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Site Name: Rettro
Owner: Michael
Reviewed by: Georgina
Reviewed on: 29th August 2009

Site Name

There are too many websites with the word “retro” or that are a variation of “retro”. Your website name is easy to remember, but it isn’t that unique.

Coding and Validation

Your coding is valid.

Your CSS is valid.

There are a few warnings in your CSS. Any elements with float must have width: #px; specified as well.

You have some embedded styling in your HTML. It’s possible to include this in your stylesheet as well.

Browser Compatibility & Usability

Your site looks the same in most browsers, and it is navigable and functions in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Opera.

The navigation is pretty obvious but it should be made clearer. The coloured text on the white background is barely noticeable, and it would do some good to make the text a bit bigger.

While the text is legible and everything is basically easy to read and navigate, the layout is quite wide. I suggest avoiding this because on smaller resolutions and devices with smaller screens, your layout will not look the way you want it to, and might be harder to navigate.

You are using JavaScript for the subnavigation, and with it disabled, all the page links are displayed, but you should remove the display of the navigation in this case.

Layout

I like the use of colour in this layout as it’s quite eye-catching. I like the general organisation of the layout but there are some things that I need to point out that are not good.

From a structural point of view, the layout is quite wide, as I already mentioned. Not only that, but there is an extremely large gap from the top of the page to the actual content of the page. The stripy grey takes up a lot of the screen and seems so blank and out of place.

There is a spot where the image meets the tiling background image and doesn’t tile seamlessly – view screenshot.

Moving onto the colours of the layout, they’re well chosen and none of the colours are too blinding or bright. They are teamed and contrasted nicely with black, grey and white.

Parts of the styling maintain the interest of the layout, as do the many colours, but in general the stylesheet isn’t very unique. I have seen similar navigation and similar fonts used, so in that sense I don’t see it as being as unique as it can be. What I do see stand out though, is the subnavigation on the pages, which I have to give a plus for.

Content

About

On the page about yourself there are some mistakes. Im Michael should be I’m Michael.

The following words need to be capitalised: WordPress, Twitter, I, Twitter, I, Wii, I, WordPress, and I.
jadore should be j’adore
Idon’t should be I don’t
“Umm” is unprofessional and should be avoided
end sentence after “I like my Wii”
all the new games but never do should be all the new games, but never do
general annoying people should be annoying people in general
Grr should be Grr.
Me and cheese are worst enemies should be Cheese and I are worst enemies
Isi, Granpy should be Isi and Granpy
Put some padding on the right of the picture; the text is a bit close to the image.

On your credits page you should be stating why you are crediting that website; do not simply credit them.

Resources

The backgrounds are good and seem to tile seamlessly; the second set aren’t as appealing because they look fuzzy and grainy.

The bullets are nice and in a nice range of colours.

Button bases are rarely used and people usually make their own but these are made well and of good quality.

The icons are good. Nice subtle effects on them too. Some text would be good for variation.

I would suggest making some inanimate pixel text; flashy colourful animated ones can be a distraction.

The polaroids are very nice, and you’ve chosen quite suitable pictures to go with them too. However, do not simply credit “DeviantArt”. There are hundreds and thousands of users on DeviantArt and you should credit them by their username. It’s the equivalent of someone crediting you as “a resource site”. Which one – there are many. So credit the user on DeviantArt from now on.

You need to give credit for the silhouettes.

Scratch textures are fairly common. The colour bursts are nice but try creating ones in different colours.

The user bars are quite unique as I have only seen them on a few websites, but good job.

The brushes are nice but some of them aren’t really that useful, such as the first two packs. I can’t really imagine these being used on a layout. The newspaper clippings and paper ones would prove more useful though. At least you have these in different formats for download.

The emoticons look good. Everyone has these basic shapes so try to make something more unique. Some of these could do with a bit of shading as well.

The hot pink on the WordPress theme is a bit too bright; tone it down a bit. Nevertheless this is a good structured theme that’s well organised and well put together.

Nothing much to say about quotes.

Tutorials

A number of errors on the cPanel tutorial:
your there should be you’re there,
your making should be you’re making
Not should be Note
i should be I
your creating should be you’re creating
your self should be yourself
unlimited be should be unlimited. Be
your creating should be you’re creating
someone else should be someone else,
its good should be it’s good
quota, most should be quota; most
Account should be Account’
your done should be you’re done.

On the CSS blockquote tutorial the first sentence should begin with ‘A’, as well as the second.
teh should be the
in the sample code, close the blockquote customisation with }.

On the external stylesheet tutorial:
stylesheet’s should be stylesheets
page’s should be pages
Its a should be It’s a
Contact from should be Contact form.

On the image border tutorial, stylesheet, feel should be stylesheet; feel.

On the scratch texture tutorial:
800 should be 800 pixels
document.Make should be document. Make
brush. draw should be brush, draw
somthing should be something
appear, copy should be appear; copy
somthing should be something
appear, copy should be appear; copy
your done should be you’re done.

Under the PSP tutorials, “About” isn’t a tutorial and isn’t necessary at all. seam should be seem.

On the adding border tutorial, your done should be you’re done. This tutorial is quite useless.

On the background blur tutorial:
Ok should be Okay
psp should be PSP
Ajust should be Adjust
noramly loceted should be normally located
right hand side… of what? The keyboard.
your done, heres should be you’re done; here’s.
Really a rather simple tutorial but a nice trick to know.

On the blending tutorial:
peoples layouts want should be people’s layouts and want
to blend to tell this should be to blend. To tell,
the same, anyway oped should be similar. Open
pictures up should be pictures
paint shop pro, here should be Paint Shop Pro; here
i want should be I want
Ok should be Okay,
have bothe should be have both
link mine should be Like mine
layer patlett should be layer palette
there is three should be there are three
that one, if should be that one; if
you want take a should be you want. Take a
“Britney Snow” should be “Brittany Snow”.

People do not need to know how to blend to make their own layouts; you should edit this tutorial. Also, the blending doesn’t look good at all; the seam between the two images is still visible and there’s a black strip where the image has moved. You have a lot of unnecessary information in this tutorial. You don’t need to tell the user to click the other layer to change it and so on – simply make a new step stating to “click layer 1″. You don’t need all this extra information.

On the blur effect tutorial:
someones should be someone’s
Ok first thing should be First
psp should be PSP
Ajust should be Adjust
ok, the your done should be okay, then you’re done
abit like like this should be a bit like this:.
This tutorial is really quite simple and pointless.

On the blur text effect tutorial:
new blank should be new (if it’s new, it’s pretty much blank already)
paint shop pro should be Paint Shop Pro
seperate should be separate
Heres should be Here’s
appear, copy should be appear; copy
like this should be like this:.

On the buttons tutorial:
ok should be Okay
bases should be bases.
ir you can have some of mine should be if you would like to use some of mine
Ok should be Okay
paint shop pro like i should be Paint Shop Pro, like I
selection toll witch should be selection tool which
and outline should be outline
like i should be like I
“width” and “height” need not be capitalised
keyboard i think i will have should be keyboard. I will have
like this should be like this:
thats should be that’s
want, add should be want. Add
Click should be click
dont should be don’t.
This tutorial is pretty pointless. You’re simply instructing someone on how to resize a photograph.

On the brush shaped layout tutorial:
Brush should be A brush
thats looks should be that looks
psp. Heres should be PSP. Here’s
colour, i should be colour; I
rubber should be eraser
Heres should be Here’s.
This tutorial is really simple and pretty useless. If incorporated into an advanced layout tutorial it would be much better.

You use a lot of rhetorical questions in your tutorials which is unsightly after seeing it on so many of your pages. “Don’t like so-and-so, try this”, “Want to improve so-and-so, try this”… these are tutorials and questions such as that should be avoided.

On the changing eye colour tutorial:
Dont should be Don’t
want, should be want
Ok first thing should be Firstly
psp should be PSP
like i should be like I
goto should be go to
Ajust should be Adjust
appear, ajust should be appear; adjust
the both eyes should be both eyes
abit like like this should be a bit like this:
If you haven’t had the chance to change the URL on your image then change it. You just look like a lazy person.

On the colour bubbles tutorial:
i get should be is get
get clickin should be get clicking – can you explain this step? How must one go about clicking in order to decorate their image? This tutorial is really quite pointless and I have seen it too many times on different websites.

On the colour overlay tutorial:
overlay, you should be overlay; you
to do should be you have to do
paint shop pro im should be Paint Shop Pro. I’m
layer should be layer.
how ever should be however
want like i should be want, like I
your done, it should be you’re done. It.

On the colourizing clothes tutorial:
i have should be I have
tutorial wo should be tutorial to
someones should be someone’s
Ok first thing should be Firstly
psp should be PSP
could like should be would like
like i should be like I
Ajust should be Adjust
appear, ajust should be appear; adjust
abit like like this should be a bit like this:.

On the cropping tutorial:
easy this should be easy; this
Ok first thing should be Firstly
psp should be PSP
Heres should be Here’s.
A tutorial on cropping? A tutorial telling you how to use a tool? Really now…

On the glowing edge tutorial:
shure should be sure
had space should be has space
thing should be object
seperate should be separate
Ok should be Okay
Repeat should be repeat
like this should be like this:.

On the glowing text tutorial:
paint shop pro should be Paint Shop Pro
had space should be has space
seperate should be separate
Heres should be Here’s
Ok should be Okay
Repeat should be repeat
like this should be like this:.

On the greyscale tutorial:
somthing look abit should be something look a bit
Ok should be Okay
psp heres should be PSP. Here’s
Now you done heres should be Now you’re done. Here’s.
A tutorial on how to click “image” then “Greyscale”? This is really quite a useless tutorial. I know how to click two places on my screen, and I didn’t need a tutorial for that.

On the halftone tutorial:
psp should be PSP.
appear, you should be appear; you
or either should be or.
I’ve seen this tutorial much too many times on websites. All you are doing is teaching someone how to look at the effects in their program. It’s useless.

On the hue colorization tutorial:
Fist should be First
like always should be as usual
paint shop pro here should be Paint Shop Pro; here
Ajust should be Adjust
appear, ajust should be appear; adjust
your finished, here should be you’re finished; here
could turned should be could have turned.
You mention “ways”, when there is only one example. Again this tutorial is pointless. There are many functions under “adjust” which can change the look of an image.

On the improving makeup tutorial:
years christmas should be year’s Christmas
dont like should be don’t like
thing for it should be thing to do
Ok should be Okay
paint shop pro should be Paint Shop Pro
Choose should be choose
and thats should be and that’s.
I don’t think this improves makeup much at all. It just looks like you’ve glossed the lips and eyes unnaturally.

On the inner beveled text tutorial:
new blank should be new
paint shop pro should be Paint Shop Pro
seperate should be separate
Heres should be Here’s
wil appear, just click ok should be will appear; just click okay
this should be this:.
This tutorial is pointless; you’re just telling someone how to put a simple effect on text.

On the installing brushes tutorial, Ok. Then your done should be Okay. Then you’re done.

On the layout icon tutorial:
layout, this should be layout. This
Ok should be Okay
psp should be PSP
automaticly should be automatically
ok should be okay/OK
borders if should be borders. If
dont know should be don’t know
paint shop pro should be Paint Shop Pro
Im should be I’m
Heres should be Here’s.

On the affiliate icons page:
blank document should be document
pallet should be palette
settings, choose should be settings; choose
ok should be Okay/OK
bewlow should be below
your done should be you’re done
turened should be turned.
This is also a pointless tutorial.

On the making brushes tutorial:
psp should be PSP
Heres should be Here’s
ok, then your should be okay, then you’re.

On the bullet tutorial:
site, this should be site; this
psp should be PSP
Heres should be Here’s
PNG If should be PNG. If
you dont should be you don’t
Turorials should be Tutorials
your done should be you’re done.
This tutorial isn’t very useful; it doesn’t actually tell someone how to even draw a bullet. “Draw your bullet” – how?

On the PNG icons tutorial:
Ok should be Okay,
100, use should be 100 pixels; use
you, if should be you. If
you dont should be you don’t
docuemtn should be document
choice here is should be choice. Here is
docuement should be document
like mine any colour should be like mine. Any colour
will do go to should be will do. Go to
writeme should be write my
actuall should be actual
so fat… what is this supposed to mean?
thedoucument should be the document.
resize it should be Resize it
layour your rectangleis should be layer your rectangle is
abetter effect here should be a better effect. Here.
Again another pointless tutorial; with any sense of organisation one can make their own “icons” or “previews” – not all people want to make them like yours.

On the mirror text tutorial:
psp, it should be PSP; it
Ok should be Okay
psp heres should be PSP. Here’s
fliped should be flipped
rubber should be eraser
then your done!. should be then you’re done!.
You claim that this tutorial makes images look 100 times better… I disagree.

On the noise effect tutorial:
Noise, is should be Noise is
backgrounds, heres should be backgrounds; here’s
ok, then your done heres mine should be OK, then you’re done. Here’s mine (that’s a lot easier to read and doesn’t look like you typed it in a massive rush).

On the one step photo fix:
somthing should be something
dont know should be don’t know
psp should be PSP
Heres should be Here’s
your done should be you’re done.
How is this supposed to fix a photo? I see absolutely no difference between the two photos, and the ambiguity of “something wrong” – I really wouldn’t deem this tutorial as useful.

On the optimizing JPGS tutorial:
your making in psp should be you’re making in PSP
Choose should be choose
ok should be OK.

On the painted picture effect tutorial:
psp heres should be PSP. Here’s
will appear copy should be will appear. Copy
your done heres mine should be you’re done. Here’s mine.
This tutorial is useless.

And so is the pixelate tutorial, which has numerous errors, predictably:
your going should be you’re going
with, heres should be with; heres
ok should be OK
your done. Heres should be you’re done. Here’s.

Resizing – completely useless tutorial.

On the rounded corners tutorial psp should be PSP. This is yet another useless tutorial simply on how to use a function.

The splash screen tutorial is useless. Any person new to the program will figure out how to do this on their own.

On the shadow text effect tutorial:
paint shop pro should be Paint Shop Pro
seperate should be separate
Heres should be Here’s
appear, copy should be appear; copy.

On the sunburst effect tutorial:
preform should be perform
with, heres should be with; here’s
setting how you want should be settings how you like
your done. Heres should be you’re done. Here’s.

On the threshold effect tutorial:
preform should be perform
your going should be you’re going
with, heres should be with; here’s
appear, set should be appear; set
your done should be you’re done
Heres should be Here’s.

On the transparent GIF tutorial:
his tutorial should be This tutorial
GIF’s should be GIFs
image, or should be image or
paint shop pro should be Paint Shop Pro
optimizer, a should be optimizer. A
Existing image should be select Existing image
raido should be radio
OK, it should be OK. It
screen, save then your should be screen; save then you’re.

On the transparent PNG tutorial:
image, or should be image or
paint shop pro should be Paint Shop Pro
optimizer, a should be optimizer. A
raido should be radio
OK, it should be OK. It
screen, save then your should be screen; save then you’re.

Just thought I’d note that it’s quite monotonous you’re using the same picture on each and every tutorial, not to mention it’s a celebrity image. This is considered illegal if you don’t have permission from the photographer to use it.

On the transparent box tutorial:
it, that should be it; that
well think should be well, think
your going to use in psp should be you’re going to use in PSP
Ok, now should be Okay, now
rectangle toll witch should be rectangle tool which
on your picture i should be on your picture. I.
Again, this is an extremely basic tutorial. There is no need for a tutorial like this.

On the vintage effect tutorial:
preform should be perform
your going should be you’re going
with, heres should be with; here’s
appear, set should be appear; set
your done, heres should be you’re done; here’s.
Another tutorial on how to do such a simple effect?

On the water colour effect tutorial:
Findout should be Find out
psp should be PSP.
scropt drop should be script drop
psp should be PSP
image, heres should be image; here’s.

On the wind effect tutorial:
styleish should be stylish
Ok should be Okay,
psp heres should be PSP. Here’s
appear, set should be appear; set
below, mine should be mine below,
ok should be OK
Viola! Then your done should be Voila! Then you’re done.

On the Akismet tutorial you mention step four, but you haven’t even numbered the steps.

WordPress is a name and you should be capitalising it, like your name.

On the WordPress calendar tutorial, stlye should be style and your done should be you’re done.

Instead of referring people to your other tutorials and not even linking them, perhaps you should include the instruction in the tutorial itself.

In the custom number of posts tutorial:
you’re wordpress should be your WordPress
Setting should be Settings
your done should be you’re done.

The importing and exporting tutorials can be combined.

Installing plugins – too simple.

On the installing WordPress tutorial:
wordpress i should be WordPress, I
i decided should be I decided
its not should be it’s not
wordpress dictionary should be WordPress directory (unless you really, seriously mean “dictionary”)
i called should be I called
your done should be you’re done.

On the BellaBuzz/WordPress tutorial
bella buzz should be Bella Buzz
your done should be you’re done
The code on this page extends past your content area.

On the making pages tutorial:
wordpress should be WordPress
your at the pages screen should be your pages as
your at should be you’re at
screen. Shown should be screen, shown
doesnt should be doesn’t
orage should be orange
your done should be you’re done.

On the PHP pages with WordPress tutorial:
below: and should be below, and
dont foget should be don’t forget
strait should be straight
benith should be below
Upload it the your main dictionary should be Upload it to your main directory
paster in should be paste
your done should be you’re done
everypage should be every page
there automaticly should be they’re automatically.
The code extends past your content section.

On the permalinks tutorial:
yoursite should be your site
wp should be WordPress
changed then your should be changes then you’re.

On the top commentators tutorial:
plugin if you dont should be plugin. If you don’t
your using should be you’re using
then your should be then you’re.

On the WordPress as index tutorial:
your done should be you’re done.

More

On the hosting page, conent should be content. Pornographic material need not be capitalised, but ‘English’ does, and so does I.

I don’t feel a need to review the movie reviews at all. They’re your opinion, and after all, you should run these through a spellchecker, because I spotted many spelling and grammatical mistakes. As the final part of your content, I believe you can actually fix these errors yourself if you tried.

Originality & Creativity

A lot of your website was generic content, particularly the tutorials. What was good were the graphics and resources, because the majority of these were high quality and quite creative.

Your many tutorials seemed to be the result of a “quantity” over “quality” approach. You have to keep in mind that having a lot does not necessarily mean that it is good.

Organisation & Errors

Organisation was okay.

You had hundreds of errors in your writing, especially in your tutorials. You need to use a spellchecker to check your work. The errors are unsightly and look incredibly unprofessional.

Your work looks really lazy and you should fix these errors. I know that you have received reviews before, outlining these errors, so laziness is no excuse.

Overall Comment

I highly suggest that you clean out all the PSP tutorials. They are all useless, and I must say, even as a beginner to PSP, I didn’t learn much at all from your tutorials, not much more than if I had experimented with the program myself. All the tutorials are for simple effects that are simply in the menu.

The highlight of your website is your resources which are generally of high quality. Your layout does need a bit of work in terms of structure.

You need to remember that quantity does not necessarily mean quality. It is much better to have a few tutorials or a bit of content, that is excellent – rather than having the 60 tutorials you have, which aren’t even useful.

Focus on what you’re good at – resources. The tutorials need a really big clean-out.

Rating

(out of 5)