Author Topic: Friendly 404 (Read 16526 times)

Ampa · « **on:** April 24, 2010, 08:39 AM »

I mistyped the forum URL on a friend's PC as donationcoder.com/forum and got a rather plain and unhelpful 404 page not found.

I know it is a small thing, but couldn't we have a nicer error page, which lists the major areas of the site, tries to redirect (after a few seconds) to the most likely destination if it can easily be guessed (eg. forum -> forums!).

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** April 24, 2010, 10:06 AM »

i think it's a great idea to have a nice looking 404 staring our mascot Cody, with maybe a list of likely destinations (mini site map); we'll get right on it!

40hz · « **Reply #2 on:** April 24, 2010, 01:25 PM »

This was one of the best 404's I've ever seen:

http://1976design.com/blog/404

And this one is almost as helpful - but cuter. Incorporates a mascot theme too!

------------------------------------------------------

w/thx to the folks at Smashing Magazine ( www.smashingmagazine.com ) for both.

Eóin · « **Reply #3 on:** April 24, 2010, 03:14 PM »

My suggest would be to not make a 404 page too busy. I find on some sites that sometimes it take me a few moments to realize I'm not looking at a content page.

I think incorporating Cody is a great idea, as having an image dominate the 404 page very quickly indicates, to me at least, that this is not where I intended to be.

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** April 24, 2010, 03:36 PM »

I find on some sites that sometimes it take me a few moments to realize I'm not looking at a content page.

agreed -- it should be really clear you are on a 404.

cranioscopical · « **Reply #5 on:** April 24, 2010, 03:56 PM »

a nice looking 404 staring our mascot Cody
-mouser

agreed -- it should be really clear you are on a 404.
-mouser (April 24, 2010, 03:36 PM)

Yeah, you don't want people staring at Cody for too long

1NR1 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 26, 2010, 10:09 PM »

Have a N.R.N.Y

(R for review)

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2010, 03:17 AM »

How about a large dazed looking Cody wondering where the heck he is with just the usual site header and footer?

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2010, 03:25 AM »

i think the image of cody on pirate ship looking through his telescope would be a good 404 base image with some minor modifications.

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2010, 02:14 PM »

Maybe we need to have a contest to make a custom Cody 404 page for donationcoder.
Here is my entry, using Nudone's image of cody from our last NANY event:

https://www.donation...r.com/About/404.html

nudone · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2010, 06:25 PM »

looks good to me.

housetier · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2010, 08:43 PM »

I say it needs more whitespace, and the links should have the same style as all the other links on dc.com

nudone · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2010, 01:20 AM »

I say it needs more whitespace, and the links should have the same style as all the other links on dc.com
-housetier (May 08, 2010, 08:43 PM)

good points.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2010, 04:42 AM »

Why not just use the normal site header and footer (menus etc) with a message that points to them and quicklinks to the home page and Forums. All the other links are already there.

For example just use the home page as it isbut replace the main body with the 404 message and Cody.

I like the Cody image though.

wraith808 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 09, 2010, 10:47 AM »

I say it needs more whitespace, and the links should have the same style as all the other links on dc.com
-housetier (May 08, 2010, 08:43 PM)

Won't it have more whitespace in the wild? That seems like a compressed layout... as a full page, you'd have a lot more space to fill...

parkint · « **Reply #15 on:** May 09, 2010, 08:27 PM »

I REALLY like that one.
It is obvious, cute without being annoying.

Thumbs up from me!

OldElmerFudd · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2010, 01:57 AM »

The whitespace is nice and the layout feels right. Good job!

lanux128 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2010, 02:09 AM »

something like this would cute, it still retains the normal site header and footer (menus etc) as Carol mentioned above.

• http://gyazo.com/06e...01c4ea9e1936fa1b.png

tomos · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2010, 08:16 AM »

I only came across this by accident - it looks absolutely super -
I would say: dont change a thing

IainB · « **Reply #19 on:** May 18, 2010, 08:34 PM »

@mouser:

Here is my entry, using Nudone's image of cody from our last NANY event:
https://www.donation...r.com/About/404.html

I think that is a great 404 design.

+1 vote from me.

Out of interest, take a look at this for an amusing 404 from Snopes.com
http://snopes.com/Peter%20Cosgrove