Maybe it's time to say goodbye to start.fedoraproject.org?

[Robert Mayr]

2014-08-24 21:53 GMT+02:00 Elad Alfassa <elad at fedoraproject.org>:
> Hello Websites and Desktop lists.
>
> I think it's time we drop our usage of start.fedoraproject.org as the
> default start page for Firefox in Fedora and simply use the firefox
> about:home page as the default starting page for the browser.
>
> What do you think?

Hi Elad,
I'm happy you bring up this topic, as we are in the middle of
re-designing most of our pages. And indeed start.fpo would be really
different from what we are going to have, but I also think that
start.fpo is doing a good job actually.

> Generally, the start page was designed to somehow be a gateway for
> Fedora to encourage people to participate and contribute. But I'm not
> sure if it really works.

Me neither, but I know many people who use it as start page when they
start their browser.

> Reasons why I think it's time for this page to go:
>
>  * We got numerous of complaints about inappropriate planet fedora
> posts that appeared there. Having contributor-generated content in the
> start page seems like a bad idea in hindsight. Most of the Planet
> posts are also not very relevant (or inviting) for people who are not
> already part of the community.

+1

>  * The design is a bit too simplistic, yet since the current design
> was introduced nobody had the time/energy/will to think of / implement
> anything better. To be frank, it's kinda ugly - and I think I'm
> allowed to say this because I'm the one who implemented (and if I
> recall correctly, also "designed" it).

Yes, and it will be even more "ugly" considered the new web design. (I
don't want to hurt you here)

>  * Our "main goal" used to be "gaining contributors" and getting
> people involved with the project. While this goal still remains
> intact, it's no longer our main driving force (at least for the
> Wrokstation product), but rather "build the best OS for software
> developers" - as such it would be better if the start page would be
> actually *usable* for our target audience. Gaining contributors
> remains a goal, but it shouldn't affect our UI/UX decisions.

+1

> fwiw it's not the first time I've suggested the removal of this page.
>
> I want input on this from both Desktop and Websites before I file a
> bug for the Firefox package to drop this default.
>
> Of course we will have to have start.fedoraproject.org online still
> for at least another cycle, because people might still have it as
> their homepage (I've seen a few, they don't really look at the page
> and just go to the address bar directly).
>
> We could, for example, replace it with some sort of "contributor hub"
> page with resources, workflows and practical guides on how to get
> involved for new contributors (ie. reuse the start.fpo name, *not* use
> a contributor hub as a homepage) but I don't know if anyone has the
> time, energy and will to implement and maintain such thing.
> --
> -Elad Alfassa.

Well, I'm not really happy with fudcon.fpo and fcomm.fpo too, and am
trying to find a good way to include these pages in the new wesite
design. Contributor hubs is not the right way I think, but a sort of
redesigned starting page would be cool.
Actually we have http://fedoraproject.org/en/join-fedora which will
disappear, importing the informations into start.fpo redesigning the
page as we are doing for the main fpo website would be a good solution
IMHO.
I'd say, let's not throw it away, but use it in a different way,
targeting it a bit better as actually.

Just my thoughts atm.

-- 
Robert Mayr
(robyduck)