Sean, thanks so much. Let me digest this and get back to you soon.
Christian On 2/27/09 1:16 PM, "Sean DALY" <[email protected]> wrote: > Christian I apologize I've been compiling this feedback this week > perhaps I should have sent sooner > > In general I like it. Although I have never liked the black background > (on the existing wiki and now on the homepage) which I found > lugubrious, I was pleasantly surprised to "step into the light" behind > it. I like the explanations, and the right-margin sidebars. I like > that (apparently) it will print out very, very easily (never > underestimate the importance of that function...). Dongyun Lee's > illustrations are fabulous. > > I do feel however that the Activities need to be very prominently > displayed and talked about - they are the heart of the Sugar > experience and, in my view, the reason learners/parents/teachers would > consider trying Sugar. Perhaps even a separate menu section. Under the > Parents section, they are merely referred to as "the usual > collection", which clashes with the presentation of Sugar as specially > made for kids. Wouldn't it be better to say e.g.: "The heart of Sugar > is its Activities" (capitalized), then develop the collaboration > advantage, mention View Source which satisifies children's curiosity, > etc. Then: "In addition, more traditional Activities such as a web > browser, an ebook reader, ..." On the Activities page, I would stress > the richness of the Activities, e.g. add a leader "Sugar Activities > are fun, friendly, thought-provoking, and collaborative - kids can't > get enough of them!" (P.S. I was a little confused that the links > leave the site to a page they can only return from with the back > button - perhaps links outside the site could load in a single > separate window, so people don't get lost?) > > > Also: every parent and teacher knows that if kids enjoy the material, > it's far easier for them to learn. So we need to communicate on that > first page that kids love using Sugar because it's fun. A photo would > be ideal, but even some quotable quotes could do it e.g.: "I like the > games and making music with TamTam", "I can chat with my friends", "I > like to draw with it", "I never lose my work because the computer > remembers it". > > > Other comments: > > * Can we grow the logo x2 or x3? > > > * I found the floating menu disconcerting at first, since it hides > text - I thought it was a bug. It took me a while to figure out it is > a live menu. Could its function as a menu be indicated? Perhaps the > categories could be arranged in a bar at the top of each screen - > visitors will thus quickly gain an overview of the sections. > > > * May we add "Press" after Contributors? Which is where the contact > info will go ;-) but which could link to the Marketing Team page for > now. > > > * Can we get screenshots on the Features page, like the Parents page? > Show & tell better than just tell ;-) > > > * As the site is very textual, is there a search function? > > > * There is a bug with the floating menu, if I click on Teachers, then > rollover the menu, then click Back on the browser, the hompage appears > with the menu opened but nothing selected. (Firefox v3.0.5 on OSX > v10.4) > > > * instead of "no files, folders, or applications", which I would > understand means there is nothing at all (!), may I suggest > "Activities, not applications". Kids won't care if there are no files > or folders, but parents and teachers (who have to worry about data) > will. The "no files" concept should be linked to "automatic backup"... > a magic reassuring phrase could be "automatic backup of Activity work, > no worrying about files & folders". > > > * instead of slashes, could we consider the "s" favicons? Keeping the > sugarlabs logo branding active even when the logo is out of sight as > we scroll down the page > > > * Although there is a license footer, there should first be a > copyright notice, e.g. "Copyright (c) 2009 Sugar Labs". Reminder, CC > licenses are based on copyright law and it's best-practice to assert > that right. > > > * Under features, I'd be tempted to add a downside section; e.g. "Is > Sugar right for my child's classroom?" which could be an opportunity > to knock down arguments that it's not Windows, it's too different, > etc. > > > * This has been under discussion & I've been meditating on it, but > there really should be a very short slogan under the logo which should > sum up Sugar Labs. Which could be changed later... but anything decent > will be better than nothing I feel. I'm afraid I don't like "the > learning engine for every child"... sounds technical, like they have > to spend too much time learning how to use it. Keeping in mind our > desire for teacher buy-in, how about "School software for children" or > "Learning software for children" ? > > > * The download link... to the directories... will appear to be a site > error to a nontechnical user. May I suggest > http://sugarlabs.org/go/Supported_systems instead, until we can > provide 1-click installers? > > > * In the floating menu I think "homepage" or even "table of contents" > would be better than "index"... an index is traditionally at the end > of a book ;-) > > > * Activities page: instead of alpha sort, I would mix them up and > start with the Journal > > > ..more to come.... > > thanks > > Sean > Marketing Coordinator -- Christian Marc Schmidt [email protected] Pentagram Design, Inc. 204 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010 212/ 802 0248 _______________________________________________ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) [email protected] http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
