Frontpage redesign/The Present Status Breakdown

From openSUSE

Present solution is typical customized wiki design. The basic page structure is wiki with added graphic elements that will give a touch of originality. For the details one can look the html source (Ctrl-U in Firefox and Konqueror). Here is rough list of page elements:

Logo

Logo is long time present SUSE chameleon in its simplest form.

Here we can make page more appealing using different pictures developed from basic logo. The change can be thematic, page specific etc. The GIMP offers a lot of tools to achieve this, and it is not always a science to make difference. You can see few more options on Logo demo page.

For GIMP users: Original logo enlarged to 300x190 px, copied to new image 330x220 px, blurred with Gaussian blur, edge detect Sobel, Gaussian blur. Done. This can be done in other colors, violet is just result of above described procedure.

The Top Line

Taking need to put lesser links in the left frame and reduce main page to one screen on 1024x768 px screen which is still the most used one, or at least to try to keep the most prominent topics within one screen, top line is completely unused. It contains 3 links that are provided in left frame menu and in the main frame and another three empty spaces.

Following links are often part of the top line on other web pages:

Log in / Log out

About us (Project Overview, Teams, Tasks, about us FAQ)

Contacts (Contact page updated for Communicate link)

Questions (listed all thematic FAQ pages)

Support (The SDB, HowTo, links to Novell news server and mailing lists, etc)

Products (SUSE Linux versions)

Space below top line

It has even the greater potential to compact the most important content to the first screen of the page. In present it is used as ""Create an account or log in" and that is all. In the same space can be set:

• present offer of languages, as flags or small script; second might be better as graphic layout,
• news ticker,
• thematic banner,
• all of above presented in context of current page,

Something else that can be presented as a small script for instance. Feel free to add your idea in empty space above.

Left Frame (Pane)

There is 17 lines without Search that fit in 1024x768 screen with bottom task bar. That is all that should be used for menu titles and menu items if one wants to keep all important on a single screen, or better to say to allow user to have all on one screen if browser window is maximized.

Why so, because it is easier to browse. How to use them? Please enter you proposal here or mail list opensuse-wiki with subject "Frontpage redesign".

Central frame

Has 20 lines before one has to scroll. The space is not really compacted and it could be. Here are some ideas for the central part of the page.

The lines under the main frame

They are of little concern right now, as they have mostly mandatory content.

Contact

There are 2 ways to give your contribution or opinion:

• Edit this article. If you don't have Novell account you can create one.
• Otherwise you may search on opensuse-wiki mailing list for the subject "Frontpage redesign" or just put that as a subject in your message. For instructions how to subscribe to mailing list see Communicate page.

First Solution

• Left pane menu is reduced:

1. SUSE Linux
   1. Download - page should be edited to point to current version at the top of the screen, with download and installation instructions on separate pages. Additionally offer current and older published versions with links to respective pages.
   2. Documentation - no changes needed.
   3. Support - doesn't exist now and will include help, communicate, thematic index pages etc.
   4. Report a Bug - first explain a bit what is a bug, what kind of bugs exist, how to recognize them, than how to report each of them.
2. openSUSE
   1. Project Overview - this has to contain present text and added links to Projects, Teams, Tasks, News, Roadmap, Events, FAQ etc.
   2. How to Participate - no changes to present page
   3. FAQs - all kind of FAQ listed as one index
   4. About Us - Should contain short intro like on the main page and then Legal and (legal) Contacts
3. Toolbox - Is unchanged.
4. In Other Languages - Is unchanged.

• Top of the screen is just better used in the way that is more common. The comments on the image explain the rest. Except the top line the rest can be improved when time and right idea comes.

Minimal redesign solution

Changing few things, like this:

Possible enhancements

Please visit enhancements wishlist and add what you think that should be presented on the Main page, but have in mind general ideas as that is what we are trying to accomplish.