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website design first impressions


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#1 GooMoo

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Posted 19 February 2004 - 05:15 PM

How strongly do you feel about the first impression a website makes? I've noticed some new designs (outside DC that is) where people have started using very large banners/headers for artistic flare, but is that really the first thing that a client wants to see? www.n-sane.net comes to mind as an example, though i think their target audience is designers like us and not the general public. Are vertical dimesions something you're consious of as you're designing? Like for 800x600 res I usually take into account the first thing a client sees is about 420px vertically. 1024x768 is about 590px. users all know how to use a scroll bar that isn't a question.

This also brings up the issue of optimization for quick download. Do you still optimize every image, or do you vary depending on the target audience of the website? We may all have broadband connections but most people still don't. I generally output everything at 60% optimization through photoshop, sometimes less if i can get away with it. I also closely monitor the file size output of flash movies to see where i can cut corners. As a general rule of thumb i try to stay below 200kb for an individual page, usually just the index page as it's most important for first impressions. How do you feel file size optimization impacts customer first impressions and what do you do about it?

Agree/disagree? discuss.... :D
</twocents>

#2 phacker

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Posted 20 February 2004 - 06:47 PM

I try to keep the front page under 60k if possible. There are still a lot of people out there on dial up.
Click here to visit Scooter's World, the Chihuahua/Pekinese who thinks she is a Doberman, and has the soul of a true "artiste".

#3 Fred&#124;AccountDeletedAgain

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Posted 22 February 2004 - 11:13 AM

That's a GREAT site! I like it alot.
How much do you want for it? :p

#4 Daywalker

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Posted 24 February 2004 - 09:26 PM

E X T R A
More knowledge, more headache. Less knowledge, even more headache...

#5 bleutuna

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Posted 14 March 2004 - 08:31 AM

site looks great, forget the folks on dial-up :D

it's 2004, folks, and it's time that broadband was propogated throughout our nation. best way to do that is make surfing the web slightly painful to those who haven't adopted, forcing them to join our ranks!

#6

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Posted 14 March 2004 - 10:00 AM

broadband is good and it must be really affordable in the States. But don't take it as if the nation was the whole worlds :)
  • Neupix likes this

#7 Ruben@Run2

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Posted 14 March 2004 - 05:56 PM

I think that considering your target audience, you choose the kind of content to make. Indeed, light and high quality versions (i.e. HTML only and Flash & more) is a pretty nice idea when the audience doesnt fit on one.

But besides the audience bandwidth speed, is a good use to optimaze your content. Personally, i frequently used 60% at jpeg (sometimes 80%), change to gif when i need a lower color palette and when it came to Flash movies, besides the jpeg quality control and the neverending use of symbols, is the use of Action Scripts. But im not talking about the easy ones: i mean for example creating a whole menu with rollover-rollout effects with just a couple of symbols, a 15-20 lines script and everything on just one frame. Difference of sizes betwen a classic one and a fully-scripted one can amaze anyone.
:: Ruben ::
www.RUN2Corp.com

#8 Neupix

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Posted 14 March 2004 - 06:53 PM

While people are still using dial-up, I don't think we are doing any good by optimizing for that.

The future is broadband - if we continue to stay in the past, then that future will only become further away.

I personally use a large flash header and a few images. While many people are using jpeg files, I have always found that gif files (even for photos and high color items) are always better looking and have a lower file size.
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#9 Crazy Bat

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Posted 14 March 2004 - 08:25 PM

Personally, I think it's cool to have something that is eye catching. At the same time, you don't want that to completely override the purpose of your page. I think the main goal is getting your message across to people.

A little off the point, but something else to consider; what if the person viewing your page is visually impaired? Won't make a difference about how the page looks, it will be more about accessibility of your content.

just my $0.02.
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