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MyComputer.com
This site has the front page entirely as a navigation system –
a slick way to present masses of information. I struggled for a while
wondering if it really qualified as a menu, and came to the conclusion
that ... well, I am still not sure. What I do know is that this page
presents all the important features that this company offers, on one
page, without a scroll and in an easy to understand format. If that
is not a navigation system, I don't really know what could bear that
label.
In the lower image shown here (close-up view of listings), how the
icon as well as the layout helps to direct the reader to the important
places on this page.
If you find that your clients require great numbers of navigational
items, you should look to this site as an example of superb information
presentation.
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This entry page covers a very wide range of information
in an easy to follow pattern.
Close-up of the circular menu shows some interesting
graphic touches, from slight dropped shadows (helps to bring text up
from a striped background) to a shaped photo and two menu choices outside
the boundaries.
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www.com
Organizing this site must have been a really tough job. There is so
much information on the entry page that just fitting it in would be
a challenge. The notable feature of this page is that the designer not
only fit it all in, they also made it look good.
www.com has several customer groups. It is an Internet broadcasting
site first and foremost, providing a multitude of musical choices from
hard rock, to alternative, to Christian music. In addition, a large
part of the site addresses business to business topics, since Web developers
can provide this service on their own sites.
The style chosen is perfect. It is not too conservative, since this
is music after all, yet it is not too funky, which could pull the serious
business development into question. The navigation is actually spread
throughout the page, but the major topics are all covered in the circle
at the top left of the page. Through the circle, you can get to the
music, find out about music news or get more information about including
the service on your site. Quite brilliantly laid out, with color nicely
separating the four main sections. Also note the Log On and Tune In
options on the outside edge of the menu circle.(While you are at this
site, check out the variety of music available ... they certainly have
most genres covered.)
Very well done – just thinking about how they got it all to work
makes my head hurt a little.
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This is another entertainment based site that presents a huge amount
of information on the front page. In this case, the method is slightly
different. The left and right columns contain somewhat traditional menus,
with some nice graphic work to separate menu items yet pack many entries
into a small space. Graduated fills are always quite effective for this
purpose, as they define a shape, but do not weigh much visually as they
fade out.
Warning: If you are going to go to this site, it is quite noisy. Normally
I am not a big fan of noise on the Web, but you must stop to think of
the target audience for this site ... I suspect this group would be
quite at home with the popping sound effects and blaring music. Just
be warned before you go.
Make sure that you pay attention to how much information is listed
here, including ads, menu items, news, etc. It is very impressive by
any standard. Although the entry page is full, I would not call it overwhelming
– very well done.
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