Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 09:18:19 -0600 From: Sean Kelly <kelly@plutotech.com> To: nik@iii.co.uk Cc: Wolfram Schneider <wosch@cs.tu-berlin.de>, doc@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: New home page design Message-ID: <3593BBBB.B03FDC88@plutotech.com> References: <19980624165018.A10393@caramba.cs.tu-berlin.de> <19980626105412.14995@iii.co.uk>
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> Keep the very first page short and sweet. A great idea. The page is visited as a jumping-off point for users who know what they're after, but also by people who ask questions such as the recent ``Is it an ISP? A database?'' We can make the introductory page accomodate both types. I hope. > Welcome to FreeBSD Or just the FreeBSD logo with the Power to Serve motto. > In order to be as useful as possible, the information on this > web site has been arranged in a number of different ways, based > upon the information you need. I think this paragraph can be omitted, as the design itself should make the intent clear. > * Prospective User > > You've heard about FreeBSD, and want to know more. Learn > all about FreeBSD, what it is, how to install it and related > information in these pages. This sounds good, except that many people who have no idea what FreeBSD is will want instant gratification: that is, they don't want to click any deeper into the web site than necessary to answer the basic question of what the heck this is all about. Rather than label it Prospecitve User, I think it'd be better to up-front say what FreeBSD is and let the short explanatory paragraph turn the ``just visitors visiting'' into prospective users. For example: ABOUT FREEBSD FreeBSD is a robust, high-power, Internet-ready, Unix-like operating system for PCs. If you're a prospective user, you can learn more about FreeBSD, how to install it Here, either ``learn more,'' or the heading, or both are hyperlinks to text that's similar to the current home page: this gives the interested user an executive summary of the cutting edge features, the powerful Internet solutions that FreeBSD providese, the applications it runs. In essence, it goes to what is now the current homepage. > * Problems installing > > If you're having problems during your installation of FreeBSD, > these pages contain concise links to errata, Frequently Asked > Installation Questions and related information. This is good, too, but I wince a bit at having the word ``problems'' in a heading. In reality, people will experience problems. But this is the web. There is no reality. I'd suggest instead: DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING FREEBSD You'll find help on installing FreeBSD in the following: * How To Install FreeBSD * Frequently Asked Questions * Errata I'm using a bulleted list here to help accomodate the user having trouble with the installation. Less reading. Links directly to what's needed. > * Installed User > > You've installed FreeBSD. Discover how to install new ports and > packages, how to configure your system, and how to configure > printing, PPP, file sharing and more. I'm really liking this idea of dividing the page into the different types of users! I'm just worried that people might misjudge what kind of users they are, and that's why I'm rewriting your headings. (Plus, what does it mean to install a user? :-) RUNNING & CONFIGURING FREEBSD Once you've installed FreeBSD, discover how to install new applications and programs, how to configure your system, and set up printing, PPP, networking, file sharing, and more. > * Developer / Contributor > > For active FreeBSD developers and contributors. Looks good. And finally, there's no reason why the really advanced user should have to click several levels to get where s/he wants to go. We can keep the ``web map'' bar which has all of the major links as a quick-access method. --Sean To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-doc" in the body of the message
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