Re: [Firebird-website] A few thoughts about (new) site structure, and some good news...

[Carlos H. C. <li...@wa...>]

PC> As the main page is the key, it needs extensive care and polishment. I
PC> would like have it very very simple, with minimal text and more
PC> graphics. Look at www.mozilla.org or www.opensuse.org for examples.

I partially agree with you. Yes, I love Mozilla site design, but they
are not database guys, so I doubt we can be that simple :) Some years
ago I was able to find who did the Mozilla design, maybe this info
will be useful for us now.

PC> The main visual focus should be targeted on new users, i.e. downloads
PC> (latest stable release) + everything you need to get started (single
PC> page, more about that later). It should be based on graphics with
PC> minimal text.

I agree about making "major interesting stuff" very visible for new
users, but I would like to see a balance about clean/technical and
simple design.

[.... a lot of quote cutted here ....]

I will not comment all the items you replied, because many of them are
related to design, and I think this need to be handled by outside
people (professional web designers). They should suggest what colors to
use, or if there should be button or link, etc etc. We need just to
approve or reject ;)

PC> About the Firebird logo... I think that we should come with new one at
PC> our tenth anniversary. The current one is not very good, we just use it
PC> because we didn't have a better one and didn't replaced it long time ago
PC> because this was used on various materials, t-shirts etc. But tenth
PC> anniversary is a good occasion to make a switch. I think that we need
PC> simple, distinctive one that uses only one colour. Maybe an isometric
PC> bird head (in a circle?) with some graphical resemblance of fire (head
PC> feathers)? It should be created from few slick lines instead of surfaces
PC> like current one. PG and MySQL logos are good examples what I mean.

Not sure if we need new logo, or even if it would be good to change to
a new one after so many people are used to the currently one. Maybe it
just need a facelift. Anyway, again, I think it is not our business
to tell how it should looks like. We need professionals for this job

About the downloads and docs, I'm not sure if creating subdomains are
good idea. Yes, we have a lot of items, but the best thing to do would
be to find a way to present this in a simple way to the user.
Spreading the same thing (contextually speaking) in different places is
one of the faults of the currently site, imho.

Maybe a good approach is to first list the "most
interesting/desirable" things, that would satisfy 90% of the visitors,
and a second level with extra stuff for people wanting more. Also,
some of the docs can be combined into single "books" to reduce the
numbers of available items.

>> 6. Contact

PC> Not as separate area / menu link. We have too many different kinds of
PC> groups and contacts. I'll left contact to project Admins as part of
PC> footer copyright notice and at "About" area fro press etc., but
PC> generally contacts would be scattered around the site on places where
PC> they're most relevant.

I avoided saying where things should be. I just wanted to build a
structure of the site content. Someone from the project + the designer
would decide where it would be, or how it will be presented (menu,
link, section, sidebar, etc).

PC> Agreed. But I'd like make it even simpler than you proposed :)

If possible, it would be great!

PC> Hmm, that would be probably Helen and me (with feedback from other
PC> project members), as we have the most experience with it and others have
PC> more important things to do than spend hours and hours on this. However,
PC> this task would go far beyond our "available time", so I have to check
PC> first whether we could ever make time for it. So no promises, but we'll
PC> do what we can.

Pavel, you and Helen already handles the site. If the "group" will be
you and Helen, we don't need it at all, since you are already in the
control, so what would change??? If you both weren't able to make the
necessary changes in the past months, do you think you would be able
to do it now?

For now, I'm just throwing ideas to try to make this task to move
forward. For sure there are capable people here that can help with the
job, and I'm sure that you (with your currently experience) can be of
a great help for them.

I thank you and Helen for what you have done with the site. We needed
a site, and you did it! Great! But now, we need to move on. You
and Helen already have other important tasks in the project to care
about.

PS: I wasn't able to comment all of your reply, since I just came back
from a great bike ride that took 10h (including 4h under the rain). I'm
really tired and just going to bed. Excuse me if I wasn't clear in any
of the above comments.

[]s
Carlos H. Cantu
www.FireBase.com.br - www.firebirdnews.org
www.warmboot.com.br - blog.firebase.com.br