A Web Makeover in Progress

We are still in the process of doing a redesign of our web design portfolio! That is why you will see about half of the pages still have the old design. Since we are doing the redesign, we decided to review each page and update each web page manually, checking for bad links, updating images and content, so that the site is as up-to-date, error free, and relevant as possible.

I am exploring the potential of creating web design that is elegantly simple in coding yet visually sophisticated. All of the content pages, in fact the entire website is pure CSS, free of javascript, ajax, etc. and only one image is used for the layout design. This, hopefully,produces simply coded pages that both please the viewer and search engines. So far so good!

Tables Vs. CSS based Web Design

I am often tickled by the misconceptions surrounding the use of tables in web design vs more current CSS based positioning of web page elements. Both approaches can produce elegant designs. However, some have expressed a concern that using a tables-based web design may cause the website to become obsolete at some point in the near future. This is not true. All web browsers must support every form of html no matter how ancient. Backwards compatibility is essential for serving the widest possible audience on the web. That will not change anytime soon.

I have never been a proponent of using the most current technology simply because it is the most current. I use what I know works best for the project at hand. I currently design websites that may use either CSS based positioning or tables. My main concern, frankly, is making sure the web design serves both the needs of the viewer and the requirements of search engines. How do the search engines view the tables vs css debate? Well, the source has spoken! The video below provides Google's answer (by way of Matt Cutts, Google spokesman) to the question: "Are CSS-based layouts better than tables for SEO?" If you are the current owner of a tables-based website you may find their response . . . well . . . comforting!



Don Peterson, Newark1 Web Design Portfolio & Guide

Notes on a Web Design Makeover

Well, I am well along on the first web design makeover on my web design portfolio and guide in over six years. The design is more colorful, and graphics intensive. Yet the coding is very efficient. I wanted to prove to myself and others that an attractive web design could be achieved with an economy of code and graphics. It supports my belief that simple and stylish can be synonymous.



On the home page, only one graphic is used for the design layout. Text is placed within the design with CSS. I have finally abandoned my beloved table based layout! I used the overflow feature to generate an automatic scrolling effect for lengthy text in the bottom paragraph of text on the home page. I think this is a pretty nifty feature that allows my layout to feel very clean and spare while housing a few paragraphs of text.

Let me know your thoughts on the makeover. Is it a hot or a miss? thanks!

We Are Re-Designing Our Site!

This web design makeover has been long overdue, some would argue . . . After clinging to the last web design of newark1.com for more than six years, we have decided to do a renovation. It will not be easy. The homepage has been completed (see above) using 100% standards compliant CSS/XHTML. The resulting code is much cleaner, and the graphics are simpler. Gone is the need to cut graphics up into slices that are fed into tables based layouts.

The conversion of the content pages will take longer. I will need to edit each of more than 300 pages by hand to update the code and design. So you will not see changes to those pages as quickly.

What I find gratifying is the advancement in my personal skills when comparing the old and new design. I've grown as a designer, and still have quite a bit of fun developing a new web design. Enough writing for now . . . time to get back to work!

Costa Rica Vacation Rentals Web Design

We recently completed the web design along with some upgrades to the Costa Rica Vacation Rentals website. This company was chosen by top travel magazine Conde Nast as the top Costa Rica Villa Rental Specialist four years in a row. We created a web design that underscored the professionalism of the company along with an appealing introduction to the attractions of Costa Rica. We invite you to pay them a visit!

Civil . . . By Design

The dictionary defines civil as: adhering to the norms of polite social intercourse; not deficient in common courtesy. We live in a culture where a lack of civility is becoming the norm in so many mediums. Graphic and web design often mimics television in promoting the belief that what shocks sells. So-called reality TV routinely glorifies incivil conduct. Even the profanity laced slogan t-shirts worn by many today reflect a disrespectful view of bystanders doomed to view them.

I occasionally listen to the Diane Rehm radio show on NPR and continue to be impressed with the persistent civility that she exercises in interviewing a broad range of guests. That civility is a marked and refreshing contrast to most of what talk radio offers. Far too much of talk radio is barely disguised hate speech that spews bias and prejudice rather than reasonable discourse. If you have not had a chance to hear the Dianne Rehm show you may find it refreshing for its lack of strident, abusive dialog. Sadly, she is part of a rare breed in the entertainment industry!

China's Buick LaCrosse Is Cooler Than Ours!

Design is a highly subjective thing. With that in mind, I was a bit surprised to hear in the news recently that GM Buicks are among the most popular cars in China. What do they see in the design of this vehicle? Well, there is a good reason why it is so popular . . . The Chinese Buicks look much nicer than ours! See if you agree by making the comparision here of the new LaCrosse model.

Good Taste In Web Design

Good taste has been defined as the the human ability to judge what is beautiful, good and proper. In a culture where the ability to shock and outrage is considered a legitimate marketing tool, good taste is being challenged. This applies to web design as well. We are currently writing an article regarding the place of good taste in web design, and why it makes good business sense. We would like your thoughts on the matter, and would like to include them in the article. We will appreciate hearing your observations and opinions. Leave use a comment!