Re: FORWARD (from Ryan Pavlik)

[Charles Goodwin <charlie xwt org>]

On Sat, 2004-01-31 at 02:42, Marc Maurer wrote:
> A respronse from Ryan Pavlik:

It would be great if Ryan could join this mailing list.

> I'll do it, hardcore (x)HTML style.  I love graphic design and web site
> design.

I don't think the solution is to create one big static update to the GO
website.  That way, in 2 years time, we'll be back where we started.

I believe that we need to objectively look at the requirements of a GO
portal and fulfill those requirements as best we can.  Although this is
not me saying, "stop with the design already" because we need a new
design and what we should be looking to do is to separate design and
content so that they can be produced in parallel.

I'm a recent subscriber to the XML/XSLT approach although I think this
is best used when combined with a good CMS like Apache Forrest [1] or
Apache Lenya [2].

> If project developers from each of the 2 or 3 "foremost" projects as
> suggested to me by someone who will remain unnamed so I don't cause
> problems (AbiWord, Gnumeric, and Gnome-DB) please send me a copy of your
> project's logo or icon image.  Scalable vector graphics preferred,
> otherwise the largest you have will do.  I'll use them to create a bit
> of a branding portal for GNOME Office.

I also think one of the issues that needs addressing is branding. 
Forgive any unintentional ignorance, but I believe that Abiword is the
only core GO project that has any kind of branding or image.  Gnumeric,
well, the abacus is in sore need of touching up at the very least.

> Also, if it's not too much of a burden, it might not be a bad idea to
> release a "version" of GNOME Office, so that there's a one-download
> solution going against the two main components of OO.o.  Just something
> to stew around in your craniums.

There already is a version [3].

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think we need to get our
own portal (read: website) distinct from the Gnome website.  The domain
gnomeoffice.org has long been available.  I will, when my employment
picks up again, purchase this and hassle some Gnome people for hosting
but I cannot say when that will be.

My own personal dream for GO is to have our own complete portal to cover
everything from hosting and documentation to development tools using
(for instance) gforge [4].  That's a long way away from being realistic
though, as we have yet to fully define Gnome Office or the intention of
a Gnome Office portal.  (Inclusive?  Exclusive?  A mixture of the two?)

[1] http://xml.apache.org/forrest
[2] http://cocoon.apache.org/lenya
[3] http://www.gnomedesktop.org/article.php?sid=1353
-- 
- Charlie

The future of the net - www.xwt.org

Charles Goodwin <charlie xwt org>
  Member of the XWT Foundation