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RFC: web site reorganization



There have been a few discussions over the past year about reorganizing the
Debian web site. Additionally, a few recent problems with placement of items on
the main page have pointed out that we really are in need of some changes.

This mail is a RFC on a proposed flowchart. Note the word flowchart. It is not
the purpose of this RFC to talk about the graphic design of the pages.
Nevertheless, all of the pages should be able to use the existing framework with
the exception of the main page, which may need to be redesigned.
Once there is some agreement about the content of the main page, I will start a
new thread for discussion of it's design.

MAIN PAGE
My idea of a main page is one that let's you quickly find a subpage that will
get you the information you want. With that in mind, the new front page will
have less information than it currently has.

Links:
  About Debian
  News
  Getting Debian
  Developers' Corner
  International Pages
  Documentation/Support Pages
  Security
  Supported Architectures
  Supporting Debian
  Site Map
  Search

Anything else on the main page? Justify your suggestion.


ABOUT DEBIAN PAGE (intro/)
  introduction
  history
  links to discussion of free software
  social contract
  contact information
This needs to be fleshed out in more detail (including what goes on sub pages).
Suggestions welcome.
Should the partners and donation info here too?

NEWS PAGE (/News/)
  news
  weekly news
  events

GETTING DEBIAN PAGE (/distrib/)
  installation instructions
  package pages
  CD vendors
  ftp mirrors
  pre-installed
Should we make a new directory for this information? Some people don't
like distrib/ but is it worth breaking links?

DEVELOPERS' CORNER (/devel/)
The current developers' pages - they are pretty good

INTERNATIONAL PAGES (/international/)
Are users of languages other than English happy with the existing page?

SUPPORT (/support)
Should this be called 'Getting Help'?
  Mailing lists (also linked from main page?)
  Reaching Package Maintainers
  The Bug Tracking System (also linked from main page?)
  Consultants
  On-line Real Time Help Using IRC

DOCUMENTATION (/doc/)
Is documentation an ok name?

There is a lot of documentation. Way too much for a single page. Thus, I'm
proposing this page simply give links to other pages that provide documentation
on specific topics (the current sitemap has the right idea):
  Installation Instructions (/releases)
     (can't hurt to be linked from every place a luser goes)
  User Manuals (/doc/user-manuals)
  Administrator Manuals (/doc/admin-manuals)
  Books on Debian (doc/books)
  General Linux Docs and HOWTOs (/doc/linux-docs) [new page]
  Debian FAQ (/doc/FAQ/)
  Developer Manuals (/doc/devel-manuals)
  DDP (/doc/ddp)

SECURITY (/security/)
  current security page
  link to securing debian howto should be added

SUPPORTED ARCHITECTURES (/ports/)
Suggestions for improving existing page?
Suggestions for a different name?

A template should be created for the sub pages so that every one will contain
the following:
  link to installation pages
  link to special notes on installing on that arch
  information on relevant mailing lists
  status information (if not an official release)
  list of machines supported (subpage if it's long)
  relevant links
Of course, they may add other information.

SUPPORTING DEBIAN PAGE (/support/)
  where to buy Debian merchandise
  logo images
  banner images
  mirroring debian
  link to developers' corner

SITE MAP PAGE (/sitemap)
  link to existing site map

SEARCH
  link to search.d.o


Where should the following go:
  awards page
  related links (about debian page? documentation page?)
  debian-jr project is currently in devel corner

Any links missing?
-- 
James (Jay) Treacy
treacy@debian.org



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