My New Website on Cats

[Katzenfreund]

My brand new site on cats has just been published and you’re invited to visit it:

tomcat's Cat Advice & Trivia Site â€" paws for thought

http://tomscats.wix.com/cats

Cat quotes - one liners â€" pics - advice â€" info - trivia.

Dog lovers are also welcome â€" in the hope of converting them.

I’d appreciate any comments, including constructive criticism.

Note: tomcat is another nickname I use on some boards where I participate.

tomcat’s is an acronym for:
tomcat's online miscellaneous cat advice & trivia site

 

[NavyRet]

Wonderful site, Katz. I especially liked the pictures. Thanks for all your hard work making the site, your love of cats shows. I sent a link to the site to some of my cat parent friends.

 

[Katzenfreund]

Thanks a lot guys, there was a lot of work involved but worth it, and your favorable comments are appreciated.

There was a problem with (missing) margins, but it's fixed now.

 

[Katzenfreund]

Thanks for coming back with continued interest and even suggestions.

I owe an answer and for this I clarify my (present) intentions, considerations and limitations.

Firstly, I do intend to carefully add more material over time, and your suggestions will come useful here.

Now I say “carefully”, because the site is subject to limitations:
The host only allows a maximum of 500MB, but of course I have a considerable margin left.
There’s also the problem of overloading the visitor with too much material, though again, I’m a long way from reaching that point too.

But then, there is the thorny subject of intellectual rights. It’s alright posting videos, pics etc in a warez board, but on an open site you are liable to suddenly get a lawyer’s letter with threats of legal action and excessive demands for damages. So even the pics I used are either mine or free of intellectual rights, I had to search specifically for them. I even heard stories of lawyers posting attractive pics as bait, and then going after those who unwittingly borrow them.

 

[kiwi1960]

Checking it out now.... will report back shortly...

Unless I like it... then you may not see me for a few days...

 

[Katzenfreund]

No reply is not a reply kiwi, I await your comments, even if negative. After all, it's finding what's wrong that helps correct it.

 

[NavyRet]

A Guest book would be nice. Folks could leave comments right on the site.

 

[Katzenfreund]

The guest book is a good suggestion. I've found a free software for it, but it only supports 10 comments and no editing of them. They're obviously trying to sell their premium, unlimited version, as usual.

My wish is to add a page with amusing animated cat gifs. I've got several good ones in my collection. But I'm concerned about violating copyrights and getting into legal trouble.

 

[kiwi1960]

The problem with a guest book is "guest book spam".... I had one for a site which, partly, delved into the many murdered children in New Zealand... and the guest book was added so people could leave their condolences.... I had found out then that bots post to these things .... the topic was dead children.... the bots posted links to porn sites... never again.

I will offer you my advice, Katz, but give me a day to think about it. The major problem is that you went to a free host, which means a free template... which means all you could do is add what you want THEIR WAY.... you cannot add, for example, a cute kitty menu system..... for that reason... the site looks bland.... no offence.... but your creativity cannot be expressed on such a site.

I'm half way tempted to give you a site on my server and help you select a ....script... more to your needs, which would be limited only by your imagination.... I'd even help set it up and find other scripts like a spam proof guest book. That would be for FREE, of course.

I have set up hundreds of sites for others over the years and have run more than one for myself....

But.... only if you want that.... either way, let me think about it....

My comments were not made to belittle or insult you... but made as a friend wanting only the best for you... besides, cats deserve a damn fine site!

 

[Katzenfreund]

Thanks for the comments, specially appreciated as they come from an expert.

The site design is indeed limited by the templates available. The home page looks reasonable to me, the others rather plain. I tried to compensate for that by putting emphasis on useful content, but they could certainly benefit from some graphical embellishment, about which I am trying to get ideas. This is easier said than done, because graphics additional to the templates tend to shift position as compared to the previewer, rendering accurate work impossible. They also change position depending on the browser and zoom factor the site is viewed with.

Thanks also for giving consideration to hosting me on your server. Though that would offer new possibilities, it would also mean I’d have to do it all over again, which puts off a lazy cat like me. Furthermore, I’d hate to keep bothering you all the time to fix this, explain that, add the other, which is inevitable when new designs are involved.

It may not seem so, but site building took me some considerable time, mainly because the editor was not completely compatible with my browsers/XP/slow connection. It was very unresponsive and the script kept stopping and requiring refreshing the page, sometimes leading to loss of material.

Anyway, as I said somewhere, the site is still under development and all comments and suggestions are welcome.

 

[kiwi1960]

Well then, I have another idea. But first, let me explain a few things. My server hosts other sites, you wouldn't necessarily be annoying me as there are others at the help desk most times, in fact, given my health issues... Multiple Sclerosis (and with that, double vision and dementia), A heart condition, diabetes, sleep apnoea, insomnia, arthritis and I also need a few new artificial knees but they wont do them till its much worse as they only last 10 years so I have to live with the pain....

... the fact is, I'm semi retired these days....

But so be it... at least consider a blog... using wordpress software... you can get a free blog nearly anywhere.... look for one that allows you to preview the templates... you might find one like this...

But no matter... if you insist on staying where you are, I'm still willing to help...

 

[NavyRet]

I dunno about anybody else, but that post Kiwi automatically sends my Firefox browser to the graphic with no chance of seeing the thread and no way to go back. I had to make this post using a different browser. Totally weird.