Layouts, Layouts, layouts!

There are a lot of different opinions about layouts these days. What's a good layout, what's a bad one? Here is my take on this topic.

Pagebuilder
When I started out as a webmistress, I used Geocities and pagebuilder. I thought I was so great. My first website is still lurking around and people are still visiting it. But when I look at it now, I cringe. But pagebuilder does help you. Because of pagebuilder, I learned some HTML. Layouts in pagebuilder don't look so great but at least people are trying. I usually don't look at layouts as much as other people and although I think pagebuilder is EVIL... It's not so bad. But I hope people who use this, take some HTML skills, and actually make a layout of their own without anyones help. Believe me people, HTML isn't that hard.

Frames
Besides Daimira's Layout, The only frames layout Yumemiru used was layout No# 5, which was the Cowboy Bebop version. It used about 5 frames and although it looked great on OUR computer, it didn't look so good in other peoples. When I actually had knowledge of HTML most of my layouts were in frames. TONS of frames. I think the most I used was seven. It's pretty easy to do because sometimes all you have to do is make your layout images into a background and go from there. You don't have to that of course. I think that's the easiest way to do it though. But in other resolutions, the layout just doesn't line up. At least in my case. Even when it's in a popup or in a normal layout the layouts don't match up (is this a run on sentence?) so sometimes the layout looks uneven especially when you did your layout in one resolution and people are viewing it from a different resolution. And it looks bad. That's the only thing bad about doing a frames layout. I am not talking about those simple left and right frames either I'm talking about those sometimes complicated frames that can do your layout some good. If you decide to do this, check out your layout in other computers and see if you have any complications with them.

Iframes
The easiest frames layout to do is Iframes. Yumemiru has been doing it a lot. Although, we're really no service to Netscape users because if that. We are just a simple WPR after all, who constantly change their layouts and I honestly DON'T have time to make 2 navigations. Yes, that is my excuse. I have NO time and I'm pretty sure my other reviewers have NO time to either. We only make time to do those reviews. And people ONLY come here to read their reviews anyway not look at our layouts. We don't offer anything in this WPR other than that. If we didn't change layouts so often, I can make it a little more user friendly but checking my stats from my counter, I have yet to see a Netscape visitor come my way and maybe if one or two visited, I'll be happy to do a normal table layout sooner or later. Using Iframes and tables to make a layout IS a lot easier than using frames and the GOOD thing about it is that, it looks good in ALL resolutions. And it doesn't nearly have the problems that a frame layout has. But all I can tell you though is that Iframes can't be seen through Netscape. It's the ONLY thing Netscape can't support other than a chromeless popup. That's it people. Netscape and other browsers can support all other frames.

Tables
A lot of layouts are doing table layouts nowadays. Especially on blog layouts. Tables are savoirs and they are the easiest things to do. They make your site so much more interesting. And there is no tricks, no DHTML stuff about them. It's amazing what tables can do to a website. If you want just a normal layout without all the pizzaz of frames and the like, tables are the answer.

PopUP/Chromeless PopUP
As You can probably tell by now.... I love chromeless popups. They are easy to do once you get the images you need and that pz chromeless to download. The only bad thing about a chromeless popup is that you can't minimize it and you can't see it through netscape. You also have to do your code just right. If even one thing is wrong with your code, that chromeless popup will not work.
Popups are pretty easy too. And if you love frame layouts, putting them in a popup is a great way to make your frames work. Our Cowboy Bebop was in frames and in a popup. The good thing about a normal popup is that it can be minimized and can be see through Netscape. Now that's a plus right? Other than that, popups usually annoy people. But it doesn't really bother me. What bothers me more are the contents of the site not the layout really.

Splash Pages
Honestly, I don't see why people hate splash pages so much. I have no problem with it at all. They say that it's a waste of a "click" but just remember that it's only a stupid "click" folks. How long does it take to "click" on something? Like half a second? Is it really that hard to waste half a second to click on a link? Some splash pages are interesting. And it sometimes adds to a site. I say, who cares? If people want to go into your site they will no matter what. I don't really see the big deal. But that is just me I guess. I think people who hate splash pages are like those people who followed the boy who cried wolf... I mean if one person even remotely said they hate splash pages and make their point across then of course EVERYONE starts to agree and then THEY make their point across about why they hate splash pages too. Give me a break. A couple of years ago, I heard no stupid complaints about splash pages now it's a big thing. The only think I HATE though, are too many enter pages. I just want to click on ONE enter page. NOT two or three or whatever.

Tiled Backgrounds
I HATE tiled backgrounds. Give it up people. Can't you see that repeating images especially of people are gross looking? I mean some tiled backgrounds are OK if they are of leaves or snow or whatever but I can't stand to see an image of Sailormoon over and over again OK? It's looks kind of freaky too.

I'll add more to this... So more rants about layouts soon. Check back folks.

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