I recently decided it was time to complete a minor redesign of this site. I like the general layout, but figure it could use some new colours, and I have a few other changes to make:
- Aggregate a bunch of my off-site activities into the sidebar. These include other blogs, events, bookmarks and photos. The idea is that the left sidebar is ‘about this site’ while the right sidebar is ‘stuff I’m involved with elsewhere’.
- Move the big-ass blogroll off to a dedicated links page.
- Replace the periodic graphical ads for my projects with a prominent text link.
- Add a static page for my public speaking activities.
- Eliminate those useless static pages that have been hosting meaningless Latin for the past three years.
- Make the design ‘liquid’, meaning it can expand and contract based on the size of the browser or display resolution. See this article for an explanation, and here’s a great example of how it works.
I’ve created a style-free wireframe for the new site. It’s not a large departure from the current design, but I thought I’d share it in case anybody has any suggestions. Is there anything that really bugs you about the site? Is there something you’d like to see that isn’t here?
I know the site has been crapping out periodically. I need to find some WordPress-enabled, clueful braniac to diagnose what the issue is.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
No ads on the new site?
And ditch the “For Your Consideration” text — what’s that link really about?
TTFN
Travis
Travis: Yep, as with the current site, no ads on the front page. There will be ads on the archive pages–haven’t done a wireframe for them yet.
The “For Your Consideration” link is a personal project, client project, friend’s project or other interesting link that I want to point people at. I welcome suggestions on a better title for that. Maybe just “Visit This Site”?
> I need to find some WordPress-enabled, clueful braniac
I’d need use those terms to describe myself, but I may be able to help. Feel free to email me.
I’m doing something similar to SWT, although life and work are getting in my way.
I HATE how fixed-width sites are prevalent: it just seems such a waste of space to see those columns on the left and right with no content.
can’t see much can you do a bigger shot?
Pete: You can click the thumbnail to see the mondo huge original on Flickr.
thx
looks good but i’d have a bit more whitespace between categories in your left sidebar so they stand out more clearly.
also i prefer the long categorized blogroll sometimes allows me to do some random clicking, which would be less likely to do if it’s tucked away in links. so maybe just have it lower down on the page under your new material.
Where’s your list of recent blog posts? ie last 10