Re: RFC: web site reorganization
On Fri, Dec 14, 2001 at 12:36:44PM -0800, Grant Bowman wrote:
> Very nice proposal James, thanks for putting this together. I can see
> some thought went into this. This is a good, thorough "update" to what
> we have presently with some realignment. I like it. I hope more
> qualified volunteers step up to help out with this.
>
Thanks. I get paranoid when people are too nice. More criticism. :)
> > Links:
> > About Debian
> > News
> > Getting Debian
>
> How about a Users' Corner? This may include "Getting Debian"
> "Documentation/Support" a second link to "Security", a link to
> qa.debian.org if it's still not under the same hierarchy.
>
Webmaster has received enough mail from people who couldn't spend 15
seconds finding the download link on the existing page. There definitely
needs to be a link of this sort on the page.
> > Developers' Corner
> > International Pages
>
> Why is this separated since the translation links for each page are at
> the bottom of each page? Can't we move the International Pages link to
> the bottom of each page? I don't use the translations so I don't know
> what would be easiest for those users. I suspect that when users choose
> their language from the bottom, having something that links to a
> description of the International Pages near there would be more
> beneficial when they need it.
>
The translators bugged us for quite a while before we gave in and gave
them their own pages. The idea as presented was that they needed an area
to present information only of interest to people speaking that
language. I believe some of them are also used to encourage people to
improve support of that language. I can't really say for sure since I
haven't looked at the pages. Basically, my feeling is if it helps make
debian better and more popular then go right ahead.
> > Documentation/Support Pages
>
> News could be combined with Documentation/Support. Maybe call it Info
> Corner?
>
IMO, News is important enough and there is enough of it that it should have
it's own page.
> > Security
> > Supported Architectures
> > Supporting Debian
>
> This could be under the "About Debian" or perhaps "Users' Corner".
>
If you look at the items I listed as being on this page, I really meant
it as a way users could help support debian. So that's what I called it.
> > Site Map
> > Search
> >
> > Anything else on the main page? Justify your suggestion.
>
> The awards icons along the bottom with a link to the Awards page would
> be nice. If we have awards, everyone needs to know. There's a stigma
> that Debian is hard to use, the awards help to counteract this through
> peer validation of the distribution.
>
I'm not a big fan of award logos. Most are just trying to gain recognition
for the giver of the award. We definitely need to make the awards link
more obvious though. Perhaps that could be off the main page (ugh, the
main page link count is going up already!).
> > ABOUT DEBIAN PAGE (intro/)
> > introduction
> > history
> > links to discussion of free software
> > social contract
> > contact information
>
> Debian FAQ (/doc/FAQ/)
>
I have mixed feelings about the FAQ. It's an impressive document, but it
tries to do so much. I'm not sure I'd want to point new users at it.
Just my opinion though.
> > 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?
>
> I think the content of the pages is more important, and it's best to try
> not to break links if possible.
>
> A custom 404 error page would be really helpful, perhaps with some links
> to upward path items, the site map page, the front page.
>
I'm not a fan of 404 error pages. If a link no longer works the
browser can tell the person. My real beef is that they confuse link
checkers.
> > 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):
>
> /usr/share/doc/ description, dwww
>
> How to use man & info pages. Sounds redundant to remind people, but
> this could be a checklist for everyone to point to and say Read The Fine
> Manual.
>
This sounds like information that should be part of a users manual, not
on the web page.
> > 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)
>
> http://newbiedoc.sourceforge.net/
>
> Package name is newbiedoc. I think this is a Debian focused effort too.
>
If it's not just for debian, I'd put it on the related links page.
> > SUPPORTED ARCHITECTURES (/ports/)
> > Suggestions for improving existing page?
> > Suggestions for a different name?
>
> I like the Platforms suggestions. It implies more software/kernel/OS
> level infrastructure.
>
The average Joe knows what a different architecture is (mac vs PC), but
would wonder why Debian has issues (platforms). If there is room for an
explanatory text it would be ok.
> > related links (about debian page? documentation page?)
>
> I think these should be distributed to the bottom of the different
> sub-section pages "in context" rather than collected.
>
Hmmm. More work, but doable. Other opinions?
Thanks for your comments.
--
James (Jay) Treacy
treacy@debian.org
Reply to: