Do these web pages suck?

[joliet_jane]

I've been wondering about it for months. A computer tech guy at the library I work at made our web pages a few years ago.  I hate them.  Are they bad or am I just being a judgmental prick?

EDIT: I think I've learned all I've needed to.  The files are gone.
This is our home page at 1680x1050
1024x768
800x600 (see what the table's doing?)
And here's a shot of the 800x600 so you can see the whole page.  Note the Photoshop work on the images.   He’s mentioned that he has “years of Photoshop experience.”  The image links on the right don't have alternate text for the blind.  The "staff" link leads to .pdf file too.  Here's one sub-page he made; they all look like this and sprawl over 100% of the window.

This matters because I'm chair of the web pages committee and we want to redesign. He seems to be suggesting that he's going to make the new page.  Wish I could say "No! You had your chance and you blew it!" My pride is less important than having a nice page.
However, he alone controls the library's FTP, so he's The Gatekeeper I must go through when I re-make a page (!). Also, most people here at work think his work is just fine.

I could be more specific about how he annoys me (like this), but I won't.  Basically, I can’t tell if he is intimidated by me or contemptuous of me (or neither).  He's been here longer, graduated from this same college years ago, and is in his 30s-40s, so I can't confront him.

[VCRClock]

It's not the worst Web page I've ever seen. It's also not the worst library Web page I've ever seen. Of course, it isn't the best, either.

Nobody ever seems to use alt text; perhaps if you nudged him in the direction of the W3C, their HTML validator would suggest he add the alt text. PDF files on Web sites, however, are a pet peeve of mine, seeing as on a Mac, I generally can't view them with the browser (and they're slow/inconvenient on PCs, too, if I remember correctly).

The text spanning 100% of the page thing is the kind of small suggestion that could probably brought up at a meeting or something without anyone getting offended.

Overall, not the greatest web design I've ever seen, but it's nothing abhorrent, in my opinion. Of course, if you want to bring this kind of thing up, you could bring it up with someone with seniority you can confront, so that they can confront Mr. Web Design about it, or just leave Mr. Web Design an anonymous note, somehow (although you wouldn't really get any feedback that way.)

Edit As an afterthought, I can see why the Photoshopped bit on the webpage needs a little cleaning up... I didn't notice that it didn't fully blend on the left side until I looked at my monitor from an angle, though.

[joliet_jane]

It's not the worst Web page I've ever seen. It's also not the worst library Web page I've ever seen.

Oh man, that's awful!  But public libraries can get away with a lot because they have limited resources.  The standards are a little higher for Academic libraries.

[salmonberryclock]

kodiaks library has a terrible page (forgot the url)

[RomanClock]

That right-side navigation is very uncool.

[AnkhClock]

It's not terrible but it's not godly either. Pehaps if you were to work together to adress issues like the "The text spanning 100% of the page thing" you could improve it, which shouldn't be too hard for you if you're the chair of the web pages committee. Just rule your followers with an iron fist, but don't squeeze too hard.
P.S. You missed a few spots in your attempt to hide the university's name.

[joliet_jane]

P.S. You missed a few spots in your attempt to hide the university's name.

OH SHI-- okay, I think I've got them all now.  You know, I sometimes say to faculty "Have you ever used X database?" and they'll say no, or they'll ask me "Do you have any guides?"  All of these things are here, but you just can't see them in that mess of links.

[AnkhClock]

OH SHI-- okay, I think I've got them all now.  

[AlbinoClock]

Looks good to me. You should know, though, that the blog link to the library page is fucked up. Other than that, easy to navigate, not obnoxious, and informative. Neat floorplan.

I found the site by using the context.

[joliet_jane]

From what I'm seeing here, the webpage is OK, but not great, and it's likely that I am being judgmental and a bitch.  I'd better adjust my attitude.

You should know, though, that the blog link to the library page is fucked up.

The link problem is fixed now.  Thanks for pointing it out.

Neat floorplan.

Thanks.  I made that, although I know it could be better.  Weeks ago I made another one, but it hasn't been linked on the home page yet.  I guess he's just too busy.

I found the site by using the context.

 Guess I should've been more careful.

[TUCO CLOCK]

The pages look bland and steer me away.

[HeinekenClock]

I managed that kind photoshopping when I had about 3 weeks of experience.

That is, indeed, a pretty bad website. I dislike pages with an unfixed layout no matter what, if you have a widescreen monitor they usually look shit and if you have a smaller than usual monitor they usually overlap or don't show parts. Fixed pages ftw.

Also, fadeouts look nice but not unequally brushed ones, and not if there's twenty on one page.

[PepperClock]

that link to the bad library web page.. i live like 20 minutes from that place... weird.

[joliet_jane]

that link to the bad library web page.. i live like 20 minutes from that place... weird.

Then that probably means that you're in its user community.  If so, perhaps you could make a new pages for them as a "donation," (so you put that credit on your resume)?  At public libraries, they can only do so much with the resources they have.

[Loki Clock]

I would love to have been able to judge it for myself.

[joliet_jane]

I would love to have been able to judge it for myself.

well, thanks for saying so.  Here is the page at 2 resolutions.

http://bambam.info/images/x.png
http://bambam.info/images/x2.png

I can now admit that they're not truly awful, but they could just be better

[super0sonic]

well, thanks for saying so.  Here is the page at 2 resolutions.

http://bambam.info/images/x.png
http://bambam.info/images/x2.png

I can now admit that they're not truly awful, but they could just be better

The larger rez has a gap at the top but i like them.

[Loki Clock]

I hate it. It expects a three-column scanning pattern, like a newspaper, but the column designs are inconsistent and overlapping. Plus it needs some sense of categorization. Please direct that man to //www.useit.com/. Sure, the color scheme on Jacob Nielsen's website leaves a lot to be desired, but it's easy to navigate, demonstrating the ideals he'd do well to learn from Nielsen. In fact, he could probably just read the first link of the permanent content section and do fine.

[joliet_jane]

Apparently,the image buttons were just changed this evening. A voice in my head screamed "Aaaaah!" when I saw this. No kidding.

Also, check out the photo shopping on the bird picture.  I showed it to my sister, and she said "Just what am I looking at? Where is that window on its wing even coming from?"

[Il Duce]

Apparently,the image buttons were just changed this evening. A voice in my head screamed "Aaaaah!" when I saw this. No kidding.

Also, check out the photo shopping on the bird picture.  I showed it to my sister, and she said "Just what am I looking at? Where is that window on its wing even coming from?"

Ew, fuck.