Just Launched.

[atomicblast]

Hi, I am new around here but I like the Forum layout. I have just put together a web hosting forum and the aim is to provide a simple forum to allow the exchange of tips and ideas for anyone hosting a website or many websites. The site setup is a basic phpbb forum,nothing special about that,no eye candy or bells n whistles here, but since this is a web design forum and there might be a few website admins and website hosters around here I thought I would ask for views and ideas about the content, such as categories, forums and so on. Please note that this is a new site and it will need some time to develop. Do I have too many categories to start with or not enough, are they the right ones ?
The site is here Thanks

 

[BigRed]

I looked at this site yesterday and I was going to suggest changing the theme. But I looked again today and you have made some changes already. Looks much better, cleaner look and more professional. My personal view, having run a few forums of my own is that it's difficult to know how many categories are too much or not enough with a new forum, I mean too many and it looks empty at first, not enough and you might not get the posts and comments you need. Keep tweakin it till your happy with it..

 

[lonelytree]

I think you are having way too many categories already..

 

[Paultbk]

Looks good. My only concern is that it is pretty standard and nothing really intices the viewer. Maybe a stream of latest posts, or some sort of eye catcher up top would be good

 

[atomicblast]

Thanks for the feedback, all much appreciated and valued. Bigred it was a challenge setting out the categories and forums, I started off with less forums than I have now, but some other reviewers thought I should add a couple more, so I did.

Lonelytree, I think you are right I need to trim them down a bit, already looking at the views, I can see a couple I could drop.

Paultbk. Thanks, good observation. I put the site up for review in a few different forums and have already made some changes that others have suggested. It's a new forum with a few members so a stream of latest posts might not work right now, but yeah maybe later if it picks up some momentum.
However, the "eye catcher on top" might work. The limitation on that might be the pixel size of the site logo that works with that template. I will be making some changes based on the suggestions so far. Any more are welcome

 

[atomicblast]

Changes have now been made if anyone wants to take another look

 

[WAYNEWEX]

I think you are having way too many categories already..

Exactly what I thought. Conversation will end up being diluted.

 

[atomicblast]

Thanks waynewex but I have now reduced the categories.

 

[BigRed]

The changes to the site look good. Keep workin at it.

 

[atomicblast]

Thanks for the feedback. Bigred I have been working on it and have made a few more changes. The target audience is the web hosting community, anyone running a server and anyone who might be interested in the web and internet security. There is now an RSS feed from three of the worlds best known internet security companies at the top and a new theme and some changes to forums and categories.
To save anyone from having to scroll up the page the site is here.

 

[lonelytree]

i think its building up nicely.. job well done~

 

[BradT81]

looks good there is only so much you can do to a forum

 

[atomicblast]

thanks lonelytree and BradT81 for the positive comments. BradT81, nice website you have there.

 

[BigRed]

I see you have been making a few more changes and I like it! Keep workin on it. Now if I can make a suggestion. Why not have a post or link or category or whatever that folks can use to help them be more secure and aware on the internet, like for facebook and whatever. Just an idea is all.

 

[atomicblast]

Thanks biged for the suggestion. I have now put a link on the page header to a video with safety tips for browsing the internet. There is now a lot of info available from the site . What I am thinking is that visitors might see the other links and leave the site and not use the forum. Also I still don;t think I have the right selection of categories yet. The updated site is here.

 

[BigRed]

Awesome way to use a forum header, you got a lot of good web security links and info on the top of the page, fits right in with the theme of the site. Looks like you went for the idea of a link to some safe browsing tips with the video, well its more of a slideshow to me but it works anyways.
A couple of points on the negative side. The big image at top left, OK I get the idea of a quick internet status check and a link to sans with more info BUT you might want to look at changing that or using that space better.