TUG homepage design contest

[TUGBrian]

Im all for someone providing free advice that knows what they are doing, the intention of this thread was to get feedback on what members would like to see.

I didnt mean to sound like I wouldnt take advice (that would be somewhat bizarre since starting this thread and all)...but that I didnt want to hire a professional to redo the site on his own...without input from what the users want to see.

=)

 

[KristinB]

Oh, now I understand. No, Alan was just going to ask his nephew for a couple of design suggestions... He didn't say anything about you hiring him, LOL!

 

[AwayWeGo]

Bragging About My Nephew.

Shux, it's not like he's sitting around with nothing to do, just waiting for a chance to overhaul TUG.

He works full time. He has a family -- beautiful wife, 2 lovely daughters, another child on the way.

House, dog, electronic gadgets, bicycles, skateboards, dinky trailer at Rehoboth Beach DE -- the whole shot.

He has no timeshares, but he's an official Additional User on our RCI Points account -- had an outstanding week that way with his family at Vistana Villages via Instant Exchange. Plus, his mother-in-law has a (non-Orlando) Florida timeshare.

Above all, he is an outstanding good guy.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[dmharris]

Overall, it's much better. Could you not justify center this text? It's much easier to read when text is justified left. Thanks.

The Timeshare User's Group started in 1993 is a self-help organization composed of timeshare owners just like yourself. TUG provides an unbiased source of consumer oriented information on Timeshareshttp://www.tug2.net/tug_timeshare_advice.shtml and the Timeshare concept. here at TUG you get the truth about timeshares! To learn more about our organization or about Timeshares in general see About TUG.

 

[TUGBrian]

ok...new route...hows this?

http://tug2.net/testform/tughomepagenewdesign3.html


(note the formatting of the links and such below the boxes will probably change...i just threw this together to try out the picture across the top route)

 

[AwayWeGo]

The Rain In Spain Goes Mainly Down The Drain.

hows this?

By George !

He's got it !

Nice work, Brian.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[vacationtime1]

http://tug2.net/testform/tughomepagenewdesign3.html

Each version is better than its predecessor. What I like most about this one is that the TUG headline (and the links below it) are more prominent than the banner ad.

You may want to include a "Join TUG" link.

 

[TUGBrian]

now i just need to figure out a way to get the google search bar into the bottle

 

[TUGBrian]

http://tug2.net/testform/tughomepagenewdesign3.html

Each version is better than its predecessor. What I like most about this one is that the TUG headline (and the links below it) are more prominent than the banner ad.

You may want to include a "Join TUG" link.

oh yes..that will all go up there as well. I was just tinkering with changing my focus to a new style.

I like the graphic at the top...I think ill move forward with that vs the original try.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

ok...new route...hows this?

http://tug2.net/testform/tughomepagenewdesign3.html


(note the formatting of the links and such below the boxes will probably change...i just threw this together to try out the picture across the top route)

Mo' betta!

But I still prefer a layout with the key links located in a left sidebar. Then you could put the "Welcome to TUG" and a "Join TUG" link below the logo.

The Google search box would also fit into the left sidebar.

 

[TUGBrian]

i plan on adding a left sidebar to include a few more links...with the bulk of the text/announcements/etc on the middle/right side of the page.

going to eliminate the 3column style we have now and move to a 2.

 

[MULTIZ321]

now i just need to figure out a way to get the google search bar into the bottle

Brian,

The new direction looks great.

I agree - the google search bar in the bottle would be fantastic.


Richard

 

[clsmit]

This is MUCH better. I'd still like a place to log in from the homepage. deadhorse: ?). The description needs a little editing. Edits in bold. And (I don't know how to put this in the edits) timeshares either need to be all capital-T Tmeshare or lowercase-t timeshare. Not one or the other. My preference is caps only for Timeshare User's Group and lowercase t for the rest.

The Timeshare User's Group started in 1993 and is a self-help organization composed of timeshare owners just like yourself. TUG provides an unbiased source of consumer-oriented information on Timeshares and the Timeshare concept. Here at TUG you get the truth about timeshares! To learn more about our organization or about Timeshares in general see About TUG.

 

[TUGBrian]

ok...made a few changes to the top banner....thoughts? =)

learned a new html skill today...IMAGE MAP! thats pretty darn handy. Its been SO long since ive done HTML...funny how you can implement an enterprise wide systems management software for hundreds of thousands of computers....but making a homepage gives me fits :lol

will work on the items below the top banner later when i get more free time.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

ok...made a few changes to the top banner....thoughts? =)

learned a new html skill today...IMAGE MAP! thats pretty darn handy. Its been SO long since ive done HTML...funny how you can implement an enterprise wide systems management software for hundreds of thousands of computers....but making a homepage gives me fits :lol

will work on the items below the top banner later when i get more free time.

I like the search link in the bottle, except that there isn't any border or other visual that shows that is a clickable link separate from the TUG banner.

I suggest a text box border that will do a Google search of the site, with perhaps an "advanced search" link below it for the custom search page.

 

[TUGBrian]

ill see what I can do to add a border to the area. doing what you ask would require me to put a picture over the picture...i think anyway.

im not sure how to overlay the actual google search box (which is javascript me thinks) into that particular area...that might be more advanced that I can handle lol

 

[MULTIZ321]

Brian,

It's getting closer.

I think the 3 links in the top right row - "About Tug", "Contact Us", and "Join Now" get lost. I'd consider superimposing the "Join Now" on the Tiki Hut.

Your solution of the Google Search Link in the bottle is great!

There's a typo in the PayPal Section of "Join Now". "Pay using you existing..."
should be "Pay using your existing..."


Richard

 

[TUGBrian]

those certainly wont be the only places those links appear on the homepage at least. ill tinker with it more as the week goes on. finding slots of free time when I can!

 

[vacationtime1]

I like the search link in the bottle, except that there isn't any border or other visual that shows that is a clickable link separate from the TUG banner.

I suggest a text box border that will do a Google search of the site, with perhaps an "advanced search" link below it for the custom search page.

I agree strongly with Steve on both items.

The revisions you have made in the past day or so have tended to clutter the homepage, not nearly as bad as the existing, but more clutter than the prior effort. The bar at the top (About TUG, Contact Us, Join Now) visually competes with the other bar with links; it also has a duplicate About TUG link.

It would be best to have only one place on the page with links (and I think the bar that starts with Community Forums is exactly right).

A separate point -- the Search TUG link in the bottle (which I like a lot) takes us to a page where the blank space in which to type in the search criteria is not visible without scrolling. That search box should be easy to find.

Overall, I like it a lot. I just want it to be easy for a newbie to navigate.

 

[TUGBrian]

yea...i need to change around the global tug search page and make it look nicer. I think I have an idea for what to do with the bottle!

trying to stick with working on one major page at a time for now...gets overwhelming to think I have nearly 1,000 other pages within TUG to change once this is done.

also need to create a contact us page...that doesnt exist.

I may go the route of making the upper link bars smaller perhaps..I will dull the font color to something less "contrasting" than the white to hopefully reduce the clutter and competition with the rest of the banner....I am going to change the way the 2nd lvl bars look. Thinking of using a beach sand type long graphic...vs the "grids"

so many ideas!

 

[TUGBrian]

ok...made a few changes per your comments...how about now?

 

[TUGBrian]

tinkering a bit with the bottom layout...nothing set in stone other than perhaps the overall "grid" with the links on the left and tug news on the right.

colors, sizes, links, etc...all still up for grabs and undecided.

anyone have a good "headlines" or "extra extra" type news clipart...for the top of the headlines/news section?

 

[mas]

One thing that always bugged me was, at least to my knowledge, there has never been a link to the tug volunteer page on the home page. I have it saved now but it would be nice to see it included on the home page when you get that far.

Thanks Brian.

 

[TUGBrian]

I think thats a more than reasonable request!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I may go the route of making the upper link bars smaller perhaps..I will dull the font color to something less "contrasting" than the white to hopefully reduce the clutter and competition with the rest of the banner....I am going to change the way the 2nd lvl bars look. Thinking of using a beach sand type long graphic...vs the "grids"

so many ideas!

Brian -

about six or seven years ago, shortly after I became a TUG volunteer with the Advice pages, I did a "wash" of the graphic with the palm tree to use a background image. I was pleased with the results, and I started incoporating that as a background as I worked on various Advice pages. If you're thinking graphic background in lieu of a solid color I think something such as that would be a good place to start.

Personally, I find that a gradient background is visually more relaxing than a solid color background, with the proviso that the background colors are properly selected and are neutral themselves and visually relaxing.

Incidentally, once you settle on a basic page design, you should ask the volunteers for the various areas to update their portions of the site. Since you are more "hands on" than your Dad on site maintenance, frankly there isn't as much work for me to do as a volunteer than previously. So enlist us to help with updating our portions of the site.