>> What the website has to do for the new user is inform them of what >> Thousand Parsec is about. This is really a one time thing, once a user >> knows about Thousand Parsec they are unlikely to need the information >> again. >> The website also has to show the new user that the project is active and >> progressing and encourage them to try out the software. It is also >> likely the user also has some idea what the project is because they have >> come from other websites. >> > > Agree. > Agreement here for use later. > > Also agree. I would only put an additional sentence or two on the very > top of the page which clearly/visibly states the mission of Thousand > Parsec. So that it is not too long, users quickly see that it is free > and open source and what it is about. I also think that this helps > search engines, which could pick this sentence and make the page rank > higher. I think this is one of the most important things that can be done right now. The more a person has to work to get something, the less inclined they are to keep at it. Even one mouse click to get to a concise statement of purpose for the Thousand Parsec project can mean the difference between a person getting involved and shaking their head and moving on for something more immediately gratifying. The new users are the one's that the main page of the site has to be most accessible to and most useful for. People involved in the project can point their bookmarks to whatever section interests them most, but people who come to the main site probably know nothing. Why make them go any further for the information that will help them decide whether to hang around or not?
Just meh two cents...I'm reading the book that JLP referenced before...got it for GSoC...pretty interesting, and it does feature a whole section just on a project's website and its presentation to the general public. -James _______________________________________________ tp-devel mailing list [email protected] http://www.thousandparsec.net/tp/mailman.php/listinfo/tp-devel
