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Date:      Fri, 7 Oct 2005 11:58:02 +0300
From:      George Danchev <danchev@spnet.net>
To:        Giorgos Keramidas <keramida@ceid.upatras.gr>
Cc:        www@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: www/86970: The new web site look and feel is not FreeBSDish as we all know and love
Message-ID:  <200510071158.02793.danchev@spnet.net>
In-Reply-To: <20051007032651.GA1219@flame.pc>
References:  <200510060816.j968Gm4f030207@freefall.freebsd.org> <200510061943.13663.danchev@spnet.net> <20051007032651.GA1219@flame.pc>

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On Friday 07 October 2005 06:26, Giorgos Keramidas wrote:
--cut--
> > It has already been said that the important links should stay on the
> > main page, not forcing people digging hard for stuff. Look at the old
> > site's left pane for example. These are the bullet lists links for
> > Platforms, Software, Documentation, Support, Bug Reports, Development
> > (at least) along with their submenus as links. Just one-click away -
> > clean, sane and simple.
>
> That's more like it!  Suggestions for improvement are a nice thing.
> This is, in fact, how the web site *IS* developed :)

This has been said several times by me and other main page links wanters, and 
the exact links wanted were mentioned.

> Well, a long list of 2-level links may be nice if you are a 'hacker'
> type, who likes quickly skiiming through lists of links for the right
> one.  It's so... early 90's for the rest of the world though.

Not a valid argument for right and left blank space left unused on the new 
site, any pointers for that inefficiency ?

Instead of brain-storming what link to remove and to fre room to put another 
one, just rethink of how to put as many of them as possible making use of the 
free room left. I'm not a webmaster, but I really think that "New to FreeBSD" 
should look like "Learn More" and moved next to it. Then under SHORTCUTS (do 
you really need that word there eating space... it is pretty obvious what 
these are?) you can add "Platforms" and "Ports" (or "Ported Applications") at 
least. I really tried to be minimalistic.

Here are some easy hints for site improvement:
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freebsd.org%2Fwhere.html
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freebsd.org%2Fcommunity.html
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freebsd.org%2Fdocs.html
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freebsd.org%2Fdocs%2Fwebresources.html
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freebsd.org%2Fsend-pr.html
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freebsd.org%2Fprojects%2Findex.html

I'm sorry to find out that this should be handled on the main page and 
*on-the-fly*, instead sorted out in previous off-line site 
discussions/developments.

> > Also my personal opinion is that the new site should have been placed
> > at freebsd.org/new and discussed to death before surprising people
> > unexpectedly, while the old one mentions about the prospective change
> > and link to how it would look at "Project News" (old's right pane) not
> > the other way around like to place the production one at old/ and
> > fixing new site bugs on the fly.
>
> There comes a point at the life of every project where things are no
> longer done the right way because it *is* the Right Way(TM), but only
> because ``this is what we have been doing for so long now''.  At times
> like these, more discussion doesn't usually help at all :)

I'm sorry, but there is no excuses for insane and immature site-lifts or any 
other critical services hazardous treating. I really hope this will never 
happend again coz it damages people's faith in a severe way !

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