Default Theme Rendition (1.x)

[Biology Forums]

I've always liked the core theme, but not the large information table at the top. I've changed all that (and a lot of other things), including the footer. Is there anything else I could notably add?

Check out the demo:

http://biology-forums.com

[MrGrumpy]

I would consider having the side blocks just on 1 side, on 1024px resolution the post area on your site is small and your site looks cramped and cluttered.

[Biology Forums]

I would consider having the side blocks just on 1 side, on 1024px resolution the post area on your site is small and your site looks cramped and cluttered.

Wow, that does look small, never considered that, thanks. But I was referring more to the header that I put together.

[Akyhne]

The theme contains quite a few validation errors.

[Biology Forums]

The theme contains quite a few validation errors.

How can you tell, and such as what? Would like to learn.

[Akyhne]

Boardindex:
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fbiology-forums.com%2F&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=Inline&group=0&user-agent=W3C_Validator%2F1.2

Messageindex:
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fbiology-forums.com%2Findex.php%3Fboard%3D2.0&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=Inline&group=0&user-agent=W3C_Validator%2F1.2

Posts:
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fbiology-forums.com%2Findex.php%3Ftopic%3D5629.msg19388%23new&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=Inline&group=0&user-agent=W3C_Validator%2F1.2

[Biology Forums]

How can these even be correct, jezz.

[Ricky.]

Shuban, you have recently improved your forum a lot and looking good !
Regarding those error, you have FB connect, it causes error and looks like some coding is being parsed as html so most of the errors are there.

[Biology Forums]

Shuban, you have recently improved your forum a lot and looking good !
Regarding those error, you have FB connect, it causes error and looks like some coding is being parsed as html so most of the errors are there.

Yeah, the html is coming from the tiny-portal blocks. I wish there was a way to get rid of them.

[WillyP]

Many of the errors come from unclosed html elements, for example an span left open means that the validator thinks all the html following is inside the span, and you get dozens of errors all of the 'you can't have this inside a span' type.

I recommend the 'HTML Validator' plugin for Firefox, it makes cleaning up you code so much easier, along with Firebug, of course.

[WillyP]

Here is an example of incorrect nesting of elemnts. This is not caused by Tiny Portal blocks, though it may be content added into a block:

Code Select Expand


</tr>
</table>

<li><a href="http://biology-forums.com/definitions/">Dictionary</span></a>

<ul>
                <li><a href="http://biology-forums.com/definitions/index.php?title=Help:New_definition">Add New Word</a></li>
                <li><a href="http://biology-forums.com/definitions/index.php?title=Probability">Word of the Day</a></li>
<li><a href="http://biology-forums.com/definitions/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges">Recent Changes</a></li>

                </ul>
Note the first instance of li, it is not enclosed in a ul, there is not a closing /li and there is a closing /span but no opening span in the link.

[Biology Forums]

Here is an example of incorrect nesting of elemnts. This is not caused by Tiny Portal blocks, though it may be content added into a block:

Code Select Expand


</tr>
</table>

<li><a href="http://biology-forums.com/definitions/">Dictionary</span></a>

<ul>
                <li><a href="http://biology-forums.com/definitions/index.php?title=Help:New_definition">Add New Word</a></li>
                <li><a href="http://biology-forums.com/definitions/index.php?title=Probability">Word of the Day</a></li>
<li><a href="http://biology-forums.com/definitions/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges">Recent Changes</a></li>

                </ul>
Note the first instance of li, it is not enclosed in a ul, there is not a closing /li and there is a closing /span but no opening span in the link.

Thanks for point that out, I will look through each one and correct them. They sometimes make my website real slow.

[Biology Forums]

The website is freshly updated, opinions...

[Antechinus]

1/ JelSoft will have your balls if they see you using their icons.

2/ Gifs for the ends of the category bars need a bit of smoothing out.

3/ Number of posts and topics is not really useful information to the average user. It's certainly not primary content. You've accentuated trival stuff and minimsed the stuff they will want (which is last post details, etc).

4/ Icons over at the right are tiny and most people probably wont bother trying to figure out what they all do.

5/ Why have a left panel? It has hardly anything in it, and it makes the site very cluttered on narrower screens.

Suggestions:

1/ Use some decent custom icons for on/off.

2/ Make new bar ends (suggest using png images).

3/ Make the post/topic stuff smaller, or even eliminate it entirely. It's really only for people who want to boast about their e-peen anyway (Hey! Look how big mine is!).

4/ Use icons that don't require a magnifying glass. Two rows of three might be better.

5/ Put everything in the right side panel.

[Biology Forums]

Thank you for the suggestions.

5/ Put everything in the right side panel.

I've been thinking about this for a long while...

5/ Why have a left panel? It has hardly anything in it, and it makes the site very cluttered on narrower screens.

If you go into the arcade, you'll see that I dedicate the left panel to arcade information.

[Antechinus]

Hmm. TBH I think you've fallen into a typical geek trap, that being the mindset that the more data is echoed to the browser, the more interesting and impressive the site will be. It aint necessarily so.

There is a philosophy known as "less is more". Don't be afraid to use space as a vital layout element. There's no need to use miniscule font sizes. Use something people can read at a glance, if it's information they will want. If it's not important, consider leaving it out and/or putting it somewhere else.

Generally the site feels good though.

[Biology Forums]

Generally the site feels good though.

Phwww, that's what I wanted to hear. Feel free to check out how topics look:

Articles: http://biology-forums.com/?topic=28555.msg79416#new

vs.

Normal posts: http://biology-forums.com/index.php?topic=13464.0

Thanks again for looking.

[Biology Forums]

Interesting how it has evolved...

[NHWD]

I like your site and the modifications you've done. Would you be willing to share modifications you've made?

[Biology Forums]

Thanks, there are so many.

Which one in particular?