Fixed header & menu (frame-like) test site

This is my first serious ModX site. My boss wanted a fixed header with fluid layout and he has a 1900 pixel wide monitor. Lot’s of fun. The wiki was a big help. I have really appreciated the forums, too.

I have the framework for 7 languages here. I also played around with a crazy ajaxsearch placement.

Let me know what you think.

A link might be nice.

Hmm, I though you were all mind readers. Ooops!



http://test.valcompanies.com

Hi,

did you use automatic translator for each version of the site.
the french one is very funny to read.

:-)

Yes, I just used the Google translator for a quick test to show what it would look like.

Eventually, we will have translators log in with QuickEdit or something to do the translation.

How is it a fluid temp. with solid banner?

Also, overall design isn’t great. Icons at top right could use some work (along with the text).
Overall, could prob use some more pzazz to it (generally web 2.0 styled elements).

G’luck with it!

I think it’s a perfect design for its intended audience. I like the lack of glitz and the John Deere color-scheme.

I especially like how the banner photo slides behind the logo as you shrink the screen.

I only have a couple of issues with it.

First, it always looks like part of the site is off the screen on the right, especially at smaller screen sizes. You might think about running some kind of thin green border down the right side.

Second, when shrinking the screen, even after your min-width kicks in, the text area continues to shrink. It should freeze as well at some point.

Styling has been made a lot more difficult now that we have people with WUXGA wide-screen monitors while others still surf with a small-screen at 800x600. I actually had to put a max-width on one site that looked fine until I saw it on a 23" wide-screen WSXGA monitor.

Bob

Icons at top right could use some work (along with the text)

Yes, I had already started working on those yesterday. I am not really a design person, so I do appreciate any constructive criticism you have.

I only have a couple of issues with it.

First, it always looks like part of the site is off the screen on the right, especially at smaller screen sizes. You might think about running some kind of thin green border down the right side.

Second, when shrinking the screen, even after your min-width kicks in, the text area continues to shrink. It should freeze as well at some point.

Thanks, BobRay

I will fix that min-width issue an look into the right side. It certainly does very different things with every browser. Right now I’ve decided to create a different stylesheet for IE6 and earlier. Every time I add something nice, IE6 throws a fit.

Eric

On the icons: Make sure you have text with them. They commit one of the worst offenses in web design: Mystery-Meat Navigation. Links that aren’t obviously links upon arrival. A main navigation should follow some user convention. People have difficulty enough learning a new website layout, making it harder for them to find the information they are looking for is not a good idea. In addition while it is technically fine to have navigation on the right most users look to the left for it (in left-to-right language cultures) for the main navigation. Personally using icons that aren’t universal is not ever a good idea for a business site. I would suggest checking out Steve Krug’s book Don’t Make Me Think!

Cheers,

Jay

Making them links was kind of an afterthought. The real navigation is through the menu. I didn’t want to make things too busy. I appreciate your comments. I will see what I can do.