Pictures are a good way to highlight important information. I think showing people a simple-ish sqlMap.config file and one or two sql map xml files would be good to help people understand that they don't need to spend hours typing xml just to interact with a group of obects:
http://www.ronosaurus.com/IBatisNet/sample_sqlMapConfig.png http://www.ronosaurus.com/IBatisNet/CRUD_with_cache.png With just 35 lines of xml, its possible to create a CRUD mapping file that accepts and returns strongly typed objects (including strongly typed collections). Inside those same 35 lines of code is a cache that expires after a defined period of time and/or when the database changes. In this case, the same mapping file can be reused across several databases. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes close to 35 lines of code using normal Ado.Net just to properly code up the SELECT statements. The DotLucene project: http://www.dotlucene.net/ does a good job of listing useful features on their home page that makes me want to download and use their software. --- Roberto R <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I know there were a couple of replies to this email, but are we going > to do > something about this? :-) > > Roberto > > (I suck at webdesign and usability, BTW...hehe) > > On 5/23/05, Brandon Goodin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Rick Reumann sent this to me. I'm posting it here so we don't lose > it. > > I saw some suggestions here that are good. I'll comment on it > later. > > Any other comments are welcome. > > > > Brandon > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Wrote this fast, so I'm sure parts of it don't make sense:) > > > > iBATIS web site suggestions > > > > Since iBATIS.com <http://iBATIS.com> will more than likely be the > first > > place a new person > > to the technology will go to, I think it's most beneficial for the > > inital presentation of information to aid the new iBATIS newbie. > > > > Currently when you to go iBATIS.com <http://iBATIS.com> you are > presented > > with 'news' on > > the home page. Sure that's nice for those already keeping up with > the > > technology but it now becomes work for the new person to have to > find > > out crucial information about iBATIS. > > > > Here are my sugessions. > > > > 1) Change the Home Page and provide link to "Home." Currently > "news" > > is the home page. I think the Home page should be there to describe > > iBATIS (above news provide the Home link and also make the main > iBATIS > > heading a link to home). Content on the Home page might be stuff > > like... > > > > * What is iBATIS? Elaborate on the info in the About section. > > Seems odd there is a large section on background, but there seems > to > > be so much more you can say about what iBATIS provides. > > * What benefits are there to using iBATIS? ( no need to write > > JDBC code, easy mapping to objects, can write regular SQL, caching, > > easy to use, etc) > > * Getting Started (this should also be a link on the left menu) > > Topmost left menu: Home, Getting Started, News, Events, News > Archive > > > > > > (I know "Home" seems cheezy but it almost has become a standard. > You > > could relabel it something like "Welcome" (ala Amazon) but people > have > > come to expect a way to get > > back to the 'first page') > > > > 2) Concerning the "getting started" link. I think iBATIS really > needs > > this. I understand that iBATIS is really two seperate products, and > > under each product under "Software" this is explained, but someone > new > > to iBATIS could benefit from a "getting started" link giving them > some > > tips for what they might want to download (more than likely I'm > > guessing most are initially coming for the Data Mapper). This > getting > > started link could also explain about looking at the good > > documentation bla bla. > > > > 3) Example of code. I code of sworn on the older site, there was a > > quick example showing an SQL map and how that would map to an > object. > > I think it's a good idea to show this on the web site. I don't > think a > > new user should have to download the whole JPetStore app in order > to > > get a feel for how cool iBATIS is. Showing a couple code snippets > > would be nice to really hook people and get them looking at the > > documenation. > > > > 4) Not critical but under Resources, I'd love to see an HTML > version > > of the documentation. The PDF is great but it's somtimes a pain to > > have to go to a PDF. It would be great if that PDF was in HTML and > the > > contents could be broken up into hyperlinks. Not sure how viable > this > > is, but it would be nice if that resources section on the left was > > broken out right there into the links- FAQ, Documentation, wiki, > Other > > Resources, etc. Seems a bit awkward that The Project section has a > > break down of smaller links below it "team" "bylaws" etc yet the > > Resources section doesn't. If anything, I'd flip this around. Most > of > > that Project information could be on one page vs small subsection > > links. If you are going to break the Project section out into > smaller > > subsections, then the Resources section should do the same. More > > likely someone is going to want to quickly get to a FAQ or > > Documenation then they are going to want to get to "Bylaws." > > > > 5) Under the Downloads documention section should the sections # > SQL > > Maps for Java, Developer Guide # SQL Maps for Java, Tutorial be > > changed to DataMapper? > > > > 6) The Downloads section is confusing. Since iBATIS is offering two > > products (Data Mapper and DAO shouldn't they be separate downloads? > If > > they aren't going to be separate I think it should be explained on > > that page. I think a link to the "Gettting started" page should be > > provided there also. "If you aren't sure what you need to download > > click 'getting started'" > > >
