, but try not to over work yourself... I would say $40/hr is the minimum any quality detailer should be charging...I`m @ $50-55/hr. now.. and even though it`s low compared to some, it works for me and enough people are willing to pay it.



My site is LUSTR Auto Detailing - Quality & Professional Detailing Services in the Chicago Area (http://www.lustrdetail.com)... I designed it myself not for marketing purposes through web searches, etc. in mind, rather just to showcase my work and provide some information... I`m working on putting together an info/diy sections with instructional videos, etc.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Since we`re talking about websites, I`m curious what you guys think about mine...

[4fit?]

Since we`re talking about websites, I`m curious what you guys think about mine...

It`s a pretty nice design. Simple and to the point. I`m not much on image rollovers like your navigation menu, but it doesn`t look bad. I believe the header image is a little on the large side though.



My biggest problem is that the site is laid out using tables. This is a big no-no in modern web design. Tables are supposed to be used to display tabular data, not to position data and elements. The layout should be created using CSS (cascading style sheets) and div tags.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

It`s a pretty nice design. Simple and to the point. I`m not much on image rollovers like your navigation menu, but it doesn`t look bad. I believe the header image is a little on the large side though.



My biggest problem is that the site is laid out using tables. This is a big no-no in modern web design. Tables are supposed to be used to display tabular data, not to position data and elements. The layout should be created using CSS (cascading style sheets) and div tags.



I`m not trying to argue here just learn... why is it a big no-no? I`m not an expert on web-design as I just learned Dreamweaver partly through school and partly on my own, so I did the best I could with what I know... I know there are the new styles, etc. and I was thinking about maybe doing it in flash in the future, but for now this suits me well, at least until I learn how to do the other stuff haha...



I just want to know why exactly it`s a big no-no, since it works fine, etc.... again, just want to learn

[4fit?]

I`m not trying to argue here just learn... why is it a big no-no? I`m not an expert on web-design as I just learned Dreamweaver partly through school and partly on my own, so I did the best I could with what I know... I know there are the new styles, etc. and I was thinking about maybe doing it in flash in the future, but for now this suits me well, at least until I learn how to do the other stuff haha...



I just want to know why exactly it`s a big no-no, since it works fine, etc.... again, just want to learn



Here are a few good articles regarding tables vs CSS layouts (note: not my titles).

Why avoiding tables (for layout) is important (http://davespicks.com/essays/notables.html)

CSS Layouts Vs. Table Layouts - Alternate Browsers and Accessibility Issues - Accessible Web Design (http://www.mardiros.net/css-layout.html)

Why tables for layout is stupid: problems defined, solutions offered (http://www.hotdesign.com/seybold/everything.html)



And I wasn`t trying to say that you did a poor design. Was just trying to point out a few things. Also, it is becoming increasingly important in modern web design to make pages that are W3C compliant. W3C is the committee that makes the "rules" that web designers are suggested to adhere to. Here is the W3C check of your homepage (http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lustrdetail.com%2F&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=Inline&group=0).



Again, I am not downing your design. It certainly serves it`s purposes and is an overall pleasing design. I am just trying to share a few tidbits of information that I wish people would have shared with me when I was first getting started. I am just now back in school for Web Technologies, so most of what I know is through research, practice, and tons of trial and error.



Cheers

-Jeff-

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Jeff thanks for the advice... how hard/tedious would it be to switch my website to css, keeping the same exact layout/design graphically? It just seems like there`s a little too much to learn for me at this point since I have very little time, so any tips and advice you can give me would be great... also, what about Flash sites? Do they require a different coding as well or are they fine as they are? Lastly, can the css stuff be done through dreamweaver? I work mostly with the "design" part rather than coding, as I`m not expert whatsoever regarding web development



Thanks again

[4fit?]

Jeff thanks for the advice... how hard/tedious would it be to switch my website to css, keeping the same exact layout/design graphically? It just seems like there`s a little too much to learn for me at this point since I have very little time, so any tips and advice you can give me would be great... also, what about Flash sites? Do they require a different coding as well or are they fine as they are? Lastly, can the css stuff be done through dreamweaver? I work mostly with the "design" part rather than coding, as I`m not expert whatsoever regarding web development



Thanks again



Ivan, Dreamweaver is the program I use as well, but I use strictly the code view. I can actually create websites using nothing but Notepad, but I like Dreamweaver`s intelisense that completes the tags as you type them. Also, Dreamweaver supports CSS and, depending on your version, has intelisense for it as well. I use CS3 here.



I am not a fan of Flash sites in the least bit. Yes, some of them look awesome and you can tell that tons of work went into them. But, it requires a plugin to be present on the user`s computer. While most users already have that plugin, some don`t and, in my experience, folks don`t like having to install something simply so they can view your site.



As for recoding your site to CSS and making it meet W3C standards, it really shouldn`t be too awfully hard. Your gallery pages are ok to use tables for the pictures, so that part could stay. The rest would be simple CSS definitions and a few float and positioning elements. If you`d like, I can tinker with it a bit and see what I can come up with. Just let me know.



-Jeff-

[Envious Eric]

wahoo!!!!! mine passed hahaha





ivan, i like the layout on your site

[imported_shine]

Since we`re talking about websites, I`m curious what you guys think about mine...



Yours is one of my favorites from Autopia members. Nice style and organized; to the point.



I`m currently working on mine for a similar purpose--inform/diy, links to helpful guides, services page, and showcase some of the work I`ve done.

[imported_Picus]

I like these threads, I always learn something from them. Great info in here..

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Ivan, Dreamweaver is the program I use as well, but I use strictly the code view. I can actually create websites using nothing but Notepad, but I like Dreamweaver`s intelisense that completes the tags as you type them. Also, Dreamweaver supports CSS and, depending on your version, has intelisense for it as well. I use CS3 here.



I am not a fan of Flash sites in the least bit. Yes, some of them look awesome and you can tell that tons of work went into them. But, it requires a plugin to be present on the user`s computer. While most users already have that plugin, some don`t and, in my experience, folks don`t like having to install something simply so they can view your site.



As for recoding your site to CSS and making it meet W3C standards, it really shouldn`t be too awfully hard. Your gallery pages are ok to use tables for the pictures, so that part could stay. The rest would be simple CSS definitions and a few float and positioning elements. If you`d like, I can tinker with it a bit and see what I can come up with. Just let me know.



-Jeff-



I have CS3 as well... thanks for all the help and advice... I`m going to read into the css stuff over the next few days/week when I get the time, but feel free to tinker with whatever you`d like if you have time and e-mail me the results. I know the site can become more efficient because I just made it to look nice and show everything as far as detailing goes... as for efficiency, I don`t know too much about it but I think it`s horrible... the rollover buttons on top are made the "wrong" way... I didn`t cut up the image in Photoshop into separate buttons, rather used the "hotspots" to link all the button areas on the image... so when you go over "home" for example, another image containing all the "buttons" loads, except the text on "home" is highlighted... the files are very small though so it didn`t matter to me, but I know it`s still the wrong way to do it... I`m sure you understand this confusing gibberish haha




wahoo!!!!! mine passed hahaha



ivan, i like the layout on your site



Thanks... I like yours as well




Yours is one of my favorites from Autopia members. Nice style and organized; to the point.



I`m currently working on mine for a similar purpose--inform/diy, links to helpful guides, services page, and showcase some of the work I`ve done.



Thanks a lot man, I`ve heard that a few times over the past month or so... I`m definitely going to work on a lot of videos and photo documented instructions about everything... I know there are many online but it seems like there`s always someone asking for something else within those other ones... I`ll just try to cover what I can




I like these threads, I always learn something from them. Great info in here..



+1... Even though I`ve never copied someone`s site (not that they`re bad or I`m against them, it just goes a certain way for me) I always enjoy looking at all the layouts, designs, fonts, etc. etc. I think your site influenced my design a bit... I know it looks completely different but still haha



Keep the info coming, I know pampos doesn`t mind the small hijack

[imported_Picus]

George from DI and I took a bunch of video this week; I want to add some of it to my site. I think that`ll be a really good resource for customers, so ya, I definitely think it`s a good idea to have info like that on your site.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

George from DI and I took a bunch of video this week; I want to add some of it to my site. I think that`ll be a really good resource for customers, so ya, I definitely think it`s a good idea to have info like that on your site.



Yea I remember George was telling me about coming up there to take some videos with/of you... I`m looking forward to seeing those



Are they hosted anywhere yet or just being edited right now? In any case, post up when they`re online

[imported_Picus]

Yea I remember George was telling me about coming up there to take some videos with/of you... I`m looking forward to seeing those



Are they hosted anywhere yet or just being edited right now? In any case, post up when they`re online



He left this afternoon. :) It`ll probably be a bit before he`s got it all edited, I think he took quite a bit of video. I`ll be sure to post links when it`s all online. :)

[4fit?]

wahoo!!!!! mine passed hahaha

:spot

Good feeling isn`t it? You may also want to consider stepping away from the table layout and going with CSS and div tags. :think2