Your opinions or suggestions on my site

[Rik]

I can see what you mean about the original having a bit of punch when it was all darker.

But, I couldn't get the rest to work as I wanted.

So, I'm trying a very light background.
Does it look worst now?

[Drwyd]

It does take some of the sting out of the orange. What about a gradient page background ?

[gwpriester]

Make the site more organic Rik. Make the site unlike anything you or we have ever seen. Buttons do not need to be buttons, the page does not have to be a page. Things do not have to be static. Pull out all the stops. Wow us. Amaze us. Think outside the page. JUST DO IT! You have the vision and talent.

[angelize]

What kind of software is Oscar? what does it do? how do I get to the main Oscar website? Who makes Oscar? These are some of the questions your site should answer.

[covoxer]

You have favicon declared in your page 4 times. Probably placed code in the different fields (for example, a couple of head placeholder objects and/or page head code and/or website head code fields).

[Rik]

What kind of software is Oscar? what does it do? how do I get to the main Oscar website? Who makes Oscar? These are some of the questions your site should answer.

Frances: Very good questions. But, none of these need answering on and for the website! If I can say that respectfully.
Why?!
Well, that's because the site is for my work, to help with what I do and what I train on.
So, the site will only be of use to those who are using my company software, which is OSCAR.
Hope that answers your questions.

But, I would welcome your views and ideas on, is the look and functionality etc...

John: I know what you're saying and I have been trying to get the favicon to work in Internet Explorer. It just refuses to work in IE.
That's the only reason why you're seeing the code, here there an everywhere.
I tried just the method that I had seen recommended in a tutorial and when that didn't work, I then tried... well... what ever!
So, if you have any ideas as to why it works in just about any other browser I try, apart from IE, I would appreciate your suggestions.

Drwyd: How would I get the pasteboard, as well as the top part of my page to have a graduated fill?
To go from a dark to a light linear fill?

[Soquili]

Rik it seems you have the favicon working in IE9.

[Rik]

Thanks Bill.
I am using IE8, because I can't get ieSpell to work properly in IE9.

But, thanks very much for letting me know.
Favicon may only be a small thing, but I like to get these things to work!

[AndFarr]

I think Frances is right.
It isn't clear at all what your website is about at first glance.
As a user, all the design of the site is irrelevant if I can't immediately understand what your service or product offers.
Don't expect your users to wade through your content for find out as they won't bother.
Make the meaning clear, then provide the content.
- Andy

[Rik]

Hi Andy.

I appreciate what you say, but as I explained earlier, this site is not for the general public.
Sure, they can log on to it if they want but it will not mean anything.

The site is to help me with what I do for my work.
And anyone who I have trained on the software they will be using, called OSCAR, will know exactly what the site is about.
That is the sole purpose of the site.

This is the first site I am building using Xara. I have always used FrontPage and if I had done that, then I would not be here asking for opinions on how it looks, and more importantly, to ask for help when I can't get something to work.

So, I've been asking questions on how to get things to work, using Xara for web design.

Please don't worry about whether it makes sense to you or anyone else you know.
Unless, of course, they work for the company I work for.

I've managed to get a second page working now.
If you click on the 'How To' menu and click on 'Side Panel' - that's the next page I've managed to get working.
But, that page will not mean anything to those who do not use the software I train.

Hope that explains things.