decide

["Ivan Avila" <ivan avila org>]

I am new here and the first thing I noticed is that we are having a kind of
caos.
Maybe I still don't know the methodology you are following so I apologize.

First, we must decide which design we are going to use based on those that
are already
done,  my choices are:

http://www.mindspring.com/~digitect/gnome/comp-stevehall-05a.htm  (*)
http://www.mindspring.com/~digitect/gnome/comp-stevehall-05b.htm
http://www.mindspring.com/~digitect/gnome/comp-stevehall-05d.htm

(*) I like this the most, it needs just a little adjustment in the logo
drawing.

Colors are not aggressive and the design is simple.  We should seek
simplicty.  I like
soft colors (even the first version in gray tones) because they give a site
formality.
Also these designs and colors give to every element on the page a defined
place, in the last
versions (http://www.infovariant.com/mlee/g3.gif  ..etc) the left menu
looses importance and
the logo also looses importance since its mixed with more aggressive colors
just like red and
dark blue (in g5 version).

If the main objective for our website is to inform about the project to
potential costumers,
sponsors and users we need a this formal type site,  but if the site is
mainly for potential
users only we should re-design and make something nicer, brighter, etc.

We need a new homepage urgently, thats why we should decide soon and stop
wasting time designing
and re-designing new options and views.  About DHTML, Javascript, etc.  I
think that first we
should use the typical HTML (for maintenance purposes - everyone can easily
maitain the site).
We can discuss about something more complex later.

We must consider that we are not only in charge of the homepage, we must
design the link or most
revelant links following the main design, we cannot use the same, each page
has to be designed
separately but following the same style.

I also noticed that you were having problems with the information.  Whose in
charge of information?
I don't think we should be in charge of the information, there should be a
special department in
charge of the information architecture and they should tell us what to put
in the website.  We cannot
be aware of the lastest news and information and since our main objective is
to design and maintain
the website (or at least what clients and users see) we can put wrong and
mistaken information.  In
case we are responsable for the information architecture then we have to
tell the other departments
to give us weekly or monthly their latest news and then we can make a
selection and put that information.

After all these aspects are solutionated we can sit again and discuss more
calmly an alternate view or
concept for the website, but at least we have already one that is decent, so
there will be no rush.
Finally, we all talk and we all comment, but we must act! we must start
scheduling this project (because
its a project) and we must start assingning specific work, I know we are
here voluntarily but we can still
make a plan and we can have results shortly if we organize ourselves.

Thank you and please dont hate me :)
Ivan Avila
ICQ#:  82661220
email:  ivan avila org