10 Things: ZenBananas
08. Sep, 2009 
9 Comments
Okay, so don’t give me anything obvious to hate and I have to go and get nit-picky. That’s what your going to read in this review for ZenBananas. This blog is so simple, so zen, that I don’t know if I can find five things I hate, let alone ten.
It’s been three days since I started this review, and I’ve only found this. So, ZenBananas, here are: 10 3 things1 I hate about your site:
- Why is the RSS feed much lower on the sidebar than the email subscription?
- Your comment numbering is interfering with my awesome avatar in the Safari browser, on my awesome Mac.
- It’s a bad week for backgrounds at 10 things. I don’t like yours any more than I liked Tashi’s at the Tibetan Plateau.
Details
Check out the screenshot as of 9/8/09.
- Why is the RSS feed much lower on the sidebar than the email subscription? The rest of your blog is so well organized and tidy. I was surprised to find this basic blog element so out of place. Does the Master not know that a lot of people prefer to subscribe via RSS?
What does this mean? Your subscription options should be in the same place. Move your RSS feed button up with your email subscription option.
- Your comment numbering is interfering with my awesome avatar in the Safari browser, on my awesome Mac. Those pesky Macs and their pesky browsers. This is what your comments look like in Safari:
Safari comments formatting
What does this mean? This is a tough one. WP theme formatting can be tricky, especially with the comments section. I’m guessing a small tweaking would fix this formatting issue, however, couple that with the fact that Macs are not as prevalent and this may be an issue you choose not to tackle. Of course, that would be disappointing seeing as I’m a Mac user.
- It’s a bad week for backgrounds at 10 things. I don’t like yours any more than I liked Tashi’s at the Tibetan Plateau. I don’t get the background pattern—it’s pretty bland and uninspiring. Personally, I think your content deserves better. And while we’re on the subject, your header color is pretty ‘ugh’ as well.
What does this mean? You should find a more zen-like background and color scheme. Honestly, those are the only 2 design elements I don’t like.
The Good
Well, that’s pretty easy. ZenBananas is a damn good blog. The content is interesting; the images chosen compliment2 complement the content extremely well; the blog is focused and simple, as is the design. TopBanana knows what he (or she ) is doing. Good job.
Maybe my next review will give me something to sink my teeth into. Grrr!
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I didn’t like the large feed button that came with the base theme, and I couldn’t find the dang image so I could resize it, so I moved it down for the meantime.
Thanks for the heads-up on the numbered comments. I actually just used the default and I didn’t know it did that on the mac/safari. Time to go hunt down some css selectors…
And yeah, I’m not so happy with the background and header, but I just decided to go ahead with it anyway. I’m working on a site-redesign. Just need some time and space to do it away from the day job.
Thanks, and sorry there weren’t more things for you to hate.
P.S. “compliment” in “The Good” should be “complement”.
compliment – to say nice things about
complement – goes well with
(well yeah, those aren’t the exact definitions but they’ll do)
P.S. #2 I’m a he.
TopBanana´s last blog ..Slippery Stone
I agree that the RSS icon is a tad large.
Here is the full path of the folder where this image can be found and killed: wp-content/themes/seo-basics/images/rssfeedicon.jpg.
Personally, I don’t think you need a full redesign–just a new background image and a new header color. Everything else (IMHO) works really well.
Thanks for pointing out my grammar error. Really.
I have added this to the “Oops” page and have edited the post (not removing my mistake, just pointing it out). This is the kind of grammar mistake I dislike in others and loathe in myself.
I figured you were a he, however, you know what the Master says about assume.
Hey my color has improved, it’s not THAT bad!
Tashi´s last blog .."How life is for ‘The urbanised nomads’ "
Ack! Yep, I’m with the Web-Betty in regards to your background image. The vertical lines actually cause problems for my dyslexia which is interesting but obviously a BIG disadvantage of that background image.
Can I add something “I” hate? LOTS of whitespace in the header. Given how vital that space is on every webpage, maximize it! If I were doing the header design I’d make the banana logo a little larger (particularly wider) and have the site description beside the logo with a pretty font (in fact I’d make it part of the header image). Then add your RSS feed buttons (a round version instead of the standard) up within the header and aligned toward the bottom right.
I agree about the size of the RSS icon as a sidebar element but also with Web-Betty about its importance and need to be higher on the site. On balance, if I couldn’t change it, I’d sacrifice aesthetics for placement. People will care much more about having to go find the subscribe option than they will about it being larger than life.
One thing I LOVE is the way your images are presented within your posts. With the framing and caption. I’ve been considering a similar change to a few of the web projects I manage. It looks stylish and is a great way to keep relevant text (aka caption) with the images.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith – Web Designer´s last blog ..F-O-C-U-S on Writing Part IV
@Rebecca:
Thanks for the additional comments and tips. They’ll find their way into zb one of these days.
TopBanana´s last blog ..Slippery Stone
Great additional feedback Rebecca! Thanks for taking the time to share your insight.
Cool review and I shall check out the site more thoroughly, now I have an urge for a banana.
Mik´s last blog ..Riding ON the bus
Check out the new look
TopBanana´s last blog ..The Master Does Nothing