AusValue Website Design Service

Over the years I have created a personal style of website design. The primary objectives for this relate to features that increase usability. These websites are purposely designed to look simple, and be easy to use.

Each page is designed to automatically adjust to the viewing environment. The websites invariably have floating width, some to quite an extreme degree. Try using your mouse to re-size your browser, dragging the right edge of your browser inwards.

To do this, bring the mouse out to the right edge of the browser. When the mouse symbol changes to indicate you are on the edge hold down the left mouse button and drag the edge inwards. You may find it it easier on the bottom right hand corner of the browser window.

Notice how the contents readjusts to the width of the window. The contents act like fluid in a container. Regardless of what the viewer is using as their browser they can read the full contents without having to scroll back and forth horizontally. Viewers don't mind scrolling a page up or down but they absolutely hate trying to read across while scrolling back and forth. A short time of this and they will leave the website for something easier to view.

Even websites I designed previous to current portable devices such as iphones being available are easily viewed on portable devices. Yet, when the same websites are viewed on modern high resolution computer monitors, the contents readjust their positions to give a pleasing appearance for that environment.

Note: A more complex example of automatic adjustment is demonstrated with the Zexie.comA website selling email addresses along with a range of professional email facilities. Subscribers get to choose their email address or addresses from a range of great addresses. This website has substantive facilities programmed in PHP and MySQL. website. Here a large number of small boxes containing lists will readjust automatically to the width of the browser.

Helpers or additional notes appear as the user runs their mouse over various elements such as links, menu items or pictures. This provides the user with extra information while maintaining the simple uncluttered look. As these are implemented within the HTML and CSS they work quickly, even if the user has a low powered computer or poor internet connection. Try placing your mouse over a menu item or link!

The websites have compatibility to just about any browser or viewing platform. They download fast, even when the user is on an old or poor platform or when the user has a slow download speed.

Appearance is a personal choice and in designing client websites I work in with the client to allow the appearance to be their creation or compatible with their likes.

For General Purpose Design I prefer to use the Drupal Content Management System. One advantage of General Purpose Content Management Systems such as Drupal is that it allows me to teach clients how to add content and manage their own website.

Examples of Drupal websites I've created include the following:

• Humanise.infoAn Open Source Project which aims to create software oriented metal detectors suitable for Humanitarian Demining. The concept was largely inspired by the sudden availability and reasonable price of advanced 24 and 32 bit sound cards with such spectacular performance that they create capabilities to make cheap mine detectors that are significantly better than even the very expensive mine detectors previously available. Website Implementation was Drupal 6. An Open Source Project
• Fabuloz.comThis is a website providing two Issues of a Newspaper for Indian residents in Australia. Each issue of the newspaper used a separate Drupal, each with its own theme, within a multisite Drupal install. The earlier issue of the newspaper can be seen at Fabuloz.com/india. Implementation was Drupal 6. Newspaper implemented with Drupal 6
• Ozclusive.comThis is a website providing one Issue of a Computer Newspaper called CTNews. It was the only issue of this newspaper created. Implementation was Drupal 5. Newspaper implemented with Drupal 5
• Spunks.infoThis is one of my earliest Content Management System Websites. It used Drupal 4.7. The website implements the Menalto Gallery program as a submodule within Drupal. A very early Drupal 4.7 website.

I've created a number of websites based on the use of specialized php/mysql data base packages. Several websites I've created utilize the OpenRealty package which is oriented to Searchable listing applications similar to that used by Real Estate or Used Car Sales websites.

Websites I've created with OpenRealty include the following:

• BuyOzBiz.comA buy and Sell Your Own Business Website. This Website allows users to directly list their businesses for sale with a payment gateway implemented within their administration panel A Buy and Sell Business Website.
• DirectPropertySales.com.auWebsite that allows people to list their private property (House and Land) sales. Listings of private property sales.

Another package I like to use is Menalto Gallery. As well as providing extensive Gallery functions it acts somewhat like a Content Management System allowing the addition of various modules to extend its functionality. With the example below, I incorporated a number of modules including ones that allowed me to include an ecommerce cart.

• GerardMutsaers.comAn art gallery of paintings by Melbourne Artist Gerard Mutsaers. An art gallery of paintings

I've created a large number of websites by directly writing in PHP/MYSQL/HTML/CSS/SSI. Early in my website design, I developed a personal style with large background pictures, use of paintings rather than photos, interlaced transparencies and scrolling text in conjunction with the fluid width techniques previously discussed. These websites are designed with a strong sense of KISS. That is, they are purposefully made to look simple. While I continue to use this style for many simpler websites, it is not suitable for all sites.

Example websites that I've written in PHP/MYSQL/HTML/CSS/SSI include the following:

• Zexie.comA website selling email addresses along with a range of professional email facilities. Subscribers get to choose their email address or addresses from a range of great addresses. This website has substantive facilities programmed in PHP and MySQL. Sale of Email addresses.
• TableTennisWeb.comSales of Table Tennis Equipment along with extensive information relating to Table Tennis. Sales of Table Tennis Equipment.
• TitillatingTits.comA humourous look at the various uses of the word tits along with some interesting information about female anatomy, particularly breasts. Note: Regardless of the name, this is not a porn site. It is quite safe to view in a work environment. A humourous look at the use of the word 'tits'.
• AusValue.comThis Website This Website
• OzValue.comA website to specify the details of various technical computer consulting work and similar services that we offer. Various Computer Services that we offer.
• RelationshipSexual.comWebsite designed to advertise a completed feature length Sci-Fi film script. Allows download of the current version of the film script along with related documentation. The look of the website is designed to imitate the expected look and feel of the film. This incorporates a chiaroscuro lighting effect where there are strong lights on the subjects while backgrounds are poorly illuminated. A Completed Sci-Fi Film Script.
• Juztice.comWebsite designed to advertise a feature length film script that is in the process of being written. A Partly written Film Script.
• Mr-Renovator.com Website shows various before and after photos of renovations completed by the Mr-Renovator business. The appearance of this website was primarily the creation of the customer. Before and After Renovation photos.

Note: Regardless of the name, TitillatingTits.com is not a porn site. It is quite safe to view in a work environment.

I've also created more than 50 websites for domain name sales. Examples of these include the following:

• Fazhions.comFazhions is the more fashionable way to say fashions. Fashionable Fazhions
• Jypes.com This is a very old website and is an example of the style I was using about 10 years ago. A very old website.
• W1nes.com This domain name is designed to allow a business to advertise a slogan along the lines
  We're Number 1 in W1nes We're Number 1 in W1nes

One advantage with my style of web design is that its easily modified to give a similar appearance for advertisements or shops on Ebay. This can include the Floating width, interlaced transparencies and/or the helpers or additional notes that appear as the user runs their mouse over various elements such as links or pictures. An example of my Ebay page designs is my About Me page which was created to look like the Zexie.com Website.

• Ebay About OutstandingBrandingThe About Me page for Ebay User OutstandingBranding was created to look like the Zexie.com WebSite. Ebay page created to look like the Zexie.com website.

If you are viewing this with a Firefox, Seamonkey, Netscape or related Mozilla browser, this web page has some addition features.

On the view menu of your browser you'll find a 'styles' or 'use style' item. When you select one of the styles within this option, it will appear as if you have changed to a new web page. If fact, it is the same web page, just displayed in a different style and different background.

For those who don't have these browsers, most of the web pages within this website have been given different default styles. This has only been done to demonstrate different styles. Websites created for clients would stick to one or two styles throughout the website as good design requires consistency throughout a website.

Another aspect of my design is conformance to technical standards. At the bottom of this web page are 2 buttons labeled W3C. If you click on these, the contents of this website will be sent to an Internet address where the contents are checked for conformance to a standard and the result of each check should show that the web page conforms to that standard.

This website, likes all of my recent websites, makes extensive use of CSS while older client side languages such as javascript are used as little as possible. The use of CSS doesn't have the security problems that are inherent with client side languages.

As the older technologies of client side programming languages such as javascript represent a security risk for the web user, many users are turning off their ability to use them. The use of CSS makes for future proofed websites. The major bodies creating standards for the internet have stated that CSS is the future direction for web development.

For more information on standards that future proof your website we suggest you checkout the following:

W3C guide to buying standards compliant Web sites. W3C is the main standards body for the Internet.

One aspect of the above websites that isn't immediately obvious is the design towards spam control.

For most web sites, the internet presence of the website provides an opportunity for spammers and scam artists to harvest email addresses. Most website owners want their clients to be able to email them. In fact, they prefer to make it as easy as possible for potential clients to contact them in as many ways as is possible.

You will find at the bottom of each page of this web site an easy email link that allows you just to click it to send a standard email. You will also find on the contact page a standard form for users to fill out if they prefer to contact you in this manner.

While these methods of contact appear to show the email address, they are actually hiding it from the robots that the spammers use. This is combined into a multi level approach that consistently stops the spammers from reaching you.

Unfortunately these spam reduction techniques are an aspect of web design that most other web designers are not up with.

For any purchases or enquiries please contact Ken at phone (03) 9809 2083 (International + 613 9809 2083).