[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
On Monday 02 May 2005 5:52 pm, Adrian Midgley wrote:
On Mon, 2005-05-02 at 12:11, Neil Williams wrote:I'm never one for creating new artistic things, so I need some inspiration. I've created a new site http://www.data-freedom.org/Colours! I feel slightly ill.
Ah well, it's early days. I'll change the navigation bar background - do you like the green? What about the blue headings? Nothing that will detract from the information or content, though.
I'm looking for banners, (web page size, 200x60 etc.)Jakob Nielsen holds in one of his Alertbox (www.alertbox.com) articles that we have learned to ignore anything that even looks like a banner, because of use of them in advertising.
It's not about advertising, it's about the concept and the policy. Look at how many sites sport a "No Software Patent" banner, a Debian logo, or Valid HTML, RedHat, MySQL, Apache, PHP, XML - it's not about advertising and there is a clear dividing line in users' minds about the purpose of the image. When the image means something and isn't just there to take your money; when the image is there to show support, publicise a cause and promote an ideal - then people do support banners, they do care about your allegiance. I don't particularly care if the wider audience don't notice them, the people I want to reach are those who care about the topic already. Most people don't notice Valid HTML images - I do. Most people don't notice the anti-software patent banners but I bet Aaron does, and Robin and myself and probably you too, Adrian. The image makes an impression because it links into something that is already important to that visitor. The SourceForge banner is not ignored, it means something, it represents an ideal and a mechanism, it identifies the project with a wider community. To those who care, it is relevant and useful. That's what I want for my new site - recognisable, representative, informative and unambiguous. You don't have to follow the link to recognise a Debian logo or a red hat. There's no worry about advertising or confusion about motives - I want images that make this clear. Who here would argue that Tux on an image or banner is unimportant? Naturally, if the image is gratuitous, unwarranted, irrelevant or unconnected with the site then visitors will ignore it. When it means something and is directly correlated with the content, then I feel these images are extremely useful and very important to any project, idea or campaign. An image registers in the mind without the effort of having to read the text - once it is recognised. That's they key - an explanatory, informative, recognisable and meaningful banner/image/logo is very important. -- Neil Williams ============= http://www.data-freedom.org/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
Attachment:
pgpxHmiaWcOcG.pgp
Description: PGP signature