Re: [libreoffice-website] Website status

Hi David, all,

once again, please don't think I would not appreciate your great work, 
even if I try to improve the "look and feel" of the welcome page.

David Nelson schrieb:
> Hi Bernhard, :-)
>
> On Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 05:38, Bernhard Dippold
> <bernhard@familie-dippold.at>  wrote:
> > PPS: I still believe, that the visible part of the main page should not
> > contain more than a few lines of text, a download button (can lead to the
> > download page) and links to the most interesting areas.
>
> Please give me a suggestion for the "few lines of text" then.

As I already stated in my other mail, we should try to address our 
visitor's interests during the first few seconds.

We should try to find out what these interests are - a good place to 
work for our UX experts, but as long as we don't have any numbers, I 
think we should address those points:

[1] Download -> I want to get this product!
[2] Features and audiences -> Is this a product for me? For whom it is 
designed? Does it fit my needs?
[3] Support -> I need help! Anybody around here?
[4] Contribution -> Cool - I can improve it!
[5] Feedback -> What do others think of it? I want to share my opinion!
[6] Internationalization -> Can I get the product / information in my 
language? Can I contribute despite my bad English?

Probably I forgot one or another important point, but you'll get, what I 
mean.

Most of these interests are already covered by the main navigation, but 
this is not as attractive as on the page itself. And repeating important 
information is crucial (if we use different wording, the visitor might 
not even notice it).

Please have a look at Christoph's proposal:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bbnG0Hny0SpccJIZsGp72A?feat=directlink

One visually appealing area for (e.g.) the screenshot shuffler - 
together with the link to the download page [1].

Below three large buttons linking to the main areas of interest of most 
of the visitors:

Features and Audiences [2]. (NavTab "Features")
This button might get sub-divisions for direct links to the features 
page and a page containing the benefits for our target groups (we don't 
have such a page by now?).

Support [3]. (NavTab "Get Help")
Placed in the middle, it is visible at first sight. Comparable to the 
present navigation tab it allows to reach the FAQ with two mouse clicks 
- same for the mailing list archives, forums/fora or IRC channel...
This button could be divided in free and professional support (page not 
yet created).

Contribution [4]. (NavTab "Get Involved")
If developers think it to be very important, this button could become 
two-parted too, with one part linking to the development page directly.

Each button could get a very short description, if necessary. Just one 
phrase to make people curious and to describe where you get.

Only below this area some textual content is added. We could have here 
our latest news, a timetable with LibO events, the last two or three 
entries in the TDF blog or on twitter [5]. (I could imagine the blog and 
twitter area on the right third of the page, while the text based 
content would cover two thirds at the left).

The last topic, Internationalization [6], could be added to the top 
right area. People not good in reading English will probably not manage 
to find out, that there is a link to "Local Sites" in the navigation 
bar. This area could be used too to announce that the present page is 
available translated in other languages.

I'm sorry, that I can't design a mockup at the moment. Time is short 
even for adding the short phases...

[1] Download:
"Download the largest community driven office suite in the world!"

[2] Features | Audiences:
"Find out why LibreOffice is the best office suite for your purposes:"

[3] Support:
"Open questions? Help needed? We're glad to be at your service - free 
and professional:"
(With the divided button visitors know that this doesn't mean that 
professional service must be free...)

[4] Contribution:
"LibreOffice is driven by a community of volunteers. Join us! Share your 
skills! It's cool and fun!"

The present welcome page contains the most important information on 
LibreOffice, therefore this shouldn't be thrown away.

I think, it could be integrated in the Features page - and in Benefits, 
if we create such a page too.

Best regards

Bernhard

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