preparing websites content for Fedora 10

[Máirín Duffy]

Craig Thomas wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 2, 2008 at 11:44 AM, Máirín Duffy <duffy at fedoraproject.org> wrote:
>> Máirín Duffy wrote:
>>> Patrick C. F. Ernzer wrote:
>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>> On 2008-10-01 18:06, Craig Thomas wrote:
>>>>> On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 11:44 AM, Max Spevack <mspevack at redhat.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>> [...]
>>>>>> (3) (MOST IMPORTANT) The get-fedora page, with all of the updates
>>>>>> and suggestions that have been discussed since the F9 release
>>>> [...]
>>>>> and our draft implementation:
>>>>>
>>>>> http://craigt.fedorapeople.org/get-fedora/get-fedora
>>> The solution we had in the mockup (that this doesn't seem to be
>>> following) was to just offer 32-bit live desktop by default and other
>>> arches are hidden under a 'more options' link.
> 
> I am not sure which mockup you are refering to ?  do you have a link
> or do you mean the .pdf of the drawing you made?

The PDF :)

>>> Most consumer machines, especially now that Apple has gone with intel
>>> chips, can run x86. If you have no idea of your machine's architecture
>>> (and I am betting most folks who want to try Fedora for the first time
>>> do not) x86 is a very safe bet. If you do know what your machine's arch
>>> is, and it's not x86, you are more than capable to click one more link
>>> to get x86_64 or ppc.
>>>
> 
> Understood and agreed. And I think we should be pushing the x86 live CD myself.
> 
>>> This page is just too busy, IMHO. There is too much text, and it asks
>>> too many questions.
>>>
>>> What our plan had been before when we discussed this, was to offer the
>>> Fedora live desktop spin x86 with one click.
>> fwiw here's my money where my mouth is:
>>
>> http://duffy.fedorapeople.org/webdesign/get-fedora/
> 
> To be perfectly candid, I agree with you and feel conflicted about the
> work I have done on this idea /page. As a user,  I resist things
> moving around the screen and disappearing ... it makes me nervous.
> Yet, the basic design of the page seemed to call for it and I feel
> like I just followed the idea to it's conclusion. On the other hand, I
> think this idea shows off Fedora's offerings in terms of .iso choices.
> 
> The above is simple and elegant, things I think Fedora is also.  It's
> more in line with the rest of our content.  ( a little sparse, but I
> am thinking we would add the right hand column? )
> 
> Both seem like huge improvements over the current get-fedora page, and
> as our goal is to improve the current user experience I think having
> as many ideas out there to work from can only improve the end result.

I think your mockup is great if we wanted a hand-holding wizard.
However, I think a fundamental problem is that the people who would
care enough to download something other than the x86 live media
desktop spin would probably feel patronized by a hand-holding wizard
and would not have the patience to read through all the text.

What I would propose is something like:

- get fedora points to the simple get-fedora mockup I posted that
will link to an advanced options page
- the advanced options page allows you to either click from a sea of
links what you want or to go thru the wizard

I've done something similar to the advanced options page, see this:

http://people.redhat.com/duffy/debuginfo/index-js.html

It has a simple drop-down widget to get you where you want to go,
and it also lets you just look it up yourself:

http://people.redhat.com/duffy/debuginfo/index-nojs.html

What I would suggest for the wizard is something simpler, like with
just dropdowns. To lure in less-advanced users who need the
handholding/explanations, we could use banner ads in a third right
column in the page like in the pdf mockup (i didn't do this in my
html mockup) The banner ads could go directly to the advertised
selection, skipping over the advanced options page.

~m