Anarrima Reviews

Reviewer: Mazzie (Website)
Date: July 4, 2006
Layout: Spring Silhouette CSS drop down menu
Level awarded: Expert
Overall score: 27/35

Layout 4/5
My first impression upon visiting this site is that the header image is simple, classy and rather pretty, and these are things that are difficult to achieve at the same time in a layout. I like the soft silhouette effect, and the design feels pretty unique. The layout fits in both 800x600 and 1024x768 resolutions, and works well in both IE and Firefox. I like the top menu, however the side menu feels a little cluttered and at odds with the content. Perhaps this would look better if the same title style (blue boxes with black text) was used for the menu also; experimentation is needed here. Also, the grey space between the header and content seems a little too big.

Thank you for all the nice compliments about the layout. I worked very hard to get my site to be crossbrowser compatible. The sidebar makes sense to me as it shows the most recent added content such as poems, scribblings and photographs. I like the sidebar as it is now, I tried making it look like the content part of the site but it would be too plain and actually pretty boring

Navigation 4/5
The main navigation is in the form of a javascript pull-down menu, which matches the layout quite well and uses space effectively. Some caution should be used when relying solely on javascript for navigation; but I must admit I use it myself and find it saves time, webspace and cuts down on broken links. I like the sitemap. Links on the side menu are easy to spot and well-defined; however, the links in the titles on most of the pages aren't distinguishable from the rest of the title, and their rollover colour doesn't stand out against the blue. I suggest a darker blue and/or grey for these, which should fix both problems.

Ooh no you didn't. You didn't just say javascript pull down menu did you? It's a CSS drop down menu!

On the title link colors, they are that way on purpose, I think everyone knows that you can click on the word comment to place a comment (it seems to work as people are leaving their comments) and the link of the blog entry titles are permalinks which don't need to stand out too much. I'll have a look at making the hover color a different shade of gray though.

Coding 4/5
The coding is well-defined using CSS; however I suggest tidying up the menu javascript code into an external file - this would cut file sizes and make the pages much simpler.

Again; it's not a javascript menu. It only uses a few lines of javascript as suggested by A List Apart.

Content 3/5
This site has a wide variety of personal content, which is good to see. A lot of it is unique too. There are some spelling errors and broken links scattered among the pages, so I would suggest going over them with a fine tooth comb (especially the wallpapers page). It would be great to see more completed content, especially in the "my travels" section (I'd love to know how you liked Durham, as I live quite close!). More images on the pages would add interest to articles, and the images on the Span page need changing to match the layout. The paragraphs (on pages with a lot of text) need separating and perhaps even dividing into sub-sections - this would increase readability and make it more likely for visitors to read the articles. I also suggest not using profanity on the index page, as this can make visitors feel unwelcome and deter them from exploring the site. Swearing really should be restricted to opinionated writings (which are clearly marked as such), for the sake of professionalism if not for pleasantness.

I can only agree with you on this. Some of the subpages are still under construction. I plan to add more of my travels to it (with photos of course) and all pages need a check up for broken links.

What exactly do you mean by profanity? I do curse on occasion in my own blog, but I try to avoid it as I don't need to do so express myself. If people can't take a few swear words (which again is only occasionally) they are in the wrong place at S-B.com. I don't feel I have to hold back on my own site. Your comment on this would only have made sense if I use a lot of profanity.

Interactivity 4/5
Good contrast is maintained between the colours of the background, text and links (except where previously mentioned). Also mentioned before is the paragraph spacing. The menu is located at the head of each page, and the pages are well tagged, titled and defined.

General 8/10
As is probably evident from my review so far, there is a lot of work to be done on this site. However, there are not any serious problems as the code and design are solid and form a base to be built up and improved upon. My suggestions are :-

  • Re-sorting the menu and link layouts and colours.
  • Fine-tuning existing text and images.
  • Working on new content.

The menu has changed from CSS drop down to a menu in the sidebar. New content is at the top of my list (this review being one of it) and the fine-tuning is definitly something I'll do when I have a lot of time on my hands.

My Review of Anarrima Reviews
The review is straight to the point and there are quiet a few things I will consider / change. I feel however that it's not always spot on, i.e. the javascript menu which, in fact, is a CSS menu. If you want a review that will help you make your site better with some good suggestions, I recommend you submit to Anarrima Reviews