Review Request: Gloog

**andrew247** · 09-12-2006, 03:03 PM

I would be grateful if I could have a review for my website, Funny stuff.

I'm looking for feedback on design, content, and ease of use.

It's my first attempt at AJAX, so some comments on load times, etc, would be appreciated.

**inigomontoya** · 09-12-2006, 05:57 PM

Good, especially the white space, but the layout is not very memorable and that is they key to such a site.

**AndrewP** · 09-12-2006, 07:48 PM

Like the content and some good funny stuff

How would Google feel about you using their logo for your own and just swicthing the letters? Think there may be a copyright issue with that.

**vangogh** · 09-12-2006, 08:51 PM

Andrew quite a change since the last time you put your site up for review. Very simple and clean if not exactly the most beautiful site you'll find.

I do think Google would have a problem with your logo given it's pretty much a copy of theirs and your name isn't too far off. In the past I hadn't really associated the your name with Google given how different things looked, though now I might think your goal is to try to make people think you have something to do with Google. Be careful with that logo.

I also think you've come along way in the last couple of months when you put up your first version of the site. Both in the site itself and in your own skills.

**MadHatterTCM** · 09-12-2006, 11:55 PM

I don't nessicarily think that google is an issue. Because google doesn't use an orignal font, they took a standard font and added random colors to it. Who says someone can't make a logo doing the same thing. Using a preinstalled font and having a color for different letters? That aside, the name gloog? What the heck does that mean?

Funny site, good content, clean but boring. Excite me.

**MadHatterTCM** · 09-12-2006, 11:59 PM

By the way? What's the point of Ajax in here? YOu can create the same site with html/css/tables... Do you think a search engine easily reads links like

Code:

<a href="javascript:ajaxpage('ajaxfiles/wanadoo.html', 'content'); loadobjs('stylesheet.css')">

**andrew247** · 09-13-2006, 03:49 PM

Thanks for the comments.

The logo was originally for a parody of Google, then I used it in another site, now I've used it here.

The page looks a bit bare without it, so I'll try my best with paint to come up with a replacement.

I'll be adding a sitemap for search engines, and I'll also add <noscript> tags for people without javascript.

**vangogh** · 09-13-2006, 04:00 PM

Michael, you don't see the issue with Google? The word Gloog isn't too far off from the word Google. Andrew himself admits to it being a parody of Google. The logo looks to be taken from the letters in the Google logo. In fact would I be right Andrew if I guessed you copied their logo and just moved the letters around to spell out Gloog.

Google seems pretty protective about their brand. Someone seeing that logo would easily think they were looking at a Google site if they didn't look closely That's where I can see Google's issue. I think it would just be too easy to mistake the site belonging to Google with that logo.

Google obviously can't argue over the use of a specific font or specific colors, but they can over the use of applying the same colors on the same letters to the same font with the exact same effects on a word that very closely matches their company name.

**crush123** · 09-14-2006, 12:00 AM

the heading image "gloog:fun stuff" appears to have come down from its position.
it should be at the top.
and there is too little content on the main page.
present some images on the main page.

**andrew247** · 09-14-2006, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crush123

the heading image "gloog:fun stuff" appears to have come down from its position.
it should be at the top.
and there is too little content on the main page.
present some images on the main page.

The small Gloog logo was there to fill up some space and give it some colour, but since people seem to think I'll get sued even though I've been using it for two years, I've changed it for the time being to a temporary solution.

**MadHatterTCM** · 09-14-2006, 03:18 PM

Maybe Steve I can agree with that. Which is why I asked what the heck Gloog is? If there actually is a meaning to gloog and it isn't made just to look like google then there could be room for discussion. So.. to andrew: What is gloog? What does it stand for?

**andrew247** · 09-14-2006, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadHatterTCM

Maybe Steve I can agree with that. Which is why I asked what the heck Gloog is? If there actually is a meaning to gloog and it isn't made just to look like google then there could be room for discussion. So.. to andrew: What is gloog? What does it stand for?

Right, I'll try to cut a long story short.

I found paint on my computer.
I wondered what all the toolbar icons did.
I found out.
I took a screenshot of Google and modified it to a parody, with the name "gloogle".

A few years later I stuck a Microsoft Publisher website on Bravenet with 2 images.
Then I found out about HTML.
I redid the site.
I implemented it into a proper search engine parody, using the name gloog, because it was shorter, and less like "google"; 'gloog' has only one syllable compared to Google's two.

I took the search down site down because I decided an actual "GLoog" search was too close to Google.
I made another image site and found a free host without adverts.
I made another site still using the logo, but for no point.
I made a template site with a jellybaby/crap logo.

I made this site.
It looked boring.
I looked into the backup of the images folder for a site from a few years ago.
I picked the most colourful image I could find which matched the dimensions I was looking for.

I still kept the name Gloog for the site because it's in the domain.
Gloog has travelled from gloog.bravehost.com
It seemed to do the job nicely.
It has been demoted back to the archives now, because some people think I look like I'm copying Google (which might have been the case......3 years ago)

Here's an image similar to the original parody [made early last year because I couldn't find the original]. Note that it is gloog and not gloogle. It was after the transition.:
http://www.gloog.net/old/gloogle.jpg

Now that image is similar to google, and in comparison, the location of Gloog in the near past was not very incriminating.

**vangogh** · 09-14-2006, 09:12 PM

Andrew I think the site itself is fine and I think the name is fine too. It's the logo that I think might casue a problem. If you created a new one I don't think people would associate the site with Google. I know when you had the last version of the site up for review here it never even occurred to me that it had anything to do with Google. It was only seeing the new Google like logo that made me think there was a connection.

I don't think you need to archive the site, but I would redo the logo.

**andrew247** · 09-15-2006, 04:44 PM

It is gone.
I now need to find a replacement.

**tatrasim** · 09-15-2006, 05:23 PM

Beautiful... Clean, simple... Ajax works great here also. Everything is nice and loads fast... Ofcourse there is a but.... The site look great and look super, but... I do not think that the logo design is "good enough" for a "funny" website"... Your logo looks "serious". You need some colors... you need a funky font... That is my opinion... Also, your site looks great in IE, Firefox, Opera... Good Job!

**andrew247** · 09-15-2006, 07:49 PM

Quote:

you need a funky font

Exactly!
I had a colourful, funky font.
Unfortunetely, because it resembled the Google logo, everyone seems to think I'll get sued. :?