(including the "admin" list for a bit broader exposure/feedback)
Note also that some of the SF-LUG* boxen stuff will likely go through some reshuffling in the coming week(s) ("old" box being deprecated / phased out, "new" box being built/configured and phased in). I'll try to keep the disruptions as minimal as feasible (and send out relevant details at / around / slightly/reasonably before the appropriate time(s)).
*doesn't impact sf-lug.org or its listserver, but does impact other SF-LUG systems (and BALUG stuff that's hosted thereupon).
From: "Andrew Fife" afife@untangle.com To: balug-webmaster@balug.org Subject: RE: mock up(s) for "new(er)" website? Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:12:15 -0800 (PST)
This is my favorite page: http://www.test.balug.org/mpaoli/contributions/ :)
Ah, ... I thought you might like that one :-) ... lots more to add, but it's a start.
I'm swamped right now but will try to circle back in a couple of days.
Understood (I'm working on getting at least a bit more unswamped).
From: Michael Paoli [mailto:Michael.Paoli@cal.berkeley.edu] Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 12:49 PM To: balug-webmaster@balug.org Subject: Re: mock up(s) for "new(er)" website?
Okay, so, I hadn't had time to poke at it since 2007-11-26 (well, other than scribble some stuff on a sheet of paper or two), anyway did poke at it a fair bit yesterday evening, so ...
have a peek at: http://www.test.balug.org/mpaoli/ It's still just test / mock up / concept, and not fully flushed out (many of the pages are far from complete, or not fully flushed out). Anyway, let me know what you think. Also, the "nav" part at the top of each page - may want to change that a fair bit yet (reword and/or rearrange parts of it and the links), but I was generally thinking it would be good to have a consistent "nav" across all the pages - and a flat one-line top nav works quite well with pages that may be of quite varying length (e.g. our "past" (or whatever name we give it) page will be quite long, and some others may also be rather to very/quite long). The downside with left nav and long pages is there's this blank offset for the entire remainder of the page below the left nav section.
Also, if you've got sudo access to balugwm2* on the sf-lug.com box (which is also new.balug.org, test.balug.org., etc.) you can do mock/test pages under http://www.test.balug.org/ (e.g. create your own directory under /var/local/balug/www.test/html/ and test away! - feel free to copy some/much/all of other bits in the "test" area (or from production) for a base and/or to add content.
*mpaoli,jstockford,xcaliber,afife do, so I think that currently covers everyone on the balug-webmaster@balug.org alias.
From earlier, there's also:
http://www.test.balug.org/afife/Balug_Website_Design.odp http://www.test.balug.org/afife/Balug_Website_Design.pdf http://www.test.balug.org/afife/README http://www.test.balug.org/afife/README.txt
Quoting Michael Paoli Michael.Paoli@cal.berkeley.edu:
Well, ... "open" sounds promising ... but whatever it takes to usefully open it I don't have installed on my work or personal laptop. :-/
Anyway, ... I did also, a bit earlier (around Thanksgiving) do a bit of partial mock-up for web page ... combining some/much of what Xavier had
done earlier with some of my ideas on structure and such.
Anyway, definitely nowhere near* complete, but have a peek here: http://www.test.balug.org/mpaoli/
*besides the obvious only partial placeholder text and such, I'd be inclined to:
- get rid of (and restructure) the left nav - make it a rather compact
top
nav - possibly with dropdowns (if feasible and doable in a good open accessible manner) - the sections/pages/links would change a fair bit for the nav; rationale: though many of the "main"/central pages would be relatively short and not require up/down scroll, some of them would be longer - potentially pretty to quite long (e.g. more detailed
listings
on past meetings - we don't want to have to do a zillion separate
pages
where it's not necessary or appropriate) ... and the pages end up
looking
kind'a sucky when they get long and have a left nav, and ends up being all empty space down under that on the longer pages; a top nav would
work
well for both shorter and long(er) pages, and allow them to all have a relatively consistent look and feel
- not sure precisely how I'd do the nav and links and exactly what goes on the main page, but I was thinking roughly:
- likely nav links:
- upcoming meetings (main page would have some info. on upcoming,
but
not full details/blurbs) * lists (more details, main page would probably at least mention "announce" and at least hint at or link to info about other lists) * past meetings * (not sure what to call it yet - in ~12 characters or less) - sponsors/donors/supporters link (perhaps along with "how you can help BALUG") ... perhaps just the word "support"? * contact - link going to page on how to contact BALUG
- main page:
- tight top nav (possibly with dropdowns); also same nav on *most*
of
our "main"/key pages * a very short high level overview ("about") of BALUG * stuff highlighting next meeting * probably a wee bit of stuff (very compact) on some meetings beyond next (e.g. just date and name/affiliation), and not too many months out or items listed * something about lists (and link to more detailed page about the lists) * location/direction/cost/what a typical meeting is like ... probably need at least a trace of that on the main page, but more details should go on other page(s) ... not sure precisely how best to structure that.I haven't really done much of anything with mockups for subpages yet, other than tweak the style page and graphic.
Quoting Andrew Fife:
I'm attaching the following wireframe (.odp) of an idea that I had for redesigning balug's website. Its a draft of how I think the various
elements
could be layed out. Please disregard the choice of colors, it was
random.
As a wireframe, its meant to convey basic layout only, w/o styling or finishing touches.
My goal with the wireframe are:
1)Encourage people to come to the next meeting 2)Encourage people to sign up for the mailing lists 3)Stay laser targeted on goals 1 & 2 4)Accomplish goals 1 & 2 on a standard 10x7 format so that users with
average
resolution monitors won't have to scroll up/down or left/right
Any feedback? Suggestions for improvement?