The Forum of Benfleet Running Club

jacklarge · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 239 Location: Rayleigh, Essex

Right I've finally decided how to approach the 'newcomers' page. I plan on using this post (and hopefully your replies) to develop the content and design so that it is suitable for the main site. I would appreciate any comments on how this can be improved especially with regard to the content, as you will probably have a better knowledge than me of club culture / rules.

Why do we need it? Karl e-mailed me to ask if I could sort out a newcomers page (reasoning that I was a newcomer and a critical web geek). In essence it should provide a newcomer with all the information he/she needs to 'get up to speed' with the club.

Due to the amount of information I decided that a FAQ would be the best bet for readibility and simplicity.

EDITED 19/09/06
The first draft of this page is on the net now:

http://www.jacklarge.me.uk/test/

The URL above is now inactive as the page is now live:

http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/faq/new_faq/brc_new_faq.html
END OF EDIT

As I've no doubt said elsewhere, this page has taken a while mainly due to the amount of content that needed to be written/checked and because I design the page by hand-coding rather than in a 'page layout' web editor. Also I like 'clean' designs – so to some people this could look a little basic.

For the Geeks:
The page validates to the current web standards (XHTML and CSS):
EDITED 19/09/06
URLs changed to reflect the live version:
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri...Ffaq%2Fnew_faq%2Fbrc_new_faq.html
http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validato....com/faq/new_faq/brc_new_faq.html
END OF EDIT
Cheers,

John.

Mike Mason · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 854 Location: Hockley

John, this looks really great - will have another read and comment. The one thing missing appears to be an easy way for beginners to remember their Forum logon passwords..... Smile

)

rgds

Mike
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

Steffan · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 537 Location: Basildon

Thats really good work there.

Well done.

Karl C · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 1473 Location: Rayleigh

Well Done John, first impressions look good.

Thanks for putting the work in, and collating all the various info. I did think that as regular (long-term) memebrs we tend to miss the obvious things that need to be explained to the newby's.

I haven't got thro the whole page yet, so will report back soon. There are a few links and email links that don't work at the mo, and some wording that could be changed.

But as a first effort - well done. let it develop and improve with all the comments and we will merge it into the main site, via "newcomer" section or a "FAQ" section.

I will start thinking about your "next" project....

icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Very Happy" border="0" />

mikey · Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 7:59 pm Post subject:

Hi John

Just flicked though your work .....

I like it .... Some good answers there

Don't worry about your next project ....
I've got one which I'm going to suggest to Karl for you !!

jacklarge · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 239 Location: Rayleigh, Essex

Thanks for the initial impressions, glad it is has had positive reviews!

Mike M, so you have not found the secret password 'easter-egg' that I've coded into the page?

Karl, thanks for letting me know about the link errors - just proves that mis-typing effects code as well as content! I've fixed them now so they should be OK now Confused

.

Cheers,

John.

Karl C · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 1473 Location: Rayleigh

well done John,

Any chance you can centre-justify the text..............

jacklarge · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 239 Location: Rayleigh, Essex

Karl C · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 1473 Location: Rayleigh

tumble-weed blows across an empty screen.............

Only asking

icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Very Happy" border="0" />

jacklarge · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 239 Location: Rayleigh, Essex

Got Mikey's and Karl's amendments (they were e-mailed to me direct) done, so it might be worth taking another look if you get a chance.

Karl's comments included this about the first question:

Karl C · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 1473 Location: Rayleigh

well done - not sure Bobby has an email address.

I use http://www.mandmdirect.com and http://www.startfitness.co.uk

for gear.

I wouldn't use Bourne Sports, as they have always let me down on delivery (see also the messages on the RW forum about their c@*P service) but thats just me.

New layout looks good.

jacklarge · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 239 Location: Rayleigh, Essex

Have removed Bourne Sports and replaced it with Start Fitness.
Thanks for the info, Karl.

John.

spokey42 · Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 38

Hello. I'm new to the club and I was keen to meet the committee members. I would like to introduce myself to Debbie Gibbings, the Publicity Officer, but I'm not sure from the photo of three runners which one is her. Can you help please? Patricia

Pat M · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 215 Location: Canvey Island

Spokey, you want to be careful how you spell Debbie's name, too! It's not Gibbings but Gibbins, Gibbins, Gibbins! lol. (Only joking Deb. Laughing

)

Karl C · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 1473 Location: Rayleigh

NEW MEMBERS / FAQ page has now been linked into the main page.

Anybody need to add anything, then please shout.

http://www.benfleetrunningclub.com/faq/new_faq/brc_new_faq.html

jacklarge · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 239 Location: Rayleigh, Essex

Karl,

I've edited my original post as I'm removing the draft version from my site now that the page is live. While doing so I noticed the live page doesn't 'validate' anymore (it's missing a few closing paragraph tags). Can you put these back please? The validation results tell you the lines to look at (see first post).

Cheers,

John (I know I need to get a life) Small

Karl C · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 1473 Location: Rayleigh

Hiya, your edited post has an missing .com on the jigsaw validate address.

I uploaded the whole folder as per your email.
Please advise what is missing (in non-geek speak, please)

I will email you file, so you can amend.

jacklarge · Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 239 Location: Rayleigh, Essex

Doh. Them web addresses are soo confuzing.

Thanks Karl.