Re: Octave web update

[Carnë Draug]

On 26 February 2015 at 08:32, Richard Crozier <address@hidden> wrote:
>
>
> On 21/02/15 15:11, Carnë Draug wrote:
>>
>> On 21 February 2015 at 13:45, Ben Abbott <address@hidden> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> On Feb 20, 2015, at 22:27, Mike Miller <address@hidden> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 12:57:25 -0500, Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso wrote:
>>>>> The web site is actually a CVS repo:
>>>>>
>
>>
>> But even in a desktop, I don't really think the new design is better
>> than the current one. What problem exactly is the new design trying
>> to solve?
>>
>
> Marketing? Not a problem if you don't care if anyone uses Octave I suppose.
>
> The new website makes it look like the project is well supported, including
> by a wider community than just the core developers working on the code. This
> gives confidence to new users in the viability and continuation of the
> project, for which the website is the first point of contact with the
> project.
>
> It is an unfortunate fact of the world that if you care about people using
> your software you have to make pretty pictures and stuff to advertise it. It
> gives the 'feel' of a project that's not just going to disappear to new
> users, particularly enterprise, if this is a market you are interested in.
> Unfortunately it's just not enough for the product itself to be great.
>
> The newer website looks amazing and was clearly produced by someone who
> knows how to make a great (and professional) looking site. I for one think
> use should be made of the fantastic effort, rather than throw it in the bin
> and discourage anyone else with the relevant skills bothering to help in the
> future?

I guess you missunderstood my question.  My question was not why do we need
a fancy and professional looking website.  My question was what on the
current website is the problem? What design choices are we talking about?
Because I don't really see the new one as looking better than the other.

Compare the support [1, 2] and get involved pages [3, 4]?  The new one has
a top bar instead of a side bar, much bigger fonts, and a blue top instead
of white.  Which of these make it look more professional?  I just don't
see it.

So on my question "What problem exactly is the new design trying to solve?"
please be more objective.  The new proposed website has a textwidth that I
feel is too wide and makes it hard to read (I have a 23' screen with
resolution 1920x1080).  The old one did not had this problem.  The text lines
are also fixed and do not adjust with the window size (like wikipedia does
for example).

Also, the new website has this blue background with square lines, with the
text on a white canvas.  Scrolling moves the canvas but not the background.
Because of this scrolling then becomes weird near the top and the bottom of
the page because you are not really scrolling the page.  It's unconfortable
the feeling that the page itself is reshaping.

I know design is a lot of personal opinion and taste but you need to be
able to point the problems to improve.  "Make it look more professional"
is not good, what is wrong with the current one that causes it to not look
professional?  And does the new website addresses this problems?

Carnë

[1] https://www.gnu.org/software/octave/support.html
[2] https://mtmxr.com/octave-beta/support/
[3] https://www.gnu.org/software/octave/get-involved.html
[4] https://mtmxr.com/octave-beta/get-involved/