New Kershaw Knives Website!

I have an older Thinkpad A22 with only 512mb ram...it locked up 2 times in a row after clicking on "next" to go to the next page. Haven't experienced this on too many other sites.
 
EDCeeker said:
You're right! It was probably Kershaw's decision to create bloated content that is difficult to maneuver, apparently has browser (version) incompatibilities so severe it seizes some browser/OS combinations, sends CPU utilization through the roof on others, and crashes still others. I'm also confident that the web designer(s) told Kershaw "Look, we're not going to make the content valid HTML/XHTML, we're not going to make it sight-impaired-friendly, and we're sure you won't mind that your home page, alone, will contain 41 HTML validation errors."

Yes, I'm sure Kershaw's just fine with all that.

Damn good thing for us Kershaw's product quality is a damn sight better, eh?

No offense intended, nygiantsfan3342, but so-called "web designers" are a dime a dozen. Good web designers, OTOH, are not. You'll have to define "computer engineer" for me, as everybody and their sibling with so little as an MCSE is calling themselves a "computer engineer" these days.

If she informs said employer of the implications of what they're demanding and they require it anyway: She's done her job. But if she fails to inform, she's not. Snideness aside: I find it hard to believe Kershaw is aware of just how poor, from both a technical and usability perspective, their new site design is.

Or, at least, they didn't ;)
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Good post.

But there is a difference between disliking someone's work and calling someone personally incompetent. That was the only thing I objected to.

I agree with some of the common complaints about the site, but I won't make a personal comment about someone that can't defend themselves.

Keep in mind that Thomas has stated that the site is still a work in progress. They want our feedback so they can fine tune it and give us what we want!
 
nygiantsfan3342 said:
Good post.
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Thanks.

nygiantsfan3342 said:
But there is a difference between disliking someone's work and calling someone personally incompetent.
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Perhaps you didn't read my comments closely?
  • The front page content, alone, is not HTML/XHTML standards compiant
  • The front page, alone, contains not less than 41 HTML/XHTML and accessability errors
  • The front page, alone, is completely sight-impaired-hostile
  • The second page, right off the bat, doesn't just not look good. Doesn't just not render. It blows up or freezes browser/OS combinations. And this is in just a tiny audience.
Those mistakes/omissions, on their own, are enough to condemn any so-called "web designer," IMO.

Now add to that that the front-page is completely search-engine-anti-optimised, ensuring Kershaw's own site forever remains off of the first page of search engines everywhere.

nygiantsfan3342 said:
Keep in mind that Thomas has stated that the site is still a work in progress.
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Good Lord, man, you don't publish site content for a major market-segment manufacturer that's just down-right wrong and then ask for public comments as to what's broken about it.

At least I wouldn't handle it that way.

If your wife's web design talent extends to more than just pushing content around in MS Frontpage or Macromedia Dreamweaver, ask her what she thinks of all this. She'll likely be as apalled as I am.
 
it's a form of advertising and communication of product info, it's pretty important to the company
 
I agree, only that it seems like some people are getting pretty upset about this. Kershaw's webpage is just not the kind of thing to get angry about...
 
well, it looks like EDCeeker probably does this for a living, so I can see how shoddy work in his field could be very annoying
 
Well, I like Spyderco's and Benchmade's websites pretty well. My suggestions aren't code related, but rather, I think will actually have a positive impact on Joe Average who isn't examining the source in depth. Actually, subjectively, things that both don't affect me and I'm not aware of (actually, my awareness affects me, but hey, let's not go into it), simply don't exist at all. Coding errors that don't affect me are like this. It seems tricky to define errors if we include such things at all...even though I don't dispute that according to technical reasoning, these would rightfully be considered errors.

What I want is much more data about every knife. I want more in depth descriptions, I want 30 high quality large photos and size comparisons, and maybe even video clips showing the opening and closing of the knife.

Right now, we get maybe what, two images per knife? If I can't see a knife in real life, I want a ton of photos to convince me it's going to look good in real life, and especially that it's going to be the right size for what I have in mind....hence my frequent request for comparison shots. Given the failure of companies to do this, I've begun taking fairly extensive photo galleries of each new knife (as time allows) starting with the Gravitator a couple weeks ago. Had I my collection with me here at this house, I'd go ahead and do the rest.

But this isn't a criticism of Kershaw's website in particular, it's much more general.
 
Artfully Martial said:
What I want is much more data about every knife. I want more in depth descriptions, I want 30 high quality large photos and size comparisons, and maybe even video clips showing the opening and closing of the knife.
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But this is result of amateur design. In general again this website does look like example from programming guide - how to use control interface elements, and so buttons and menues dominates interface, while contents suppose to be present first.

Example - text editor. First what you have your text and on the sides there is some buttons and menues, which you use when you need. If you use same approach from this particular case text editor will be done like set of screens with menues and buttons, which guide step by step you to page where you can see 10 lines of your text, but you have to select first from which line you need to see it, then how many characters per line and after this it shows you lines you are looking for. To edit it similar step by step you will enter line number and colomn number, number of character to replace etc...

This is simple example of content driven vs control driven software.

I guess in this case it should be page filled with knives with small pictures plus navigation capabilities on the side of the screen (buttons, nenues, etc...). Plus linksto news, FAQ, dilers list etc. Clicking on the knife should leed to the knife page with all details, pictures and links to customer reviews, steel composition, explanation of locking mechanism and soo on - what html - HyperText is made for initially.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
The one positive I found was that it finally loaded faster than the old site that had me wondering if my retirement age was gonna come up before the webpage. :rolleyes:

Your knive's satin blades are white against a white background. I frequently had a difficult time seeing the exact shape of non-coated blades.:confused:

In the Shun section, some entries state the blade steel is: Black Pakkawood.:eek:

The Shun knive's blade length was put in the category of "Overall Length". For example, a Santoku had an overall length of 6 3/8". OOPSIE!:rolleyes:

The site navigation is really clunky. It really needs a design overhaul.

Please forgive me for this frank assessment, but, your web designer may well have to find a line of work they are actually good at. I am unimpressed with the overall design of not only this site, but, the previous site as well.:thumbdn:

Thank God Kershaw makes some great knives! :thumbup: ;)


I've not read this thread yet, so, I apologize if I'm just re-stating things others have already brought up.
 
Speaking of content :

http://www.kershawknives.com/knifetech.php?feature_id=25

The strength of full tang knives is grossly exaggerated, the main reason they are used is simply because it is cheaper to make them. They suffer in terms of balance and efficiency to partial tangs. This just gets silly :

http://www.kershawknives.com/knifetech.php?feature_id=28

Auto-edge alignment? Shades of DarkOps here. This is also really poorly written :

http://www.kershawknives.com/knifetech.php?feature_id=29

P/M's actually have density issues with less than 100% compaction, the main advantage is higher and isotropic (or close to) toughness and ease of machining due to low segregation or carbides. There are lots of other problems, in general the content is quite low. I suggest firing whoever wrote that gibberish.

-Cliff
 
How are partial tangs more efficient and more expensive to make? I imagine you have a good reason for saying these things, but they sound like very strange claims to me...
 
I will say I'm becoming a fan of kERSHAW knives...It looks like you get a lot of knife for the money...and some of the folders are great looking....Oh oh...I can see an new EDC coming. Guess I'll be saving for a new one of these now......seriously....a mistress and drugs would be cheaper....lol

I am new to this site and would like to know how to start a thread...I am in Geezer territory so any help would be appreciated..I have looked but it might be right in front of me and I can't see it...Thanks in advance.
 
Artfully Martial said:
How are partial tangs more efficient and more expensive to make?
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They are more expensive because you have to remove the metal to make the tang and enclose the grip rather than slab handle. They are more efficient because the weight could be better used elsewhere and the handle isn't significantly loaded in prying and thus the strength arguement is largely irrelevant. Phil Wilson for example offers a slab handled construction piece, the South Fork, specifically because he can run a much lower cost than on the enclosed grips.

-Cliff
 
Interesting, but why not just use massive skeletonization of the tang to get a good compromise without a significantly increased cost? Maybe just five big holes down the tang?

For some reason, I'm uncomfortable using partial tang FBs. I know they're tougher than I need (even if I had disagreed with you, I would still claim that....I'm just not a hard use guy), but for some reason it feels like more can go wrong in them. I guess I've used full tang FBs my entire life, as far as I know I've never even tried a partial tang. I suppose there must be some sort of shape at the end of the partial tang to keep it from being pulled out of the handle?

As per creating new threads, it's pretty easy. Go back to the last directory--blade discussion forum (assuming that's where you want to post) by clicking Blade Discussion Forum at the topof this page, below the general/community/makers links and above the blue User Cp/FAQ/Members list bar. Once you're back there the new thread button will be found at the top of the page, inbetween the Passaround forum link and the top of the normal posts on the left hand side. Click that, write in a title at the title bar and type your message, then click submit thread below the area where you typed in the message.
 
misque said:
The one positive I found was that it finally loaded faster than the old site that had me wondering if my retirement age was gonna come up before the webpage. :rolleyes:
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There's an art to web site design. One of the aspects is creating content that attracts visitors, but that isn't so slow that they may leave out of impatience/frustration/boredom. The mistake many amateur web site designers make is not actually browsing their own creation via a slow link on an "underpowered" computer. (They make many, many other mistakes, too, but what I address here is your specific point.)

misque said:
Your knive's satin blades are white against a white background. I frequently had a difficult time seeing the exact shape of non-coated blades.:confused:
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This issue is one of those that requires a designer be both technically proficient and have an eye for "art." If the foreground item contrasts too heavily with the background, edges can "halo," thus blurring them. If the contrast is insufficient, foreground edges simply fade into the background. Sometimes the designer actually wants one or the other of these effects. I would say displaying knives would generally not be one such case ;).

misque said:
In the Shun section, some entries state the blade steel is: Black Pakkawood.:eek:
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Easy to sharpen to a mediocre edge, but won't hold it very well :D

misque said:
The site navigation is really clunky. It really needs a design overhaul.

Please forgive me for this frank assessment, but, your web designer may well have to find a line of work they are actually good at. I am unimpressed with the overall design of not only this site, but, the previous site as well.:thumbdn:
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At a guess, and this is just a guess, mind you, I'm thinkin' they hired somebody's brother/sister/son/daughter/niece/nephew/friend that claimed to be a "web designer," or told one of the marketing people "Here: This is your responsibility now." Been there. Done that. (Well, saw that.) Had to fixup/cleanup after 1. The so-called "web designer" (who they'd hired after he just walked in off the street one day) created truly abysmal content and layout then 2. The marketing girl (who had absolutely no experience with web site design or creation and would not take direction from me) "improved" it.

misque said:
Thank God Kershaw makes some great knives! :thumbup: ;)
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True, dat :)
 
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