Subject: Applying new design

From: Alexey Borzov <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 18:42:46 +0400

Hi!

As usual, the results are available at http://alexey.beta.postgresql.org/

I also took the opportunity to create a simpler and more consistent 
navigation (although it's not yet finished).

Praises, comments and texts to replace "blah-blah" are most welcome.

---

From: Peter Eisentraut <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 17:54:35 +0200

> navigation (although it's not yet finished).

A designer who was once hired to advise on the "art" stuff while I was 
coding told me, the human eye always looks for lines and edges.  I like 
your design and organization overall, but the fuzzy, weak, double lines 
that you use to delimit boxes are definitely a design mistake under the 
above rule.  Go for sharp edges and some color contrast.

-- 
Peter Eisentraut
http://developer.postgresql.org/~petere/

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From: Robert Treat <[email-masked]>
Date: 14 Sep 2004 13:08:05 -0400

> Praises, comments and texts to replace "blah-blah" are most welcome.

If it's not too much trouble can we stick with the original navigation
for now? I hate to change the navigation without actually doing some
real site re-architecture.  

Some thoughts on the current stuff though... can we reduce or even
better eliminate the margins on both sides? They are a waste of screen
real estate we could do without. 
 
Also make sure that downloads points to the ftp mirrors page, and that
mirrors points to the www mirrors page, right now they both point to the
ftp mirrors. 

We also need to move the language preference up to the top of the
screen, i think a drop down where you currently have the search box
would probably work. 

speaking of, good move making the search link into a search box, but can
you move it back into the black navigation menu by any chance? 

Can you replace the what is? text with the following:
"PostgreSQL is a highly-scalable, sql compliant, open source
object-relational database management system. With more than 15 years of
development history, it is quickly becoming the defacto database for
enterprise level open source solutions."  (yes, it's marketing fluff,
but we need to say who we are and what we do right on the main page)

PgFoundry text should read "A home for PostgreSQL related projects where
users can find additional software and modules for PostgreSQL and
developers can take advantage of free tools like Bug tracking, CVS, ftp
space and much more."

then change the Gborg text to read "The precursor to the current
pgfoundry website, you can still find a lot of great software under
active development at gborg"

Thats it for now, thanks again for your work done so far.

Robert Treat
-- 
Build A Brighter Lamp :: Linux Apache {middleware} PostgreSQL

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From: Oleg Bartunov <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 21:32:05 +0400 (MSD)

> above rule.  Go for sharp edges and some color contrast.

I support your's opinion ! New design is faded and boring. Elephant is
small and sad.

	Regards,
		Oleg
_____________________________________________________________
Oleg Bartunov, sci.researcher, hostmaster of AstroNet,
Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow University (Russia)
Internet: [email-masked], http://www.sai.msu.su/~megera/
phone: +007(095)939-16-83, +007(095)939-23-83

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From: Alexey Borzov <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 22:14:46 +0400

Hi,

> real site re-architecture.

If I add all the stuff which is currently in the left and right columns to the 
right, it will take 5+ screens to scroll.

Therefore, I suppose "What is", "Licence", "FAQ", "Case studies" stuff should go 
to the "Welcome" part of the home page and "Quick Help", "Contact the 
webmasters", "Report a bug" will go to the (currently missing) "Support" page.

> real estate we could do without. 

They can definitely be reduced a bit.

> mirrors points to the www mirrors page, right now they both point to the

You are wrong, they do point to different pages. Though the mirrors are outdated 
in the DB beta site uses and it's difficult to tell. :)

> screen, i think a drop down where you currently have the search box

This is a waste of space. Bear in mind that the actual visitors will face a 
static mirror of the site and the language will be selected by Apache's content 
negotiation *on every page request*.

> you move it back into the black navigation menu by any chance? 

Makes sense, I'll try doing this.

> but we need to say who we are and what we do right on the main page)

You mean the "Welcome" part?

> active development at gborg"

OK, will do.

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From: "Gavin M. Roy" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 11:56:57 -0700

Please find the attached alternate header logo...  I think it may be 
worth a try, the current header logo is fuzzy and what not.  If people 
prefer a glossy elephant I can make one to size.

Gavin

Oleg Bartunov wrote:

>---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
>TIP 5: Have you checked our extensive FAQ?
>
>               http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs/FAQ.html
>  
>

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From: Robert Treat <[email-masked]>
Date: 14 Sep 2004 15:52:52 -0400

> webmasters", "Report a bug" will go to the (currently missing) "Support" page.

What do you mean by the "welcome" part of the home page? Do you mean a
main introductory paragraph describing postgresql?  I think your right
in that you could work in all of those links into such a paragraph. 

<snip>
> in the DB beta site uses and it's difficult to tell. :)

No, the problem is when you go to 
http://alexey.beta.postgresql.org/mirrors you get the following:
--
Please select a download mirror:

We could not query the database or no mirrors could be found!

Download PostgreSQL from the primary site
--
so that needs to be fixed. 

> negotiation *on every page request*.

Ah... ok.  The issue was that users who don't speak english can't be
expected to find their way down to the links on the bottom of the page.
If content negotiation will take care of that it works for me.

<snip>
> You mean the "Welcome" part?

I didn't, but I guess I do now. Need to add in phrases about bsd license
and the other links from above. 

Robert Treat

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From: Oleg Bartunov <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 11:18:20 +0400 (MSD)

It's better, but why it's sad and/or pensive ? I'd like to see more
attractive and powerful elephant. Have you seen
http://www.pgastro.org/img/pgsphere.png ? It's a bit shallow, though :)

Oleg

	Regards,
		Oleg