RFC: Proposed new web site design

[Scott Ritchie]

Jeff Zaroyko wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 5:42 PM, Scott Ritchie <scott at open-vote.org> wrote:
>> Austin English wrote:
>>> On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 12:27 AM, Scott Ritchie <scott at open-vote.org> wrote:
>>>> We also don't really need a link to AppDB from the big buttons in the
>>>> front - AppDB is only the place to go when you're looking for it (hence
>>>> the button in the upper right) or once you know something about Wine
>>>> (hence a link in the about page).
>>>>
>>> I disagree. You could make the same argument against
>>> bugzilla/forums/wiki. The frontpage should serve as a portal to the
>>> rest of the site. Many times when I needs appdb/wiki, I go to
>>> winehq.org and then click the appropriate link.
>>>
>> I'm not arguing against that - we absolutely should have an AppDB and a
>> bugzilla link in the corner.  They're very useful.
>>
>> I'm just saying such a link doesn't have to also be among the large,
>> friendly buttons at the left, which is where a complete newcomer's eyes
>> are drawn.  A newcomer who doesn't know what they're looking for, and
>> thus probably doesn't want AppDB or Bugzilla yet (but does probably want
>> About, Download, or Support)
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Scott Ritchie
>>
>>
>>
> 
> I'm not a fan of the huge buttons and links, I think they're an eyesore.
> 
> I would prefer it to look like how wiki is here
> http://wine.codeweavers.com/winehq_new/wiki.html   Also I think the
> latest news about the project should be a centrepiece like it is in
> the existing design, not swept away to the side,
> 
> -Jeff

What would all that other information you want to cram in there be,
though?  Almost all of the information that goes onto the current main
page is better homed in the wiki, and as a developer I rarely find
myself at the actual front page of the current winehq.

Stuff like "Sending Patches" is certainly not going to be ever clicked
on by a newcomer straight off the internet, for instance.  By including
such links on the front page, however, we risk scaring away visitors by
cluttering their first impression with irrelevant or confusing stuff.

You are right that the news being prominent - that's why it's on the
front page, and why we should have a dedicated news page.  Putting a
typical Wine news blurb in its entirety is a bit too far -- the majority
of the text on the front page would be stuff like "Still better crypt32
support" instead of what we want them to read.  I suggest we print the
headlines, and keep the site focused on what's important for newcomers.


This redesign is a dramatic step, no doubt.  It refocuses the page
towards users rather than Wine developers.  You and I as serious Wine
people will need to shift our behavior somewhat to get the same use of
the site.  Instead of interacting with the front page of the Wine
website we'll be one step underneath (such as from the main wiki page or
the contribution page).

However, I think it's a worthy sacrifice - the new design looks like a
page I can genuinely send a stranger to.

Thanks,
Scott Ritchie