Please check my first website, website Options

[Mather]

http://www.saddledownlodge.co.za

[Peter Evans]

It's riddled with HTML mistakes. See this.

It has a column of inscrutable stuff on the left. On one of these I can make out "Click here to get the plugin." Thanks, but I don't want the plugin. I had it before and was subjected to a lot more advertising.

At the bottom I see some gimmickry http://directorysubmitter.imwishlist.com/b..._2_animated.gif

There's a list of "Links", for each of which I see a domain name. Why?

Below that I see "Make Money Click Here!" In a word, "Ugh".

My home page is a blank page. Why tell me that this is my home page when it isn't? (Or is it your home page? But why would that interest me?)

How much per night? What's the email address? Can I book online? Do you serve halal/kosher/vegetarian/nutfree meals? Can I smoke? Can I smoke a cigar or a spliff? Can I bring my dog? My python? I don't see any of this.

[Mather]

Thank you for your input.
i know there is a lot off mistakes can you help repair them.

[Peter Evans]

Thank you for your input.
i know there is a lot off mistakes can you help repair them.

1. I vaguely infer that you are using some kind of Flash navigation to get to other pages within this site. As this prevents a lot of potential customers from reaching any of those pages, do away with it.

2. Remove the advertising junk.

3. Explain (I mean, on the page itself, not here) what the other links are for.

Then let's talk. . . .

[Mather]

refering to no 1.doing away with flash nav.going 2 use text
links.why does it prevent others from reaching pages?

ref no 2.removed ad junk

ref no 3.dont understand what u mean?

converting 2 xhtml.lot of errors i cant fix. a lot 2 do with embedding.attributes.

i am new on this web design #wish i could talk to you
hamish

[pandy]

refering to no 1.doing away with flash nav.going 2 use text
links.why does it prevent others from reaching pages?

Because if a visitor doesn't have flash or has disabled it, he gets nowhere. Google is such a visitor as well as Peter and Darin .

converting 2 xhtml.lot of errors i cant fix. a lot 2 do with embedding.attributes.

You mean the EMBED element? Yes, it isn't part of any standard. If validation is inportant to you there are workarounds. If not, just accept those errors.

[Peter Evans]

refering to no 1.doing away with flash nav.going 2 use text
links.why does it prevent others from reaching pages?

I can't parse this.

ref no 3.dont understand what u mean?

Do you mean I don't understand your third point.?

If so, it refers back to this: There's a list of "Links", for each of which I see a domain name. Why? Presumably people go to your website to read about your hotel. Why have links to other hotels, etc.?

If there is a good reason, fine, supply the link. But don't do so as (for example) <a href="http://htmlhelp.com>htmlhelp.com</a> but instead as <a href="http://htmlhelp.com>HTMLhelp</a> (resource for creating websites) (or similar).

converting 2 xhtml.lot of errors i cant fix. a lot 2 do with embedding.attributes.

I guess you mean I am converting this site from HTML to XHTML. There are a lot of errors that I can't fix. A lot of these have to do with the "embed" tag and attributes.

Converting from HTML to XHTML brings no advantages. If you do away with Flash, you'll do away with any need, or perceived need, for the "embed" tag. Get rid of Flash, get rid of "embed" tags. Fix whatever else you can. Then run the result through HTMLtidy. (Offhand I don't know the URL; Google will explain.)

[Frederiek]

You can get the same effect on the buttons with simple CSS, without inflicting unnecessary elaborated Flash gimmickry.
See Fast Rollovers Without Preload.