Very nice site you've created Na.  Simple and attractive, just the way a website ought to be.

If it is going to have an Aussie playwright, how well we understand the dialogue... well there be subtitles.  Just kidding... I happen to love independent foreign films and Australia has some good ones.  Actually have have a harder time understanding some of the dialects and accents from the UK.

You know, after so many years of watching American TV (about 2% of Aussie TV is made here, and that's mostly news) I can't hear the difference anymore. When an Aussie accent appears (like in House) it seems weird. A sad state of affairs. Of course, maybe our Aussie playwright will wreak some revenge on our behalf?  

In regards to CMS's, what ever you do never go for Drupal.  I had not used it for some time so decided to try it out on one of my new sites.  Updating is a real hassle. Concrete 5 is a new one I just found and I really like it quite a bit and the interface for editing is very intuitive.  I am also working with CakePHP but it is just a framework you use to build you own system.

One of the reasons I went with Joomla was that I had used it before (sadly, so long ago that memories of having difficulties of it were too distant to stop me from using it again), and because I couldn't be bothered learning how to use Drupal. I'm familiar with Drupal because it's used on a theatre forum where I'm an admin, but not familiar enough with the coding to know how good/bad it is to use. I've not used the others either, but I see Expression Engine seems popular, which maybe if I'd thought about for longer, would have tried. Truly the only reason the site took so long to put together was trying to get Joomla's components to play nice. It seems that you're constantly updating, upgrading, checking for hacking (which seems rife) and redoing your styling because new upgrades completely obliterate any modifications you make. I haven't upgrade my own site in about a year, and it's ten times more stable than Joomla is in a month... But enough griping

Very nice site you've created Na.  Simple and attractive, just the way a website ought to be.

Thanks Jon!

You did such a great job doing that web page! I though you just create puppets, but now I see, that the artist in you goes beyond!

 

Thanks Miguel!

I though you just create puppets, but now I see, that the artist in you goes beyond!

Well, I kind of 'dabble' in web design. I've worked for a couple of websites, and had to learn this stuff as necessity through that (and not having enough money to pay for designers for my own sites). I'm still surprised I understand how to do it all

I'm still surprised I understand how to do it all

Same here Na.   It never ceases to amaze me what I can understand. Someone the other day said they where very surprised that I was artistic since normally artistic folks can't get the technical stuff. I do struggle with it and it can take me quite some time but I do enjoy it.

Man, I've been meaning to reply to this...

I think part of it is that I've had to do it for work, and have learned on the job out of necessity. (Also having to use it on a regular basis. I love lighting design, but have forgotten most of it because I haven't done LD for several years)

I'm enjoying the fact that recently I've learned quite a bit more; enough that I can confiently create designs from scratch. I'm currently redesigning my Puppets in Melbourne site and will see how I fare using jquery and fancy stuff like that.

Jquery is pretty cool.   Takes a bit to get used to but the more you dig in the easier it gets. I've been using it more and more and my only concern is since it is javascript that the site may put to much stress on the local viewers computer since it is client side.   Then again, I be the majority of folks have computers that are on older then a few years so maybe that is not really that big of a deal anymore.   

I agree with your concerns, but have been checking out stats today, and it seems 95% or more people have javascript turned on - additionally I am making it a point to use CSS only tricks where possible. For some things though (ie. fades, etc) javascript etc is necessary. By using as little as possible, it makes things easier on users.

I've been reading a lot lately, and it's amazing how many web designers are saying that basically if you're - you being the user - not turning on javascript you're basically being left behind. Many are even avoiding designing for slower computers, browsers, etc, like they're doing for IE6. Forcing people to get with the program as it were.

... Sigh, I'm such a geek

... Sigh, I'm such a geek

You and me both.

I'm with you on the CSS.  I try to make every page display decently with CSS and then build on that.  I still try to keep things somewhat IE compatible or at least make the site usable in IE but I am less and less willing to jump through hoops to make things work exactly the same. It used to be I would not use a "feature" unless I could duplicate it in IE with a work around. Now I kind of have the attitude of sorry you'll just miss out.

No, no you don't understand. My mum's a computer programmer/lecturer. My dad worked for Apple and now runs the computer dept. at my old school. I used to sit in on my mum's lectures as a kid when I was sick (I guess not sick enough to make anyone else sick, too sick for school ?). I swore I'd never end up in the computers area.

:P  I must be crazy!

CSS is good. The more I play with it, the more I see how much you can do with it. I've recently discovered CSS-only dom tabs, which is making my life easier.

Anyway, I'm busy breaking the rules on redesigning my current site... by using all images so far. Er, yeah, shouldn't be doing that! (I'm building bits and pieces into the page as I go: http://www.puppetsinmelbourne.com.au/index.php?blog=44. This is going to be the homepage/gallery)

I know what you mean with IE. I get so frustrated with it, I just fix the major issues (mainly in navigation or really obvious formatting problems) and then leave the rest. If it looks good in Firefox, that's enough for me.