archlinux.org redesign ideas

rezza · 2006-05-05 14:47:17

OK, a couple of ideas for an archlinux.org site redesign:

http://alpha.hostingbeyond.co.uk/~rezza/arch_redesign/
and
http://alpha.hostingbeyond.co.uk/~rezza/arch_redesign2/

(EDIT: thanks to mattUK for his mockup which I basically stole)

Basically I believe that for a community project like arch, the community should be actively involved in the design of the website. So other designs are welcome, as are ideas/mockups/criticism/comments/anything else.

Me and shadowhand are planning on a collab effort starting next week too, I'm sure other people have other designs on the go. Show them! Get them laughed at! Improve them! Eventually we'll have an awesome design to use that most people like, and nobody actively dislikes (that's the dream, anyway)...

FUBAR · 2006-05-05 14:50:29

The second design is very nice! So is the first one, but I think the second design is more usable.

I think there should also be a prominent "documentation" link. Or "help" or something alike.

rezza · 2006-05-05 14:52:14

FUBAR wrote:

The second design is very nice! So is the first one, but I think the second design is more usable.
I think there should also be a prominent "documentation" link. Or "help" or something alike.

Done.

stavrosg · 2006-05-05 15:08:20

+1 on the second design.

One note from me: There should be a place for the blog, planet (maybe), and the mailing lists somewhere, but I don't know if other tab(s) is a good idea, it will start looking very busy up there.

smoon · 2006-05-05 15:17:11

Agreed! Both designs are very nice, but I like the second one a bit better.

rezza · 2006-05-05 15:24:50

stavrosg wrote:

+1 on the second design.
One note from me: There should be a place for the blog, planet (maybe), and the mailing lists somewhere, but I don't know if other tab(s) is a good idea, it will start looking very busy up there.

OK, so where do you think? Above the right-hand-side of the latest news box? Below the Recent Updates box?

copernikus · 2006-05-05 15:27:06

rezza wrote:

Me and shadowhand are planning on a collab effort starting next week too, I'm sure other people have other designs on the go. Show them! Get them laughed at! Improve them! Eventually we'll have an awesome design to use that most people like, and nobody actively dislikes (that's the dream, anyway)...

I am curious to see some wiki and forum redesigns. My intial thoughts were to look through some phpBB themes and find something useable.

Creating mediawiki/phpBB stylesheets is not going to be very fun.

-Fran

stavrosg · 2006-05-05 15:30:37

rezza wrote:

stavrosg wrote:
+1 on the second design.
One note from me: There should be a place for the blog, planet (maybe), and the mailing lists somewhere, but I don't know if other tab(s) is a good idea, it will start looking very busy up there.
OK, so where do you think? Above the right-hand-side of the latest news box? Below the Recent Updates box?

Under recent updated probably.

rezza · 2006-05-05 15:39:12

copernikus wrote:

rezza wrote:
Me and shadowhand are planning on a collab effort starting next week too, I'm sure other people have other designs on the go. Show them! Get them laughed at! Improve them! Eventually we'll have an awesome design to use that most people like, and nobody actively dislikes (that's the dream, anyway)...
I am curious to see some wiki and forum redesigns. My intial thoughts were to look through some phpBB themes and find something useable.
Creating mediawiki/phpBB stylesheets is not going to be very fun.
-Fran

As far as phpBB goes, I agree - finding something relatively sane and then giving it the same colours as the site may be all that is needed. We could keep the header at the top. TBH I've never even looked into mediawiki, but I can't imagine it's too hard to change the colours in there to whatever we use for the site, and to insert the header in the top again.

stavrosg wrote:

rezza wrote:
OK, so where do you think? Above the right-hand-side of the latest news box? Below the Recent Updates box?
Under recent updated probably.

I tried both. Preferences?

Moo-Crumpus · 2006-05-05 15:50:26

It looks like an advertising of 1950 ... dimly.

Chris|MD · 2006-05-05 15:52:15

As i already sad in the other thread, its too brownish.
The second one is nice. But the background of the packagelist should be white.

rezza · 2006-05-05 15:53:06

Moo-Crumpus wrote:

It looks like an advertising of 1950 ... dimly.

You mean it looks a bit like an ad from the 1950s? Is that because of the colours or the layout or what? Is that a good or a bad thing?

sputnik · 2006-05-05 16:11:22

Looks great, 2nd one is better. I think it would be better with different colours, dont like that brown.

Neuro · 2006-05-05 16:12:29

Well.. I like the way the logo stands out in the first one. Not necessary in that way, but in the second way it looks blurry, just as if it wasn't there.

I do love the gradient however. It's really great, the gradient's contrast with the creamy colour is superb.

If I may propose something:
1. Darken the border of Recent updates a bit. A bit, not too much. Now it's barely noticeable It should somehow separate the box from the background without bringing too much focus. Try: #DFD6BE
2. Could you please put some hover effect on the menubar? A CSS :hover pseudoclass should do the trick (who cares about IE anyway )
3. Since you've went with the box model (everything within small boxes) I think that both news (the news ticker on the top should stay the way it is) and the "What is Archlinux" thing should go into their separate boxes. ie: every sub-section should have it own box. The "content boxes" should have a barely distinguishable background (#FBF9F2) and a light border.

Just my thoughts. Great job anyways.

dtw · 2006-05-05 16:27:37

For the time being just consider any changes to the forums as merely a switch of header area - the actually phpbb theme and buttons can stay until we have seomthing better. The unified header for all offical arch pages is the key requirement at the moment and so lets get that done and implemented then we go from there.

FUBAR · 2006-05-05 16:43:51

I think the homepage should be like Arch: fast and lightweight. The thing I hate about the current homepage is the right menu being too long. I don't take the time to read every option, even though everything I need for Arch is there.

I think a logical grouping of links is needed.

cactus · 2006-05-05 16:47:12

I like design2.
Not big on the muted cream backgroung color.. maybe a really light blue or something would work..

Anyway. nice work guys.

Sigi · 2006-05-05 18:13:40

+1 for design 2. Nice work!

phrakture · 2006-05-05 18:50:18

Grrrr... so *now* you people want to make redesigns? I posted the little contest, got a whole bunch of replies of those who were "going to do one" ... and then nothing. *chirp chirp* *chirp chirp*

FUBAR · 2006-05-05 18:53:33

Oh yeah ..... I guess I'm still busy doing one. I'm also working on a media catalog program. And world peace. I'll let you know when I'm done. *chirp chirp* *chirp chirp*

rezza · 2006-05-05 18:58:22

OK, I don't remember any contest. Maybe I just have a bad memory.

myst · 2006-05-05 19:01:50

2nd is better for me, but still not better than current.

phrakture · 2006-05-05 19:03:46

rezza wrote:

OK, I don't remember any contest. Maybe I just have a bad memory.

Heh: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=19680

rezza · 2006-05-05 19:10:45

OK for starters your blog is fucked and I can't read any entries.

Also, if you want a redesign it's better to say so somewhere visible, rather than in just one obscure topic that gets lost in the mists of the announcements forum. I mean, seriously, I honestly didn't know about the desire for a redesign.

cactus · 2006-05-05 19:12:54

quick! someone give phrakture a hug!

rezza, here's another one --> http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=19619

Glad to see someone actually doing something though..

Arch Linux

#1 2006-05-05 14:47:17

archlinux.org redesign ideas

#2 2006-05-05 14:50:29

Re: archlinux.org redesign ideas

#3 2006-05-05 14:52:14

Re: archlinux.org redesign ideas

#4 2006-05-05 15:08:20

Re: archlinux.org redesign ideas

#5 2006-05-05 15:17:11

Re: archlinux.org redesign ideas

#6 2006-05-05 15:24:50

Re: archlinux.org redesign ideas

#7 2006-05-05 15:27:06

Re: archlinux.org redesign ideas

#8 2006-05-05 15:30:37

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