Browser Compatibility - Are Your Sites Cross Compatible With Other Browsers?!

Browser compatibility is a big thing which can sometimes be over-looked ...and makes me ask the question - 'Why can't Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera and all the other browsers just be friends?!'

I'm probably going to be waiting quite a while for my question to be answered so in the meantime I'm just going to have to check that my site works on the main 5 browsers which are - Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari and Opera.

Thanks to Browsershot.org, which checks browser compatibility and cross platform browser, I've managed to check my site to make sure its cross compatible with more than just the 5 above and older versions of each browsers. I also went into the trouble of downloading Google Chrome, Safari 4 and Opera 10 to test the whole site works.

...Now comes that bad news... All the layout are fine but my Javascript gallery doesn't work in Safari 4! So this is one element to look at. Another point that is different across the 5 browsers is the way it deals with the Javascript attached to the 'Remove Style' button.

Using the same code, here are the outcomes of each browser. As you can see, Firefox and Opera get it right!

Speakers Corner Website - LIVE

It's been two days of solid work but I has finally paid off, and I'm really happy with the final product.

My website was designed for Speakers Corner -

'A bar on the corner of Penrhyn and Abergele roads in Colwyn Bay (just west of The Central pub), Speakers Corner offers a wide selection of smoothies, coffees, juices and alcoholic drinks, as well as cakes & hot ciabattas, art exhibitions and an eclectic mix of great bands of an evening.'

Below are images that link to the XHTML pages. All pages are valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional and CSS Level 2.1 as checked by The W3C Validation Service.

My Javascript elements include the following -

• Change font size (Small, Medium or Large)
• Change style (Removes the linked style sheet and replaces with background colour blue and font colour yellow to make it easier to read, see last image)
• Photo gallery (Simply photo gallery using Javascript display a larger version of the thumbnail when clicked on)
• Lightbox (Added to enlarge images on the 'Music' page)

The Lightbox element was added as an extra.

Creative criticism welcomed!

Late Night Worker

As you can see, it's 2.30am and I've been working on my website all evening. I've completed the home page, about us and contact page by working off the initial XHTML valid home page to create the two other pages, which in their turn will also need validating. I'm three pages down and three to go! The music, art and events page will probably be done tomorrow as the matchsticks holding my eyes open are starting to break under the pressure.

I'm also needing to add in the coding for one of the Javascript elements which will be the ability to remove all CSS attached and just view a simply text version of the site. This will be on all pages.

Here is a final screenshot of the home page only. After completing the whole site, I will hopefully upload it for public testing and critique.

Quick little peak...

Here is a quick little peak at my index page for Speakers Corner's website, a bar in my home town of Colwyn Bay in North Wales. (No doubt subject to change)

Website Review - Jeff Bridges.com

Today after watching a Leo Laporte program, live on http://live.twit.tv/, and following some of their links to Design Tutorials 4U - Top 10 Web Trends for 2010, one trend that was mentioned was the 'Sketches, hand drawn style and illustrations.' An interesting website that includes this trend is the Jeff Bridges' site.

So after browsing through his many pages, which was hard because his navigation links to go back to the main menu only appeared at the very bottom of the page (took ages to scroll down!) I started to really enjoy the look and style of his little sketches/drawing. I also liked that there was hardly any computer text and was mainly done in his handwriting. This made everything really interesting and unique due to the use of different font styles he used while writing headings and paragraphs. Even his links had a unique element to them too...

A truly unique style of web design which revolves around hand drawn elements. The navigation could do with some improvement but overall an interesting site to look at.

Website Wireframe

Here is a quick wireframe for my Speakers Corner web design project -

Main points for index page -

• Clean & simple design (Similar to http://purplerockscissors.com/)
• Good use of large photos/images (Within the events highlights)
  
• Simple to navigate (Navigation at top right)
  
• Use of Javascript elements within the site
• Key information displayed on right hand side (Opening times, telephone, email)
  
• Easy to contact/network with Speakers Corner (news/twitter feed)

Points to consider -

• Band/DJ profiles (Links to their sites - good use of networking)
• Speakers Corner to be considered as a brand? tag line?
• Link their Twitter feed to the site to keep up to date with events

CSS
http://csszengarden.com/

OK... So it's been a while

After various emails and phone calls, UKTyres' website will be soon be introduced to the World Wide Web! However, I must admit, it's taken longer to design then I expected due to weak guidelines being set at the start. (Client unsure of what look/style they liked for the site) But it's been a good learning experience and I now know how to improve my design process to stop problems cropping up with other projects.


Other projects include iHOC logo (for the Welsh Hocky Union)

I've also been asked to create a prototype site for a project called iHero. I will be designing this site over the next few weeks.

Summer Projects

So the holidays are in full swing and my design portfolio is increasing due to some new web designs added to the collection. I've recently finished a website for a local artist called Terry Mart - http://www.terrymart.co.uk and I'm soon to be designing a website for another photographer studying at Nottingham Trent callded Julian Mullineux. Below is a prototype images of how his site will look.

Summer Projects Updates

A web design for 'nrevival.' I've only designed a splash page and a home page with all the information that needs to be included in the site. Over the next few days I will split all the information on the home page into individual smaller pages. Take a look at it by clicking on the image -


Update on the UKTyres site, I've created a draft home page design for the client to view and give his opinion on it -

Its been a while...

Well my first year at NTU has finished and the summer holiday are in full swing. Here is a quick overview of what I'm going to be working on over the next few months -

• Terry Mart Website Redesign
• PDBC Website Redesign/Update
• UKTyres Web Design
• Autostreet Online Gallery
• iHoc (Indoor Hockey) Welsh Hockey Union Logo

Phew! A lot of work so must get going!

Just a quick note to all Virtual Environment students next year...

This website is well worth checking out -


And to finish off some nice looking infographics thanks to Abduzeedo...


More Inforgraphics can also be found at Good too...

Element Update

Website - Restyled my current website to link with City&Wool's image and colour scheme.

City&Wool | The Design Portfolio of Dan Ryland



http://www.danielryland.co.uk

New Web Design Project

Just got a new web design project today! I'm going to be designing a website for a theatre company called Catalyst. I've been given some rough sketches and I'm going to set three weeks for completion. I'll be blogging the progress of the website as I go along.

New Website Up & Running!

Tom Wright - Photographer & Artist

http://www.tomjwright.co.uk

I've been busy over the past week doing this website for my housemate, Tom. He's a photography student at Trent and has a fantastic collection of photos. If you would like to get prints of any photograph just email him (his email address is on the left hand side of each page). After a few hours messing around with designs we finally came up with something Tom and I really liked. Hope you like the Tom's online portfolio. Enjoy!

Dan's Pick of The Web...

Below are a few links to websites I use -

• SpoonGraphics
  http://www.blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/
  
  
• Web Designer Wall
  http://www.webdesignerwall.com/
  
  
• Vectortuts
  http://vectortuts.com/
  
  
• Nettuts
  http://nettuts.com/
  
  
• Psdtuts
  http://psdtuts.com/
  
  
• Free Stock Photos
  http://www.sxc.hu/
  
  
• Free Vector Images
  http://www.vectorportal.com/