Re: Status and whats the staus?

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

<quote who="Steve Hall">

> Horse pill size, no less. Heh, in actuality, Jeff made three requests
> that I'm still trying to incorporate:

I'll clarify. ;)

> 1. Make a separate HTML/CSS template for Netscape

This is *kind of* what my request was. I was hoping to challenge you to just
simplify our needs in terms of HTML/CSS.

Your current design requires either server-side detection of browser (which
implies that every page be processed dynamically), or large chunks of
javascript (which most of us would strongly disagree with).

Additionally, the single HTML / multiple CSS approach has left us with less
optimal pages for the various browsers; Netscape in particular is very slow
when scrolling / rendering CSS pages, and it's arguably better to use table
layout in its case anyway. This was the point at which I suggested separate
HTML for each browser.

The frustration with that is that it complicates the XSLT, and duplicates
some work there. I don't believe we need two sets of graphics - to reproduce
the current design *exactly*, sure we would, but we don't have to do that.
Let's not hedge our bets with the look and feel.

Dealing with these requirements successfully would be a major win. So yes,
it's a challenge for you. :)

> 2. Place the search box in the upper right corner of the page -- While
> I'm sure this request comes in the interest of usability (based on some
> kind of study recommending all search boxes in the upper right or
> something) I am completely opposed to cluttering up the top menu image
> with a big non-transparent input square.

Why? It makes it very visible and obvious. I don't think 'clutter' is the
right word; it certainly breaks the visual peace, but you have to do that to
make it obvious. :)

> Perhaps it could then go just below, but then it will need some kind of
> integrating color swath so that it doesn't just float there. Which means
> the beaded color stripe no longer slices across the top as cleanly. Etc.
> I'm still thinking about how to make this work, perhaps even by
> commandeering the top of the floating headline bar. Or something. Any
> other ideas?

It needs to go in the top bar, or the left bar, and I stand strongly behind
it being at the top right. Everywhere else is the 'content' area, which
shouldn't be touched (much).

> 3. Relocate the foot completely into the top nav bar -- Frankly, I'm not
> sure if I understood this last one correctly, so I'm probably not
> restating it right and won't comment on it further until Jeff clarifies.

Here's a mockup (done in under 2 mins, okay!):

  http://perkypants.org/misc/gnome-foot-top-bar.png

It could remove the annoyances we've had with transparency, etc. Basically
we need to be fluid with the design so we can come up with a very accessible
and cross-platform site, and this is just a small suggestion we could use to
do it. I'm all for simplifying things, and keeping them beautiful.

- Jeff

-- 
       "A rest with a fermata is the moral opposite of the fast food        
           restaurant with express lane." - James Gleick, Faster