Re: Changes I've been thinking of...

[Gregory Casamento]

On Wed, Oct 7, 2009 at 3:57 PM, Richard Frith-Macdonald
<richard@tiptree.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> On 7 Oct 2009, at 20:24, Gregory Casamento wrote:
>
>> Guys,
>>
>> There are a number of things which need to change on the project:
>>
>> We need to:
>> 1) improve our website.  It's been the same for years and doesn't
>> reflect our progress.
>
> I've been dissatisfied with it too.  Not the basic appearance, which is
> generally a pleasantly clean/simple design, but more in function ...
>
> a. If we can figure out what key areas of interest there are, we can link to
> them from the home page in a manner which makes it easy for people to find
> them. For instance, I recently noticed there was no link to the windows
> installer from the home page, so I added one.
>
> b. Some inspiring news ought to be frequently updated on the front page.
>
> c. links should be kept up to date ... old code which is no longer supported
> should be flagged as such or moved away from more current downloads.
>
> d. the navigation links on the right should be highlighted in some way ...
> we read from left to right, and it's easy to fail to notice those links.
>  Look at http://www.apache.org/ for a clearer presentation with a broadly
> similar layout.
>
> 3. we should have a site search field on the home page!  The lack of a
> search facility is really annoying when someone is looking for something
> specific

I agree with all of these.

>> 2) improve GNUstep's default theme as well as theming in general.
>> While I know some people will respond negatively to changing the
>> default theme from a NeXT-like look to something more modern,
>
> Then why did you say it? ... that's rather foolhardy.

Because the current look is a source of constant criticism from people
outside the community and I hear it all of the time.  Also, I mention
it because I feel like the look (even though I, personally, like it)
may send the wrong message about the project.   Some people look at
how it looks and don't see that GNUstep is so much more than OpenStep.
  They look at it and they see NeXTSTEP and they think it's nothing
more than that.

This is a shame since GNUstep is SO much more.   What I don't want to
happen is for people to look at the current theme and think "it's just
NeXTSTEP/OpenStep" and don't think twice about it.

>> I believe it's one way for us to spark interest in the project is to
>> update it's look.
>
> That's not a reason to change the default theme.  It's a reason to try to
> develop at least one good alternative theme.  You should not be proposing a
> change which will provoke argument when the alternative would achieve the
> same in a relatively non-contentious way/
> If/when a genuinely better theme can be produced, people will WANT to adopt
> it as the default.  The objective should be to develop a good theme (or
> multiple good themes).

Indeed, I agree with this.

>>  The current look should always be available, but
>> not necessarily the default.
>> 3) Improve our ability to market ourselves in general.
>
>
> Can't argue with that.
>

:)

Later, GC

-- 
Gregory Casamento
Open Logic Corporation, Principal Consultant
## GNUstep Chief Maintainer
yahoo/skype: greg_casamento, aol: gjcasa
(240)274-9630 (Cell), (301)362-9640 (Home)