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#1 2008-05-12 09:59:53

zero
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From: Lancashire
Registered: 2004-04-19
Posts: 1,470
Website

Blog platforms design critique

Design Shack has a concise design critique of blog platforms including Textpattern.


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#2 2008-05-12 10:31:42

ruud
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From: a galaxy far far away
Registered: 2006-06-04
Posts: 5,068
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Re: Blog platforms design critique

I agree with the remarks about information overload and the download link.

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#3 2008-05-12 10:34:46

Bloke
Developer
From: Leeds, UK
Registered: 2006-01-29
Posts: 11,243
Website GitHub

Re: Blog platforms design critique

Nice find. The points are well put across and, I think, very valid. The ‘overloading’ of information and difficulty of finding the download link are important to address on textpattern.com imo. Who maintains the site btw?

Edited to add: great minds… :-P

Last edited by Bloke (2008-05-12 10:35:26)


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#4 2008-05-12 10:54:48

ruud
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From: a galaxy far far away
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Posts: 5,068
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Re: Blog platforms design critique

The developers maintain the website. I’m not sure anyone is involved in designing it though (certainly not me).

While I can see the difference between good and bad design (or at least I’d like to think so), actually creating a visually pleasing, modern, yet easy to use and informative design is beyond my capabilities. I specialize in 20th century webdesign.

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#5 2008-05-12 11:20:05

zero
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From: Lancashire
Registered: 2004-04-19
Posts: 1,470
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Re: Blog platforms design critique

Can I suggest the download link is moved to the top of the left column and possibly given a yellow background.

I also think that something like this, immediately after the first paragraph, is needed: ——- Textpattern is often used by:
  • Bloggers who prefer the extra options and flexibility of self-hosting over services like Blogger
  • Businesses who regularly add content to their sites
  • Enterprises with several content providers who need efficient workflow and clear communication

——-
The exact wording is critical and needs to be just right for the target audience(s), so needs some great suggestions.

The reason for the extra paragraph is that there will then be two main paragraphs serving as a summary which hopefully will capture the attention enough to create a desire to read on. Although the following text is interesting, imho, I agree it is too long and needs rewriting, preferably by an experienced professional. Likewise with the design.


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#6 2008-05-12 11:23:44

Bloke
Developer
From: Leeds, UK
Registered: 2006-01-29
Posts: 11,243
Website GitHub

Re: Blog platforms design critique

ruud wrote:

While I can see the difference between good and bad design (or at least I’d like to think so), actually creating a visually pleasing, modern, yet easy to use and informative design is beyond my capabilities.

Ditto!

Could one of the moderators or other trusted member with a good eye for design be given “Designer” privileges at textpattern.com and bounce around layouts that address these points while maintaining all that content?


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#7 2008-05-12 11:43:57

Dragondz
Moderator
From: Algérie
Registered: 2005-06-12
Posts: 1,525
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Re: Blog platforms design critique

Hi all

I think there is a lot of designer in txp community that are ready to make a txp website redisign if they are asked to for free!

Btw the design critics are very valid

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#8 2008-05-12 11:53:58

zero
Member
From: Lancashire
Registered: 2004-04-19
Posts: 1,470
Website

Re: Blog platforms design critique

Are there many copywriters or authors or professional web content makers in the txp community who would also give their services on this for free too? IMHO, the content is the priority, the design can follow after.


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#9 2008-05-12 12:30:55

sthmtc
Member
From: CGN, GER
Registered: 2005-01-17
Posts: 586
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Re: Blog platforms design critique

zero wrote:

the content is the priority, the design can follow after.

this is a dangerous, common misconception. i’d consider content (here: copywriting) as an integral part of the design process and in an ideal project, both should be tightly interwoven.

having that said, i’d say the site could be greatly improved with minimal effort, i.e. (as others have said before me) making the download link more prominent and using a lead paragraph (or bulleted list for that matter) as you proposed in your previos comment (“Textpattern is often used by”). so, i’d say there’s no need for a complete redesign at the moment.

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#10 2008-05-12 12:51:26

colak
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From: Cyprus
Registered: 2004-11-20
Posts: 9,006
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Re: Blog platforms design critique

zero wrote:

the content is the priority, the design can follow after.

sthmtc wrote:

this is a dangerous, common misconception. i’d consider content (here: copywriting) as an integral part of the design process and in an ideal project, both should be tightly interwoven.

sthmtc, you are confusing design copyright with content copyright. Two different things. correctly spotted by ruud

the article is indeed very well observed. The textpattern site does need to be updated and with the kind of expertise we have in this forum it is a pity that the default template designed – what seems to be – eons ago is still there.

Maybe a competition should be launched for the redesign of the textpattern site. Since the software is open source then the competition should not offer any $$$ but an acknowledgment of the designer somewhere in the pages… Just an idea…

Last edited by colak (2008-05-12 13:35:11)


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#11 2008-05-12 13:05:53

ruud
Developer Emeritus
From: a galaxy far far away
Registered: 2006-06-04
Posts: 5,068
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Re: Blog platforms design critique

Aren’t copyright and copywriting two totally different things?

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#12 2008-05-12 13:28:13

Mary
Sock Enthusiast
Registered: 2004-06-27
Posts: 6,236

Re: Blog platforms design critique

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