On Tue, 07 Jan 2014 12:11:58 -0600 "Darrell Anderson" <darrella@...> wrote: > >Nevertheless I also think that before releasing R14 we *do* need > >to make an effort to update website/wiki/documentation in general. > >Otherwise all the good work gone into R14 will be mostly wasted by > >poor first user impression. > > My sentiments too. The current web site is functional --- no > arguments from me. Yet a typical web user expects a little pizzazz > from a web site. > > I agree with the well tested adage that we have only chance to make > a first impression. R14 is a big release. Let's update the web > site. Let's release R14 the right way. > > We don't have to get fancy. Just look around at other computer web > sites. We don't have to engage in a major overhaul. Find a > template we like and reorganize the links. Add come color to the > web site. > > Long ago we had a discussion about updating the web site. I was > asked to post recommendations. I don't remember whether the > recommendations are in the dev mail list archives or an etherpad, > but that would be a starting place. > > The grand challenge of these types of discussions: who will step > forward and start working on mockups? I don't have that kind of > experience. Mmh. Looking at the website, my instinct is that what it needs is a little bit of framing for the main content area. Move the secondary menu (currently in the blue bar at the top) to a sidebar, create a wider and more colourful/graphical topping banner, and possibly add a bottom bar and a second sidebar on the side opposite the menu (maybe even move the download links there?). Maybe a bit more whitespace at the sides. I'm thinking something kind of like lxde.org or gentoo.org or even debian.org (but not like kde.org or xfce.org, which have gone to the space-wasting wide-top-banner style--we need to differentiate ourselves as much as possible from KDE anyway). I'm not the world's greatest designer, but I can give a shot at some mockups this weekend if no one else steps up. E. Liddell