Re: new comp

["digitect" <digitect mindspring com>]

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Martin Lee" <mlee andrews edu>
> To: <gnome-web-list gnome org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 11:24 PM
> Subject: new comp
>
> Here is the new one: http://www.infovariant.com/mlee/g2.gif
>

I like it! More good stuff from the Martin Lee design shop.

We need to use the icons as you have and I like the way there are
several subsections of information, although I believe we all still need
to nail down the structure. The list across the top has excellent
placement and content conceptually. I might change IRC to Help/Support
which then takes the user to an explanation of open source, the need to
read docs, and selected "first reads" for the typical Windows user. IRC
might be a part of those help resources.

Distinguishing GNOME sites and GNOME-related sites under Top Resources
and Related Sites is also good. Although we still need to resolve
structurally what our major subsections are going to be, this is a great
place to put them. I would say that the left-hand navigation bar should
just be subnavigation of whatever area you're in, with the black stripe
indicating what that is in some fashion. In that case I guess I don't
understand how the subsections you've listed on the left fit in to that
scheme. Likely you didn't intend it this way, but I see the black stripe
and above being common to the site as a whole (with the exception of
different color schemes), and the area below and corresponding
navigation bar unique to each area. Since the top is a good chunk of
space to waste on site navigation, phrase and search, maybe it is
revised slightly on most other pages. (Search in the black stripe,
smaller GNOME foot w/out "GNOME", and no descriptive phrase.)

I agree with Ryan's comment on color--the page should have at least an
accent, but the soft tones are identifiably GNOME (which is good from my
perspective :). Although it's a bit simplistic, maybe the black stripe
becomes a different color for each major area. Or maybe its just the
most obvious clue in a more sophisticated scheme of color "themes".

Dynamic menus are ok with me as long as all the code is client side so
that there's no refresh of the page when I use the back button and as
long as text-only browsers can still make sense of the page.

Not sure I understand the vertical black stripe down the New Software
menu and the resultant curve where it turns down from the horizontal
one. The vertical stripe does something nice to balance the composition
and sort of frame the main area but the curve doesn't seem resolved with
the rest of the design.

I don't want to impact your artistic sense too much, but I'm a believer
in having links obvious by color, if not underlined. Is there some
scheme by which you can indicate links? For example, how do I know I can
click on the New Software without going over there and running my mouse
over them?

Feature is a terrific idea for the front page, as well as Top News (as
opposed to developer news). If we are to separate the user from the
developer, the front page needs to have several chunks of content (or
headline paragraph to some) even if they don't change very often. A
collection of 5-10 pieces could be rotated through this slot to make
sure New Users have what they need and to keep the site fresh.

I think I would remove the New Software stuff to developer. Users don't
need to be downloading a bunch of new packages with all sorts of
dependency problems. We should have a place where they can download a
stable "Core" GNOME but then let them rummage through Developer to
experiment. Unless we get an updater the quality of Ximian's (formerly
HelixCode), users will quickly become unimpressed with GNOME if they
download components in New Software without first understanding the open
source model. I see this strip as fitting on the front page of
Developer, but not here. I know we all want to be able to see the latest
packages and developer news on the front page, but maybe most of us
should be viewing Developer as our front page, not www.gnome.org. Users
need more fundamental info. Perhaps some other content could go here
instead?

Any thought to variations for the different areas? I like the look and
structure of what you've got going here for the front page and would
like to see you (the list?) develop it. How might this be adapted to the
front page of Developer, Foundation, or Projects? (And BTW, can we all
agree to find something better than "GNOME: Computing Made Easy"? Maybe
"GNOME: Cool Computing" or "I GNU you'd like GNOME!" Heh, let's have a
contest.)


Steve  [ digitect mindspring com ]