New Webmaster Forum

After spending 20 minutes completing the registration form, I would like to suggest that you switch from the default Image Captcha to reCaptcha for human verification. 20-30 loads of the image to get one that I could read and then it wouldn't accept it because of hash storage. Refill out the form, try again to get an image that I can read the code on. Rinse and repeat.

I can guarantee that I can read reCaptcha correctly the first time.

After that, it is a decent site. A little plain with its green and blue coloring but okay. It would be nice if the flat gradient from the buttons could be used elsewhere for consistency and the images should be a little more consistent in feel but I know how difficult that is at times when you're using available resources.

Oh, I would take the text "Webmaster Resources & Website Development Resources" out of your forum name and include it in the "powered_by_x" phrase. The phrase should look like:

{1} - Webmaster Resources & Website Development Resources

It would make your page titles more worthwhile and your breadcrumb usable.

 

Visually, the style isn't to bad. Your forum icons are incorrectly matted though as are your subforum icons. They'll need corrected and appropriate matte applied or save them out in .png.

Threadmarkers should be replaced for something custom. vbulletin stock (especially the stock threadmarkers) look visually ugly. Something generic will do, anything is better looking than what your using but to go one step better with a set of unique markers and at the same time keeping them consistent with the style.

Replace the post icons. You'll be amazed what a set of customized/high quality post icons will do when people use them and they display on your forum index. In most cases they can break the whole look for the better.

On a last note. I would change the lastpost icon. The lime looks to bright and hard to distinguish on a light background.

Other than that, the style seems to be doing it's job. I would personally shorten the width of the side panel and retain as much width for the main forum as possible but that's my preference.

 

Thanks everyone A few changes I done myself without getting to read these replies yet so some have been sorted out. The captcha has been replaced with the trusty NoSpam questions and also the registration rules removed, but I am planning on adding a link pointing to the rules on the registration page today so by signing up you have agreed to these rules found here etc

The icons will be getting sorted out too, I really dont know whether to keep him, I think he works well

I would like to make or get some custom post icons but not sure where to get them from and ones that would suit.

I might take 5% off the sidebar and see how that looks with the text as it could end up looking very squashed up but worth a test.

I have taken the bbtitle out of most pages and allowed it to just be the proper page title, not sure if that is good but I prefer it

 

Sweeks, changing domains without .htaccess redirection (for individual pages, preferably) will lose visitors. And links coming from search engines won't work.

The site looks plain and uninviting. I go to it, and think "Where do I start?"

Needs a couple of links on the homepage to get people going.

EDIT: Oh God, what a coincidence... You're Michael. I had a heated pm conversation with you on Teen Forumz (sorry) and found you here lol.

 

Doesn't load mate.

 

Thanks for the suggestions but the old domain really wasnt worth a 301 redirect as there was around 4 inbound links into it as well as the fact it wasnt given a chance to become indexed in Google.

Yes it needs a lot of work and we are working on that thanks.

Yeah no wonder considering you began calling me a what was it again? Oh yeah a big page rank 4 dick because we would not exchange links with you.

Hello Dan, It should be loading for you fine as it is for me, please try again the URL is:

Webmaster Forum & Web Design Forums - Webmaster Resources & Site Development Resources

You may have clicked the old url in the OP which I will change now if I can.

Thanks!

 

That loads.


Brilliant design. I like the welcome notice image thing. Very neat. And I like the sidebar, very neat too. You've clearly done this before.


Well done. 10/10

 

Thank you for a positive review In fact we use the same welcome notice on all 3 of our forums we like it so much lol obviously with different images, to be honest this forum does need a lot of work especially the logo and status icons they both need updating as well as a few other things but we will have everything perfected in due course!

 

You're finally done changing back and forth xD.

First impression: Web Design... looks boring for a webmaster/web design site.

Forum Content
​

Quantity of Forums: Seems ok.
Content: Seems that the information given is useful, though I can’t see the dates in which the last post was made, though if you check closer, it’s not really THAT active. You don’t have that much activity going on. You have to jump start with a great BAM! And try to make it more active! The posts [some] are good, but there is really no hype at all. I like that in some of the threads one of the admins, Michael, [I do not know if it’s you], take time to actually explain and answer questions. Reminds me of a place I know ;D.

Forum Design​

Favicon: I guess its ok, but I kind of don’t like it.
On, Off, Lock buttons: They look boring, ever heard of a transparent bg? The ones for the subforums looks cool, but again, ever heard of transparent bg?

Design: The design for the site which is supposed to be a webmaster forum/Web Design…looks kind of boring. First, the logo? Has nothing “exciting” to it It’s also supposed to be a web design site; I mean creativity had to come inside! The colors they are too boring, for a site, I wouldn’t visit often, especially if its design related and it’s not that appealing. Don’t get me wrong, I like the color scheme…a bit, and I like the layout, it just doesn’t interest me enough to stay and be there. For my monitor, it’s a LIIIIIITTLE too wide for me, since it goes from screen to screen literally.

You have some of the default icons which don’t really go with the design of the site. I guess for a design forum I expect a sense of personality from it with a hint of professionalism.

Overall Opinion: The site needs to be hyped up, a boost of activity! To be a design/webmaster forum I expected some sense of creativeness/professionalism, but regardless the site looks very good. Might want to replace those ugly default vB icons, other than that, I wish you luck!

 

Thanks for the review there, as with all communities that are brand new they need advertising and such etc which I havent really worked on as of yet but will be getting around to it.

The logo does need replacing for certain as do the bgs on the statusicons which I also need to get round to doing and plan on doing everything asap.

The thing with webmaster and web design forums, the majority of them do look fairly boring, look at DP their is default vb as is a lot of others I know of so if I was to create something exciting looking it would possibly look tacky to old webmasters and devs etc I really dont know how to make it be more exciting and pleasing for a webmaster to look at, I will get it eventually, I always do.

I think that a lot of our work has gone into our teen forum and pregnancy forum and both of those forums have their own character and presence on the web and it wont be long before this one does too

I cant believe anyone uses their browser at full res on a large monitor, personally I loathe it lol I keep mine just a little larger than 1024x768

I definitely will be taking in all of these suggestions from everyone though as all of them are correct, it does need work and I plan on fixing everything, hopefully including activity rates too

 

I like your avy on the frorum. And I always use my browser at full resolution, actually, full screen, I keep the taskbar unchecked so I can use it full screen. I love my comp, besides, I'd like to expirience everything to the fullest.

 

Thats Rik Mayall from Bottom with his hair changed to blue from orange.

I just cant stand having the browser full width, I love PS and DW etc in full screen just not FF.

 

I use Opera and Safari mostly