I spent some time browsing through the mailing list archive and must say that the project has some pretty good templates there. And the best thing as the major problems seem to have been fixed in those proposals.
Of course there are some issues regarding the appearance of the "current status" website, but I'll leave that up to you. But if you need an outsider's opinion, I prefer this version as probably the best so far (but not perfect): http://www.murb.nl/extern/openoffice.org/websiteproposal/2.2/ I would replace the download button with an image similar to the one here (on the right): http://website.openoffice.org/nonav/tryouts/Matthew/OOoWeb2/index.htm That version is the best because: 1. Search bar and "language switch" in the top right corner (where they should be, some users don't understand a word English). 2. Download button is in a perfect location. 3. Vertically the page isn't too long. Oh, I know, it's a copy of the mozilla.org design. I'm not commenting on what should be at the bottom of the page. News, "New to OpenOffice.org?", mission statement, events... What I wouldn't recommend in your "current" version (https://www.sc40.sfo.collab.net/) are the orange buttons (despite that's the counter color of blue). OpenOffice.org is just blue blue blue as far as I known. And maybe a small touch of peach. Also the location of the big news article at the bottom isn't good since it takes attention away from the essential. I'm not sure if we need a list of all the OOo's components on the homepage... Could the bottom of the page (below the horizontal line) be a better place for it? That's all for now from me. Miikka On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 22:10:49 +0100, ":murb: [maarten brouwers]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > Hi Miika, > > Welcome! Well, the complaint you have is the same I had. And many others > btw. Therefore some of us on this list, including me, are currently > working hard (well sometimes) on creating a new HP. In the first place > it's a redesign of the homepage, but it will affect some of the aspects > of the OOo site in general. > > The current status can be witnessed here: > https://www.sc40.sfo.collab.net/ ... please let your critical eye show > on this. Though I also prefer to use XHTML (as strict as possible ;) ), > there are some constraints just because there are too many pages out > there already anticipating on template elements of the old site > (therefore there is still this ugly table element...) > > Though the current design for the homepage is in a advanced state, imho > not far from being final (when all the project leads are agreeing on it > ;) ), there is still a lot to do. The download page needs an update, and > many other subpages may, imho, get a more friendly overhaul... I got > involved when the discussion was going on the redesign of the new > homepage, so I started designing what I thought would be a good page, > and this is how I got involved... so show what you've got! > > g., > > > Maarten > > Miikka Leskinen wrote: > > >Greetings! > > > >I became interested in this Website project for one simple reason: The > >Openoffice.org website really needs help. I myself am a beginning web > >deginer but I've been messing around with website design for many many > >years. Although I don't yet have a lot of experience on real web design > >posts (only one big project so far), it has been a learning process of > >some sort, so I guess can say I'm experienced. > > > >Now that open source projects everywhere are switching to standards > >compliant design, I think OpenOffice.org should do that too. The current > >website doesn't look as professional as it could and isn't very > >accessible. In my opinion, it doesn't comply with some basic guidelines > >that modern websites should follow, or at least those haven't been taken > >into account very well. Correct me if I'm wrong. > > > >The most important flaw and a place for improvement is that the > >structure isn't separated from content. The OpenOffice.org websites are > >huge, and the only way to make updating the website reasonable would be > >to use HTML (or as I'd prefer, XHTML) for structure and content, and CSS > >for styles, colors, fonts, layout, background images etc. The first > >thing to do is to lose the table layout. I'm not sure if you have > >already planned this, but probably you have. > > > >I know the Website project has planned a lot and it's a mature project. > >Looking at website.openoffice.org I didn't actually find at which state > >the project currently is, so I'm talking very generally. The main thing, > >after all, is that the website needs redesign. > > > >So if you ever come to the point where you need anything from a web > >designer who has knowledge on standards for valid coding, accessible web > >design for users with disabilities, making a website usable for the > >general public, some basic browser compatibility and working with XHTML > >and CSS, you can drop me a mail or two. I hope I can help you in this > >major redesign process in any way, if time and energy permits. > > > >The number 1 resource I use in my work is of course http://www.w3.org/. > > > >Regards, > > > >Miikka Leskinen > >(login name: miles_fin) > > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
