Welborne Labs

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Welborne Labs

Website update

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We've recently made changes and updates to our website. Anybody having trouble reading the pages, menus, experiencing eratic behavior, etc.?
If yes, what browser and it's version are you using.
Thanks in advance for your input.

Ron

Follow Ups:

Re: Website update II - IMPORTANT mobile homeless 10:56:48 11/16/00 (5)
Ron -
A majority of your Netscape and IE users might have their JAVA disabled on their browsers which will make your menu INVISIBLE to these visitors. JAVA applets are notorious for slowing the computer down and there is no reason to use them. I didnt realize until now when I actually looked at your code, that you were using JAVA Applets. I would seriously think about redoing this, at least in JavaScript which is far more stable. Remember, JAVA Applets and JavaScript are two totally different animals.
JAVA Applets are also sited for causing computer crashes on PCs and on MACS. Many disable it altogether from their browsers. This will result in NO MENU at all, but the rest of the page will appear. On my machine, I get warnings in Netscape but it works fine in IE. Still, I think the whole thing the menu is shooting for is flawed as well.
In addition, this affects MACs even worse than PCs (but both ARE affected). And I believe that Netscape is even more hampered. You can accomplish almost everything better with JavaScript that you can with JAVA Applets. Let me know if you have any questions.
Kelly
- Re: Java Script Ron W. 20:54:35 11/16/00 (4)
  Here is an example of our menu in Java Script.
  http://www.welbornelabs.com/hardware.htm
  When you pass your mouse over the link does it automatically tranfer you to the new page?
  Thanks for your input.
  Ron
  - Re: Java Script in Netscape mobile homeless 22:13:46 11/18/00 (2)
    Ron-
    I wanted to add to the other post responding to your new JavaScript menu on the hardware page...
    Tried the same page in Netscape to see if the problems I had before would present themselves. Well, it is totally fixed there as well (as I thought it would be).
    In other words, the new JavaScript version of the menu on the hardware page works equally well in IE 5.02 and Netscape 4.76. As far as I could tell, there were no problems of any kind and no hints of any crash possibilities.
    Thought you might like to know.
    Also, an additional thought would be to leave the JavaScript link to the current page "highlighted" and inactive to show the visitor that he is on that very page. See screenshot above of link highlighted while on that page (fictional).
    Hope to have one of your amps someday!
    Kelly Holsten
    Wrightsville Beach, NC
    - Re: Java Script in Netscape Ron W. 23:17:15 11/19/00 (1)
      Thanks for the feedback.
      FYI, my amps are going on sale next week. Maybe the price will be right!
      Ron
      - Re: Java Script - Dont forget the... mobile homeless 14:57:10 11/20/00 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Re: Java Script in Netscape posted by Ron W. on November 19, 2000 at 23:17:15:
        
        Ron -
        Saw you fixed the menu across the site! Looking good.
        ...dont forget to do the "Welborne Labs Forum" set of menus on this very page. Know they are on his server space so easy to forget!
        Looking for your sale!
        kh
  - Re: Java Script mobile homeless 22:14:27 11/17/00 (0)
    Ron -
    No, it does not. Your Java Applet was DESIGNED to do that "auto jump to script" upon mouse rollover; I have seen it before. The menu on the hardware page you specified does NOT, which is MUCH better! MUCH better.
    Still not a big fan of the light blue over white since it's not a great contrast but the "hardware.htm" style is an improvement in that it still gives you the rollover colors but not the "rocket to Russia" blast to link (unitl you click on it). I think you should convert all your menu selections! So much better.
    Good job.
    Kelly Holsten
    ps- there is a simpler code for the script so it will load even faster.
Re: Website update for Ron mobile homeless 10:13:51 11/16/00 (0)
Ron-
Know that I have talked to you in e-mail directly about this but thought I might bring it up here.
I do web design for a living and just happen to be an audio fiend on top of that. I have been visiting your site for years and find it extremely informative.
There are some problems with your site now, though. The new script menus are extremely problematic! I cant stress this enough. I know Electric Tonalities uses this as well but it is even more a problem on yours since your menus are centered on some pages and aligned left on others. What happens is, on a 19" monitor with the resolution set to 1024x768, I cant help but accidentily hit the "instant access" type menus thus catapulting me to the link... Problem is, as the new page begins to materialize, your mouse falls onto a NEW link coming up and you are catapaulted again to another page! In addition, as one moves the mouse from top to bottom of the pages, if he happens to run over one of your links, he gets catapulted, yet again, to whatever link the mouse passed over!
These trick style script links are a definite NO GO in the web design world as most web surfers are used to "clicking" on a link to send them to the appropriate page. The "mouse pass over jump to link" approach, while seeming neat, actually causes more problems and reminds me of an amp with flashing lights for the db! While the use of javascript in having the button change color or shape is fine, as is the ability to have the button pop up a pic, I still think that, like amp design, SIMPLE IS BETTER.
I think you also need to get a unifying theme on the site with a product page that is simple to read... As is, there are too many text colors, too many different styles of links, and it is comfusing. IN addition, I think you should have links to full size, high resolition, digital shots of your amps, thereby taking advantage of the fact that you have THE MOST beautiful SET amps on the market! REmember, people from afar want to SEE your product, as well as read all the info. When I post pics of your products, I always get responses!
Frankly, I think your page could be really redone and you would see a significant increase in hits and business. You have a great product! It uses simplicity to the fullest; it seems you would have a website that follows suit.
Please take this as constructive criticism.
Kelly Holsten
ps- I took some screenshots of the warnings I am receiving on Netscape 4.67 when I go to your site. If you are interested, please drop me a mail. Would love to hear from you, anyway!
Re: Website update Tony Glynn 10:48:10 11/15/00 (3)
Ron:
Seeing that some might have trouble with your revised site, I visited
this morning. No problem at all, but I am using Explorer and some seem
to have Netscape problems.( Been there, done that)
Great looking revision and easy to navigate.
Tony
- Re: Website update - navigation mobile homeless 10:21:43 11/16/00 (2)
  I agree with you about the superiority of I.E. over Netscape now. I used to use Netscape but IE is much faster and works better in almost every way. Indeed, the only reason I use Netscape now is to check how pages come up in all the browsers (including AOL).
  Please see my post to Ron concerning his site. I really think this site can be improved so much. It has MUCH info but there are problems with the layout and implementation.
  Just now, as I was going to refresh this very forum, my mouse happened to cross over one of the links on the way back to the button and it shot me to the News page! This is just totally unnecessary. Indeed, the site does not really jibe with the simplicity and beauty of Ron's product!
  kh
  - Re: Website update - navigation Ron W. 12:29:02 11/16/00 (1)
    Thanks for your input.
    It's funny. 99% of people tell me I have one the best laid out audio websites on the net. Easy to read, easy to navigate and lot's of good information. It only seems to be the people that do website programming for a living that tell me my sight is not laid out well.
    Nothing personal intended with this comment, just an observation.
    We've designed our website to be compatible with the widest possible range of computers and connections to the Internet. Compatibility is a balancing act, because the older the computers we elect to support, the fewer cutting edge features we can add to the site for your enjoyment.
    Thus the reason I have posted the question as to who might be having problems and we will review the feedback and proceed from there. Generally speaking though, most of the complaints we receive are from people using versions of Netscape below 4.70. For example if you use IE5.0 and Netscape 4.70 and above, you won't be automatically shot to another page when your mouse passes over a link.
    Netscape used to be my preferred browser but they haven't kept up with even the basic advances in html programming, let alone Java scripts and applets, and therefore it is now very frustrating because a web publisher has to work with one hand tied behind their back in order to support this soon to be defunct browser (unless they get their s@#t together soon).
    The above browser versions have been released for over a year and therefore tested, thus there is no reason that people shouldn't take it upon themselves to update their browser, at least annually. Heck, they're free! If your internet provider doesn't allow you to upgrade...complain loudly or change services! While our sight is very basic with only a very few bells and whistles installed there is so much new and cool stuff on the net these days and if you don't have the latest browser technology and you have your Java capability disabled....you're really missing out! Just my 2 cents.
    As for people that keep their Java disabled and therefore can't see our menu, well the menu is somewhat redundant as everything on the menu is available from our homepage. All of our major kits and product areas are available from the homepage (this is a very common practice in webpublishing), we only have a few sub-sites (our Parts Catalog and the KR tube section), plus we have a search feature that can easily and quickly direct you to a specific product page.
    We have just recently purchased a wide screen monitor and thus realized that not all of our pages were centered. Most of these have been corrected as of last weekend.
    Once again, I do appreciate the feedback, comments and problem notifications so far and please keep them coming as this will help us to build a more reliable website.
    Ron
    - Re: Website update - navigation Bob Rex 09:11:58 11/17/00 (0)
      Ron said:
      > > Netscape used to be my preferred browser but they haven't kept up with even the basic advances in html programming, let alone
      Java scripts and applets, and therefore it is now very frustrating because a web publisher has to work with one hand tied behind
      their back in order to support this soon to be defunct browser (unless they get their s@#t together soon).
      The above browser versions have been released for over a year and therefore tested, thus there is no reason that people shouldn't
      take it upon themselves to update their browser, at least annually. Heck, they're free! If your internet provider doesn't allow you to
      upgrade...complain loudly or change services! While our sight is very basic with only a very few bells and whistles installed there is so
      much new and cool stuff on the net these days and if you don't have the latest browser technology and you have your Java capability
      disabled....you're really missing out! Just my 2 cents.> >
      Yeah, but.... For those of us in the Unix world who don't necessarily
      manage our own machines, loading IE is a non issue. I'm not about
      to bring up some crummy Windoze emulator to run IE when I have a
      direct route through Netscape. It also doesn't help that our IS
      dept. has standardized on Netscape mail as the Unix mail of choice.
      I don't have root on my system so loading alternate viewers isn't
      gonna happen.
      Please realize that not everybody plays in the PC world.
      Just venting.
Re: Website update Bob Rex 06:43:23 11/15/00 (0)
Hey Ron, what happened to the Moondog and Oris info? I don't
see them on the new page! Are you dropping them?
Also, I every time I use the back button (Netscape 4.6 on a Sun
Solaris7 box) while on one of your pages, I crash Netscape. It
only happens on your pages.
Re: Website update jcyang 20:30:19 11/14/00 (0)
Hi Ron:
Your web site is looking better all the time! However, for some reason, the home page is not displayed properly sometimes. It seems to have random bits of information missing. I am using Netscape browser version 4.76. I can usually get the whole page displayed if I restart the browser. Hope this helps.

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