website mockups, what is fedora?

[Paul W. Frields]

On Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 06:20:45PM -0400, Máirín Duffy wrote:
> On Fri, 2009-08-21 at 09:04 -0500, Rex Dieter wrote:
> > OK, I get the idea behind all of this, really I do.  Much of it is 
> > great, but let me share what's been nagging at the back of my mind for 
> > some time.  It's just been hard to put into words, so I'll try my best here.
> 
> Um, this thread is a bit of a mess now so I'm not sure where to post
> these so I figured at the top made sense. I'm sorry if I'm breaking 5
> different mailing list etiquette rules here. :(
> 
> I drew out a little site map roughly based on the whiteboard scribblin'
> stickster and I did earlier:
> 
> http://duffy.fedorapeople.org/temp/woot/wwwfpo_diagram.png
> 
> I numbered the pages to hopefully make for easier discussion.
> 
> Here's the current mockup for each page:
> 
> 1) http://duffy.fedorapeople.org/temp/woot/page1.png
> 
> 2) http://duffy.fedorapeople.org/temp/woot/page2.png
> 
> 3) http://duffy.fedorapeople.org/temp/woot/spins-directory.6.png
> 
> 4) no mockup yet
> 
> 5) this is the actual ISO file
> 
> 6) http://duffy.fedorapeople.org/temp/woot/page3.png
> 
> 7) no mockup yet
> 
> 8) no mockup yet
> 
> 9) no mockup yet
> 
> 10-13) mockup sorely out of date but:
> http://fedorapeople.org/groups/designteam/Projects/Fedora%
> 20Spins/Wireframes/spindetailsmock4.png
> 
> Let me tell you where I intend to go from here, in order:
> 
> - I'm going to update the spins directory page (#3) to list the spins in
> order of popularity by default, and also let users tab over to view the
> spins in alpha order
> 
> - I'm going to add a content block to the spins directory page to
> explain what a spin is and link out to other spin-related resources
> (e.g. wiki page on how to roll your own)
> 
> - I'm going to use some of Toshio's suggestions for the get-fedora page
> (#2) and play around with the balance between the DOWNLOAD NOW!!!!111
> option and the 'other options' option. I'll probably make a few
> iterations here and solicit your input.
> 
> - I'm going to create an updated mockup for the spins details pages
> (10-13). 
> 
> - I'm going to solicit feedback for all of these by posting stuff to
> this list when it's done as well as making posts to Planet Fedora.
> 
> - By next Friday I am hoping to close out the feedback period so I can
> crank out the rest of the work (which is hopefully less controversial)
> so I can get the websites team a solid set of mockups by Sept. 20 for
> the spins and by Sept. 27 for the FPO-related stuffs.
> 
> - F12 comes out and the new site design comes out. Hopefully you don't
> all hate me at this point and we have a website that at least most if
> not everyone can be proud of (if not at least unashamed of. :) )
> 
> Peace!
> 
> ~m
> 
> (in 91+F degree weather in Boston with no A/C, please take pity!)

Thanks for this diagram, it helps visualize the many entry points
people have to the site.  I think we're vastly overestimating
potential to "hurt" any parts of Fedora here, because one of the
things we can effectively do with this new design is to let teams do
their own promotion, e.g. get.fedoraproject.org/my-spin.  A team
member showing off their work will now have somewhere to send people
directly for information about that work, and getting involved
therein, with less confusion for the people who potentially could
contribute to that work.  That's something we've not previously had,
and furthermore in practice it renders moot a lot of the worries about
how spins are made available.

People who are looking for something specific are going to have a
specific place to go for it.  People who are looking for the a la
carte menu will have a specific place to go for it.  People who aren't
sure and just want an easy choice will have a specific place to go for
it.  In all cases, the download can be easily followed with helpful
information on support and getting involved.

I think the work you've done thus far is excellent.  There may be room
for improvement still, and the Board will consider any alternatives
that come out of the design process.  But regardless, it's a far sight
more attractive, functional, and effective than we have now.  I'm very
excited about the design and can't wait to see more next week.

-- 
Paul W. Frields                                http://paul.frields.org/
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