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Soft Whispers has 4 Reviews

Below are the reviews left by other members on Soft Whispers. Jump to review form?

1. 

   Anna_Kirstin gave it on 21st Dec 2008 and said:

   ----- First Impression -----
   I like the look and feel of the colors you chose to use. The blacks, blues, and purples work well together, but somehow the overall look and feel of the design doesn't feel as complete and clean as you would expect a design using so many of the same tones of color so well to do.

   The layout being so fixed and focused on the left side leaves a lot of empty space on the right side of the monitor screen. Right now you have absolutely everything going on on the left side of the page and the right side just looks boring since there is nothing there at all. This is one thing that is adding to the incomplete look of the layout. You might achieve a more balanced looking effect if the layout were centered.

   The top image looks like it's been cut off by the lighter blue "box" in the center of the layout. It looks too direct of a "cut off" since both the header title image and the footer image have a shadow effect to them. It almost gives the impression that a border or something may be missing since it cuts off so directly.

   The blue of the text areas gives me a similar feeling - like a border or shadow has been left off of it. It feels very one dimensional compared with the header and footer.

   The light blue line which is the same color as the lighter blue background color gives me the impression that your coding is off somehow - like you've added padding to the bottom of an image and didn't realize it. The white text being above the light blue line doesn't help this feeling for me. All the other rounded corners and boxes have a clean, fluid look to them. These header backgrounds appear almost too choppy looking to fit in with the look of the others. It also pulls attention away from the text of the blue boxes below them. I would recommend a solid background by removing the lighter blue line.

   I see that the lighter blue area is actually a background image that includes the black side-border on the right hand side. Which leads me to your....

   --- Navigation ---
   The use of the background image to form the line for your navigation isn't that big of an issue. Using images for your navigation is. I disabled images in my browser and was unable to navigate your site because I was unable to see your navigation at all. The easy way around this is to specify an alt attribute in the image tags so that when someone who has images disabled comes to view your site, they can still navigate their way around it. You can find more information at W3schools.com's information on alt tags and its use.

   The text for "visitor" and "owner" appears too close to the borders of the black navigation image as compared with the "site" and "blog" text. You might consider trying to find a font that provides a more happy middle ground for the differences in text size - one that doesn't give the impression the long two words are in need of some padding to fit in.

   --- Text ---
   I like the text size that you use. It's nice and easy to see. The color may give people with visual contrast difficulties a few problems. Colors that are too similar to their background color can be difficult for people with visual problems to see effectively and tire out the eyes of people with normal vision. The eyes have too strain and focus intently to be able to effectively separate the colors. This causes tired eyes much more quickly than it would for a website that had adequate color and contrast. A good resource to help achieve a good color and contrast for a background is Juicy Studio's Colour and Contrast Analyzer.

   --- Footer ---
   The color of the text in your footer is difficult to see in some parts of the background image. It blends in too much with the blues and purples of the background image. It is also hard to see when the images are removed from the website.

   It's a good habit to get into when designing to make sure that your website's colors and text are easy to read. If someone has a hard time focusing in on what you're trying to say because they have a hard time reading your text or it makes their eyes tired to read because of the choices in color, they will not stay long. You've got the text size down pat. I would just recommend working on text color choice to find a color that would be more easily read that the light blue but also would fit in with the layout. The color of your links is easily seen. :)

   Coding:
   Your CSS validates without problem.

   Your XHTML ran into some errors. You're using an inconsistent doctype.

   You're using the following:
   <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">

   For the transitional code your specifying, it should be:
   <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

   Your tag for your style sheet isn't closed properly. You ALWAYS have to close tags in XHTML even if you normally wouldn't do so in HTML. If you were using HTML you wouldn't have any problems really, but XHTML requires a forward-slash before the close of the tag - like this:
   <link href="style.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" />

   You've failed to close your head tag.

   We've already discussed adding alt tags to your images. :)

   --- Site ----
   I would go back and reread through this page. Several words should be capitalized. Using capitalization correctly gives the appearance of a more "grown up" site. Most people will equate improper capitalization and lousy grammar to be a site that belongs to an immature child. You don't want to give that impression.

   I won't mention the copyrighted images since you've mentioned they will be removed and were the result of the previous owner. :)

   --- Visitor ---
   Where did you get your trivia? The information had to have been found somewhere. I doubt that you (or the previous owner) came up with it all yourself. If it a copy from something found off-line or information pulled from one or more other websites, then credit should be given to the sources.

   --- Owner ---
   Don't use "here" links. Links should always be descriptive of where they are linking to. I don't know where 'here' is? Why would I want to click there? For more information, visit here and here. See the effect? Unless you use mouse-over and your browser (which some visitors aren't smart enough to figure out) you will not know where you're going and won't be as tempted to click.

   --- Over all ---
   I like the use of color and style that the website uses. There are just a few areas that could do with some tweaking to make the website look more complete. A few areas just felt like they didn't fit in with the over all design of the website. :)

   Using Firefox on Windows | Report This?

2. Julie gave it on 29th Nov 2008 and said:

   First Impressions
   Nice. The colors are very pretty, in my favorite shades. The one thing that bothers me, however, is that it is not centered. While this is not the worse thing to do in a layout, I am currently using a large screen with a very large resolution (1680x1050 or something like that), so your site occupies the left half of the screen, leaving everything else empty.

   Layout
   I like side navigation tabs. I'd love it even more if there was an effect on hover. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, it can just be a change of color. Right now, even the cursor doesn't change.

   I find the text a bit hard to read. If the background was a bit darker, it would be just perfect.

   Other than that, the layout looks good. As I said in First Impressions, the colors are pleasant and welcoming. Everything is neat without being boring.

   Content - Blog
   You tell people that, if they are interested in helping with the site, they can comment on the blog. However, there is absolutely no link to comments.

   Content - Site
   It looks a bit odd that the Site section is the first one on the navigation. Actually, I would reverse the order of the menu, placing Site at the bottom. Also, it would be interesting if the little introduction text at the top of the Site page was also (or only) on the main page. It would make the purpose of the site clearer...if only the text in question was a bit more developed! Right now you mention "content". Actually, aside from the small Updates section on the left, I still have no idea what type of site this is.

   I see you are using a response-o-matic form. Maybe you could look into a form hosted on your own server? I find them more easily customizable, and they have the advantage of not taking your visitors to an external website. I recommend Jem's form: http://www.tutorialtastic.co.uk/tutorial/php_mail_form_secure_and_protected

   Another thing that is a bit confusing is how the entire Site section is written using "I". It's a bit unclear just how many people are working on the site.

   Content - Visitor
   Ah! This is what I assume is the "biggest" part of your site: the goodies. I wonder why you asked not to review the MySpace layouts here on rev.iew.me? Anyway, I'll just skip them if it's what you want.

   Regarding the use of celebrity image in your work, I recommend reading Jem's (yes her again) Copyright Violation article (http://www.jemjabella.co.uk/articles/on-copyright-violation).

   It would be good to show an image preview of your brushes. There is a small preview, but it's always good to see the whole deal before downloading.

   The only website layout you currently have suffer from the same non-centered problem as your site. This time, the margin on the left makes it look even more odd and unbalanced.

   The interesting facts pose two problems. First, they are on every other website out there. Second, they look a bit out of place. Everything else you offer has to do with graphics: brushes, layouts, textures, etc. And then, out of nowhere, a text that does not relate to the topic at all. I would scrap that page.

   Content - Owner
   A short section with no much information, but I don't see the need for lengthy paragraphs about you, since it is not the purpose of the site. Two interesting things, however, would be your age (if you have no problem posting that on the web) and a bit of info on what you do in your life. Are you a student? Do you intend to work in web design one day?

   Claire or Lillie?
   From what I gather, either Claire is gone for good or she is taking a break from the site and will return later. It would be good to clarify this. Right now, her info is still in the sidebar and the footer claims that everything was made by her. This causes a bit of confusion, seeing as the owner section mentions only you, Lillie (I assume it's you since it's your username here on rev.iew.me).

   Coding
   There are a few problems seeing as you are using XHTML.

   Your Doctype reads <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
   "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> See how at first you say transitional, and then you say strict? You can read more on doctypes (http://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_doctype.asp) to see which one you want to use.

   All tags must be closed, even tags like <img> or <link>. See http://www.w3schools.com/xhtml/xhtml_html.asp

   You must also use the alt attribute for images. See http://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_img_alt.asp

   In the single blog entry, you use the "window" attribute in your link. First, there is no window attribute. You must mean target. Second, however, it is strongly advised not to use this attribute at all. Opening new windows can confuse people who aren't use to browsing and annoy people who don't want new windows (like me).

   You forgot to close the head and open the body (</head> <body>). This should be done just after you insert your stylesheet.

   Regarding your stylesheet, I see two details with your font that can be problematic. First, you have not specified a generic font family. (Learn a bit more: http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS2/fonts.html#font-family-prop). Second, you use absolute units ("pt"), which means IE users can't resize the text. And 9pt can be a bit small, so there can very well be people who want to resize it. It is recommended to use either percentages (%) or ems (em). http://www.w3schools.com/css/pr_font_font-size.asp. The same relative sizes can also be used in line-height (and you should use relative values in line-height if you use relative values in font-size, else it can cause a mess).

   Summary
   While you are not on a bad path, there are still a few things I believe need work here and there. Your markup needs a bit of fixing here and there if you really want to use XHTML (which I strongly recommend). As for the content, aside from quantity (more on that in the next paragraph), what mostly needs to be done is to read more on copyright.

   When I mention quantity, I don't mean that it's by littering your site with millions of textures and brushes that it will become awesome. I mean that, in a resource site, having a lot of choice is always a good thing and will make visitors more likely to return. Else, they'll just download your one or two brush set, leave and forget your existence.

   So, with that said, best of luck with coming up with new content and, of course, with finding people to work with.

   UPDATED 29 Nov 08:
   Oh, silly me, I hadn't seen the leave a comment link. :D

   Using Firefox on Windows | Report This?

   lillie's Response:

   um. thnks for the review ^-^ but there is a comment link it says "leave a comment?"

   as for the claire and lillie confusion, that's still being modified. its like, i don't want to take credit for the whole site but i also don't want to not mention myself. I'll fix it later on. thanks for the xhtml thing. it'll help. i didn't code it but i'm sure i could fix it.

   the image copyrights, i'm aware about. i'd take them down but i need to back them up before (just in case claire wants them).

   again, thanks for the review (:

3. 

   Shadow gave it on 28th Nov 2008 and said:

   First Impression

   This is an interesting layout. I don't like the way that it's smushed on the left, but at the same time it works because of the main header having that half circle look. The side navigation tabs are nice as well. I was hoping that it would do something extravagant though--like change on hover. I was disappointed. :( But it's nice nonetheless.

   Blog and Sidebar

   The title for the entry seems a bit out of place, with everything else being a sans-serif font and it being a serif font. The font as a whole is readable.

   Where it says "Claire", I think that blurb can be set up better. Where it says "Lilie" (which is spelled wrong, I believe), there should be a little more other than the link. I'm a smidge confused on the ownership of the site, but I digress.

   The other pages

   Site: Wait--is this a personal site or a graphics site? In any event, this should be expanded a bit. Explain the objective of this site further.

   Visitor: Blends should go bye-bye. Those are still copyrighted, no matter how much you modify it. You shouldn't even be using it, let alone redistributing.

   You only have one color palette that I would use. You should create more, but use COLOURlovers for inspiration for your own color palettes. The others clash.

   The patterns--meh.

   The textures is basically the same two textures, except on has paint strokes. You need more variety.

   Same thing with the layouts. Scrap that.

   I don't think you need the interesting facts in there. It's interesting, but useless.

   Owner: Wait...hold up...I'm very confused. If Lillie's the new owner, then why is Claire's name still in the sidebar?

   Anyway, I hate lists. They're good for one thing, and it's short. You have a list and nothing more. A paragraph would help here. I want to know a little about Lillie! Show some personality here--a few likes/dislikes on a list isn't much.

   Coding

   Oy. Tables all over. You need to overhaul the coding of this site. Tables are used for tabular data, not for layouts. You're missing a closing <head> tag, which should come after the stylesheet code. A lot of the divs between the navigation tabs don't even have to be there. You can use <ul> and <li> (list) tags for your navigation and move it using margins. It's not as hard as it looks. Go to w3schools.com to read up on current (X)HTML standards. It will help you loads in the next layout you create.

   All in all...

   Other than some confusion on the ownership of the site, this is a site with potential. The visitor content can be improved on, and so can the layout you have up now. Get rid of tables, for the love of all things purple! Your owner and site section needs an overhaul--give the owner section a bit more personality. Once again, potential, but not quite there yet. Good luck!

   Using Opera on Windows | Report This?

4. Daydreamz gave it on 28th Nov 2008 and said:

   My first impression is that the layout is very simple. I like simple. I am really liking the sidebar tabs.

   I am still trying to figure out what your website is about. Your "site" page states that it is a personal site, for you to post your blogs. I am still trying to find your whole "personal" aspect of the whole site. It is just filled with content. You should change your "about the site blurb" so it reflects what your website really is.

   There is no archives for the blog portion, and only one pointless entry about how your having this site be apart of "Sureal"? (for someone who is to to your website, I have no idea what that is)

   I am also under the impression that Claire is not the owner of this site anymore. The blog entry mentions how she is not around and yet the "owner" portion is about someone named "Claire" ... I'm very confused.

   There is great potential for this site, you just have to find your focus. Know your audience, and go from there. Best of luck.

   Using Firefox on Windows | Report This?

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