Category: Uncategorized

Oceanblog feels more like a forum than a blog. That was certainly the first impression I got of this site, and as I began to read through the posts from recent weeks I felt as if I really needed to know the writer personally to take much from this page.



That’s not to say that there isn’t some good stuff on this site. For example, there is a useful collection of links to essays about Ernest Hemingway, although, as a case in point, getting there isn’t easy, since even the index page is something like three clicks away.



The other blog on the site, davidgagne.net, is probably of more interest to casual passersby. The css on oceanblog needs a bit more work to reach the level of “effortless ease” which is suggestive of better design, and I’m sure eventually it will get there.oceanblog

The first thing that strikes you immediately as you enter this page is the green background. I think that having a green background is a great idea, especially if you’ve made references to nature in the title. Unfortunately, the green is more a neon green than a grass green, and is far too bright and intrusive.



Which is a shame because it detracts from an otherwise fine weblog. Opinion is carried across well and with enthusiasm, and navigation-wise the site works well and is easy to get around.



There isn’t a huge amount of content here yet; this is another fledgling site that still needs some work, particularly with the colours as I have already mentioned.Flowerhead

While the overall site design looks nice, I was left confused and misled by the navigation. There is a “Navigation Key” which depicts the definition of icons used on the website– not something I would want to stop and take time to learn or remember.



The weblog entries were sometimes interesting, but highly distracting due to the lack of sentence structure and correct spelling. Most entries I read were about web design. Links offered within the entries usually led to web design related sites.



Crusing through the rest of the pages, I often had to look and see if I had been unknowingly led to another site. There was no common theme among most pages, leaving wondering where I was.

Furthermore, I was unsure why there was a Bio page and an About Me page. Clicking on the “Home” link led me to another site all together, from what I could tell.



Overall, the ideas and goals of Life in the Bus Lane seem to be headed in the right direction, but the site needs a good amount of reworking and fine tuning.Life in the Bus Lane

wow! that’s all I can say is WoW, this site is spell binding. I have always been curious about the prospect of a group weblog but always brushed this aside saying it would never work, this site gives me hope. It is a uplifiting site that I found myself almost addicted too with it’s offbeat humor and wackyness. the design is great, possessing a tranquil trait to it and seems to lull you into serenity, the only one I have a problem with is “night” which is a blinding pink causing it to look like it’s been dipped in peto-bismal ,but still my moto is “content over context” and this website comes out on top, for a good laugh, pongient insight , and all in all a great time , bleeding monkey is for you.bleedingmonkey

What can I really say that was bad about The Daily Venator? Not much. I enjoyed the weblog entries. I was able to identify with the author, having many interests in common. This was a plus, but it was not the only things that made the them good.

Rather than writing about hating the world or dwelling in self-deprecation, as so many weblogs do, the author spent his time wondering. He wondered about topics ranging from the odd search strings people used to find his site to why Texans are so patriotic about their state. “Why does one care about such things”, you might ask. Well, it’s a refreshing change of pace, first of all. Second, it suggests that the author takes the time to stop and smell the roses. He notices things that might be a fleeting thought in my head, and explores them.

I liked the fact that in one day’s entry, he felt he had not written enough and said that he might add more later. The entry was far longer than most weblogs for a week.

Anyway, I just thought it was interesting.

The rest of the site was dedicated to chronicalizing his progress in art. I particularily liked the piece he did of Han Solo frozen in carbonite–an image that has been etched in my head since I was 6. There were wallpapers and themes offered for download, and there was a unique dossier about the author.

The design is smooth, the layout is logical, and the content is positive and full. All good ingredients to make a great weblog and website.The Daily Venator