Power Design Redesign
After months of hard work, we have launched the latest version of the Power Design web site. Now in its seventh incarnation, this version of the site sought to push content to the front as well as keeping maintenance from being a tremendous undertaking. The bulk of the site was built as an HTML and Flash hybrid with some PHP peppering for includes and a content management system to control upkeep of the portfolio section. Best of all, the site is our most dynamic yet. Fewer graphics, reusable content and CSS make for ease of download and updating. MovableType (the very same code running this magnificent site you all know and love) is used in the News section to maintain news updates and archiving. We switched to the always fantastic Dreamhost, who continue to be the best host around, giving us more server space, bandwidth, and peace of mind (as well as one of the best free full-featured mailing list setups around).
Added to all of this, we created a new spin on the JavaScript Style Switcher made popular from A List Apart. Not only does the site contain the ability for the user to switch between four different styles, but in doing so they are able to change the site’s environment including backgrounds and colors. Ok, if you are familiar with style sheet switching that isn’t so revolutionary…but, the switching also occurs in the Flash movies. There are up to four Flash movies on a page at any one time. When you switch styles, the Flash movies pass the switch whisper-down-the-lane style so that the whole page changes. As is the convention, the site stays on the environment you choose for as long as you’re on the site, and will remember your choice for your next visit.
So, there you have it, a new Power Design web site in the can! Please check it out and tell me what you think. Sadly, this will be my last hurrah at Power Design, as I have acquired a new job. More on that soon…
- Posted at 3:55 pm in Design
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