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#241 2008-09-19 21:01:53

MattD
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From: Monterey, California
Registered: 2008-03-21
Posts: 1,254
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Re: TxP.com home page

ruud wrote:

As a not native English reader, I can get an idea of what kerfuffle means, but I’d have to grab a dictionary to make sure. And it doesn’t even rhyme ;)

As a NATIVE English speaker I’m in the same boat!


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#242 2008-09-20 12:30:05

zero
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From: Lancashire
Registered: 2004-04-19
Posts: 1,470
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Re: TxP.com home page

Can we assume that first time visitors are likely to look at the promo space first? With that in mind, I thought perhaps the Write tab would not be of immediate interest so I’ve rewritten the 5 sets of wording here with the intention of giving a good feel and accurate first impression to first time visitors. I’ve managed to include ‘management system’ and ‘content publishing’ without it sounding clunky, I think, but improvements are always welcome of course.

Last edited by zero (2008-09-20 12:31:24)


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#243 2008-09-20 15:08:18

maniqui
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From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Re: TxP.com home page

I was thinking about “concentrating” all the fancy Javascript/jQuery on the slideshow. (That’s the promo space you are talking about, right, zero?)
In fact, I was thinking about mixing an slideshow and a tab interface.
That is: we could put 3 or 4 tabs, each one with a set of related slides.
So, the homepage will “win” some extra space, but at the same time, it won’t be cluttered, because one tab is displayed at time.

One tab could be “Introduction” (or any other name), with a set of slides. A second tab could be: “Screenshots”, with a set of slides displaying admin side screenshots, and finally a “Showcase” tab, including screenshots of sites made with Textpattern.

This way, we could have a little more content without taking more space on the homepage. The site grows in the z-axis now! :D

Also, this will keep the jquery fanciness on just one place.


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#244 2008-09-20 15:48:39

zero
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From: Lancashire
Registered: 2004-04-19
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Re: TxP.com home page

Yes, by promo space I mean the slideshow, maniqui. I don’t think (but am ready to be proved wrong) that admin side screenshots or web sites will be done justice in that space because of the size, so I prefer linking to full pages of those instead. I also don’t see why jquery fanciness should be limited to one place. But I do see a need for relevant specific details to be readily available which is why I like the idea of 3 audiences having the option to see some or all features. Whether this is done fancily or not is up to the designer.

The promo space has great potential, of course, and it is going to be interesting to see what exactly gets put there when the site is complete.


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#245 2008-09-20 15:53:30

Bloke
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From: Leeds, UK
Registered: 2006-01-29
Posts: 11,449
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Re: TxP.com home page

maniqui wrote:

I was thinking about mixing an slideshow and a tab interface.

Nice idea. Keeps all the graphical content together and leaves more space for, ummm, something else if we can fill it. This technique will rely on whether coda-slider (or equiv) can play nicely with jQuery’s UI tabs (or equiv). I guess it will, but has anyone done it? Might be worth testing it before we commit. Anyone?

Also, are you thinking that the screenshots / showcases / etc in the promo space would, I dunno, lightbox up to full size? Or does the Screenshots tab simply have a slideshow of images that, when clicked, take you to another page full of screenies and the Showcase tab does likewise to a page of Featured Sites? Again, the technology here might depend on what JS libraries play nicely in a self-contained div without interfering with other things around it, and what we can fit in the space.

[ EDIT: zero beat me to the above point! ]

Coda-slider might work; jQuery Cycle might also work. imo, we could do with keeping the number of different ‘effects’ to a minimum for two reasons: 1) quicker library/page load times, 2) Makes it look less like “my first Powerpoint”… cast your mind back to those awful meetings where some manager — not so skilled in Powerpoint or visual design — uses a different transition for every slide because they think it looks cool :-P

Last edited by Bloke (2008-09-20 15:55:14)


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#246 2008-09-20 16:09:27

zero
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From: Lancashire
Registered: 2004-04-19
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Re: TxP.com home page

For Web Publishers, Web Designers and Web Developers I think it would not look overdone if, say, 4 items are listed for each, then ‘more’ button for each, then use jQuery exactly as it is used at the top of this page, to reveal other features. I assume that’s technically possible but am I assuming wrong?


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#247 2008-09-20 16:09:30

jstubbs
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From: Hong Kong
Registered: 2004-12-13
Posts: 2,395
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Re: TxP.com home page

Mmmm. Been away for a couple of days and this thread continues to grow like algae! May I make some comments, or would it be easier to just edit the new home page?

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#248 2008-09-20 16:21:15

zero
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From: Lancashire
Registered: 2004-04-19
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Re: TxP.com home page

You’re welcome to edit the wiki of course Jonathan. Probably best to leave comments at the bottom of the same page too. If making a lot of changes, perhaps it’s best to just put your own version on there and label it as such.


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#249 2008-09-20 17:03:20

maniqui
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From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Registered: 2004-10-10
Posts: 3,070
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Re: TxP.com home page

Bloke wrote:

Nice idea. Keeps all the graphical content together and leaves more space for, ummm, something else if we can fill it. This technique will rely on whether coda-slider (or equiv) can play nicely with jQuery’s UI tabs (or equiv). I guess it will, but has anyone done it? Might be worth testing it before we commit. Anyone?

I’ve done an implementation of jQuery UI tabs + jQuery serialScroll and it worked flawlessly and it also degrades gracefully (if implemented properly). We can also use jQuery Preload (also by Ariel Flesler, serialScroll author) to improve performance/user-experience.
I’m thinking about 15-20 images (5 per slide) but they could be many more if needed.

Also, jQuery UI tabs + jQuery Cycle (lite version) would be a nice way to achieve this idea. They probably work fine together.

Also, are you thinking that the screenshots / showcases / etc in the promo space would, I dunno, lightbox up to full size? Or does the Screenshots tab simply have a slideshow of images that, when clicked, take you to another page full of screenies and the Showcase tab does likewise to a page of Featured Sites?

I would avoid a lightbox on the homepage.
TXP screenshots could link to an general inner page (/features/) or a particular inner page (a detail of the functionality displayed on the screenshot). Showcase images could link to a /showcase/ section with more screenshots, links to WeLoveTxP, quotes by TXP users, etc.


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#250 2008-09-20 17:06:05

jstubbs
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From: Hong Kong
Registered: 2004-12-13
Posts: 2,395
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Re: TxP.com home page

Made some changes, mainly to simplify the text and keep the wording and promotion consistent and in line with Textpattern branding. Named the version as per Peter’s suggestion.

Last edited by jstubbs (2008-09-20 17:07:24)

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#251 2008-09-20 17:21:26

kvnmcwebn
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From: Ireland
Registered: 2007-01-27
Posts: 724
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Re: TxP.com home page

I like the text now but do those comprehensive features lists need to be on the homepage?
I like idea of a separate features page or maybe the show hide jscript.


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#252 2008-09-20 18:02:15

Bloke
Developer
From: Leeds, UK
Registered: 2006-01-29
Posts: 11,449
Website GitHub

Re: TxP.com home page

jstubbs

Nice work. Might I suggest using the word ‘arrange’ instead of ‘presentation’? The reason being that the other initial words in bold are more things you can do with it, whereas ‘presentation’ is like a feature of the system. So if you then read the words down the list one by one, they are all action-based and roll off the tongue nicely. Of course, ‘arrange’ might not be the right word either, so if anyone has anything better, fire away.

maniqui

All fine by me. Good to know the various modules interact seamlessly, thanks for clarifying.

kvnmcwebn

There will be a separate features page.. or two or more. The handful of features from each category randomly chosen for presentation on the home page will link to more detailed pages about the feature(s) in question.

Can’t remember the general consensus at the mo, but I think we were going for one Features page per ‘type’ of user — designer, publisher, developer — that focuses more on the product strengths that type of person would be likely to use. Each page will of course make mention of some of the other things it can do with links to the other ‘features’ pages. Someone correct me if I’m wrong here.


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