Golden Spider Awards?

[mneylon]

Well what gets me is how they worked out that they were "top" for that category, since last time I checked Alexa didn't even offer that form of categorisation

 

[davidbehan]

Just wondering what people think of this as an idea??? Michele - I wasn't arsed rewriting it so I just copied and pasted!

Hi,

If you have a couple of minutes, I’d like to share an idea with you after reading some posts by you and a few others about the Golden Spiders and setting up your own awards. I was quite interested in the posts as I have a site up for nomination this year. I’m not saying that your posts are not relevant or without justice but at the same time, I have no problem in accepting an award or promoting that one of my sites has been nominated (or may possibly win)… it can only help boost my profile and business.

In saying all that I do think that an industry run awards may be a good move forward and I’ve been playing with an idea since reading the different posts on the matter. So here’s what I was thinking. I don’t know if this fits in with your ideas but if I can help in some way, I’d be more than happy to do so.

So, the idea… As I’m sure you remember, the good old doras.ie… the site that reviewed other sites and gave them a mark out of 5 based on whatever mood the person reviewing the site was in (IMO). Ok, the reviews were not always consistent but as far as I remember, most websites you visited had a doras shamrock picture on it. What if we took that idea and made a community review out of it. Say I enter a site to be reviewed, the details of the submission are sent to 10/20/50 Irish web industry professionals for review. Those people review the site on the basis of the following:

· Site Design, Graphics, Layout and Navigation
-- Design
-- Graphics
-- Layout
-- Navigation
· Standards Compliance and Accessibility
-- CSS
-- (X)HTML
-- Section 508
-- WCAG1.0 1, 2, 3
-- Code Formatting
-- Muck like Golden Spiders Take #1 | Search Engine Optimisation Ireland .:. Red Cardinal
· Content and Marketing
-- Copy
-- Layout and Display
-- SEO
· Some other categories maybe

Based on the reviews by all members of the “committee” for lack of a better word, who review the site independently, they give marks for each of the sub categories. The individual reviews are then weighted and an overall mark for the website is generated. At the end of a year, a selection of the best x amount of sites in defined categories are reviewed again and this constitutes the nominations for an awards ceremony. I think you or possibly someone else, made a point of charging for a submission is outrages by the Golden Spiders but I think it is necessary. A nominal fee should be charged to cover the costs of reviewing the site. To motivate the people involved to review the sites (cause there could be a hell of a lot to review over a year), they could get paid for their time. There would also be a good revenue stream from the awards night. If the people on the committee are professionals in the Irish Internet industry and there are a few high profile names in there too, this could build up and surpass the Golden Spiders as the recognized national awards. This is just my initial thoughts on the matter but I would be interested in developing this idea further, if you are interested.

Well, that’s basically what I had in mind and if you would like to discuss this further, please let me know.

With kind regards,

Dave

 

[TheMenace]

Well what gets me is how they worked out that they were "top" for that category, since last time I checked Alexa didn't even offer that form of categorisation

It doesn't. Just nonsense. Like putting a serious accessibility statement on a website full of font tags, nested tables and spacer gifs. Honestly, sometimes I'm embarrassed to be in this industry.

 

[TheMenace]

Just wondering what people think of this as an idea??? Michele - I wasn't arsed rewriting it so I just copied and pasted!

To be honest Dave, I don't think this would work. Who would set it up? What if 100 web designers who were better than him/her took exception to this and rubbished the notion? What group could be collated consisting of, indisputably, the best Web designers and commercial Web developers in the country? I know plenty of designers who are utterly, utterly crap and who are so deluded that they'd want in on the ground floor and be founding members. It can't work. Simple as. It's about adhering to best practice and enough client education so that blaggers cannot pull the wool over their eyes.

 

[mneylon]

I think some of the ideas have merit, but if a "proper" award was to be setup you would need to have non-Irish judges

 

[daviddoran]

I think it would be amazing to have a more industry-orientated awards just like the Blog Awards is truly an industry award because it has come from a Blogger, for bloggers.

Anyway, if I have a good enough site I'll probably enter some awards next year - might aswell try.

 

[TheMenace]

I think eircom were in a great position to set up a fair and well-run awards but they've decended into farce. Brown envelopes, incompetent and unqualified judges and vested interests. Choose one or all of the above.

If a large corporate like eircom would take the incentive to run an award ceremony properly and for the good of the industry, whatever their motive might be to do so, and not for their own good or to benefit their corporate chums and golf course buddies then that would be fantastic.

However, I wouldn't trust a collective of web agency-types to run an award like this. From my experience, the web industry in Ireland simply isn't mature enough for there to be 'authorities' despite the fact that there are plenty of folk out there who try to be. To a good extent, it's still very much an old boys club and, in certain circles, needs to be saved from itself... and the likes of eircom of course.

 

[ph3n0m]

well the winners are announced


www.goldenspiders.ie

thoughts anyone, especially on clearscape winning?

 

[RedCardinal]

Looked at some. Took a while to find the results. The GS website was still offering me tickets this morning

Very happy for David Behan as his site (www.raymondpotterton.comhttp://www.raymondpotter.com I think)was one that I particularly admired when I saw it.

Of course everyone knows that I am no admirer of the GS - my hope is that it is now such a lame duck that we wont have to put up with it in its current format any longer.

 

[davidbehan]

Looked at some. Took a while to find the results. The GS website was still offering me tickets this morning

Very happy for David Behan as his site (In Memory of Raymond Potter I think)was one that I particularly admired when I saw it.

Of course everyone knows that I am no admirer of the GS - my hope is that it is now such a lame duck that we wont have to put up with it in its current format any longer.

Thanks Richard!!! Cheers for the email too. This site is www.raymondpotterton.com btw!!! I've got some photos from last night so when my brain starts working again, I'll put up a blog about the night. I think Michele is in the same boat too. Saw that he has half of a blog entry up there!!!

The night was great. Hosted by Jason Byrne, who was hilarious. There were some mad after parties in the rooms as well before management started throwing people out but I won't go into too much detail on that!!! Needless to say, it was a great night. Will post link to blog shortly!

Oh, Richard... did you know that your blog on the accessibility of the golden spider nominees websites made it into Business Plus magazine this month. The mag was in my room this morning when I woke and I came across the article. I'll scan and upload it for ya.

 

[RedCardinal]

thoughts anyone, especially on clearscape winning?

I think that http://clearscape.ie speaks volumes. Sent them an email to let them know.

 

[RedCardinal]

Thanks Richard!!! Cheers for the email too. This site is www.raymondpotterton.com btw!!! I've got some photos from last night so when my brain starts working again, I'll put up a blog about the night. I think Michele is in the same boat too. Saw that he has half of a blog entry up there!!!

The night was great. Hosted by Jason Byrne, who was hilarious. There were some mad after parties in the rooms as well before management started throwing people out but I won't go into too much detail on that!!! Needless to say, it was a great night. Will post link to blog shortly!

Oh, Richard... did you know that your blog on the accessibility of the golden spider nominees websites made it into Business Plus magazine this month. The mag was in my room this morning when I woke and I came across the article. I'll scan and upload it for ya.

Oops, fixed that, but goes to show that I as recalling from memory

BixPlus sent me a nice high-res pdf of the page. Hope to have a few more to add to that one at some stage

 

[Redfly]

Well, upload and give us a look?

 

[ButtermilkJack]

Oh my god what a farce. Not only do the judges have sites up for awards, but half the sponsors too! Some of the sites are also repeatedly nominated in various categories, needlessly so. Why is this? Is it to allow them to 'spread out' the awards to all the vested interests so everyone gets one, and is kept happy?

This is an industry I am only starting out in and I don't like the thought of it being ridiculed by jokers like these.

There's no problem in these judges giving themselves awards and feeling great about it. Let them do that behind closed doors. But when clients like Richard's start leaving for these 'winners' then we're all in trouble.

 

[ButtermilkJack]

...It would be interesting to see which criteria Irish property for sale by owner in Ireland. fsbo sell your own home online sell my house online private house sales beat Property for sale and property to let in Ireland, overseas properties in France, Spain, Bulgaria and worldwide, commercial premises - Hunt For Property.ie in and how the scores matched up.

Well, on design alone I think you've won hands down. Had the two open in tabs flicking between and there's no comparison. Yours is a lot cleaner and fresher. Much easier to navigate too. Well done, nice site!

 

[davidbehan]

Menace... this is side question but have you got an xml feed api for your website? PM me...

 

[grandad]

I've been missing out on all this discussion because of broadband problems, and am only catching up now.

The first thing that caught my eye - Clearscape.

Obviously my own design skills are crap, because I never would have thought of producing a site based on blue text on a blue background. Is this a new breakthrough in design techniques?

And their navigation relies on Flash. How is the site navigated if you have a non-flash browser?

My own website is dire. It is a bad, outdated design. It is badly in need of an overhaul. It has been there for years. But it is legible.

Now, comparing Clearscape [GS Winner] with my own site [crap], will someone please tell me why their site is soooo much better than mine? The only thing that I can see is that half their site is taken up with a banner proclaiming their win [it's the only easily readable part!].

I'm not being sarchastic. I really want to know.

 

[Redfly]

I've been missing out on all this discussion because of broadband problems, and am only catching up now.

The first thing that caught my eye - Clearscape.

Obviously my own design skills are crap, because I never would have thought of producing a site based on blue text on a blue background. Is this a new breakthrough in design techniques?

And their navigation relies on Flash. How is the site navigated if you have a non-flash browser?

My own website is dire. It is a bad, outdated design. It is badly in need of an overhaul. It has been there for years. But it is legible.

Now, comparing Clearscape [GS Winner] with my own site [crap], will someone please tell me why their site is soooo much better than mine? The only thing that I can see is that half their site is taken up with a banner proclaiming their win [it's the only easily readable part!].

I'm not being sarchastic. I really want to know.

I'm going to guess here that the best web design agency is not judged on their own website but on the websites created by them for clients.

I know from reading about it that the Bupa website was a huge undertaking. I'll assume the win was a result of that.
They do do some decent work.

 

[grandad]

I'm going to guess here that the best web design agency is not judged on their own website but on the websites created by them for clients.

I know from reading about it that the Bupa website was a huge undertaking. I'll assume the win was a result of that.
They do do some decent work.

Jaybus! I could have entered myself then

Granted they have done a few sites, but [not being cynical!] could it be the standing of the clients in the business world?

Frankly I'm not too impressed with their sites:
Bupa - Horrible little scrolly Iframes all over the place
Newstalk - It looks more like a forum
Newbridge - I like that one.
Gill McMillan - Good, but I've seen just as good elsewhere.
Mitsubishi - Nice design. Hard to read.
O'Donnell Sweeney - as above, but it has a f***ing pop-up.
Keelings - I like that one.
Electrolux - Again this obsession with pale blue text.

None of the above would make me [as a business] want to rush over and order a site.

 

[RedCardinal]

What I'm really curious to hear is what the points/scoring etc. were. I think that theMenace has requested feedback on the scoring and was promised this once the awards were finished?

Cant wait to hear how he gets on