Re: [OpenVerse] A desperate cry for help.

[Dan Mueth <d-mueth@uchicago.edu>]

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Reply-To: openverse@openverse.org


> We are in desperate need of someone to take over the website from me. I'm not a
> web artist. I'm a programmer. The web is too much like documentation to me and
> I've got that coming out my ears with feature enhancements and such.
> 
> I can't do it all and I'm hoping someone can step up to the plate on this one.
> Access can be assigned to the capable user to maintain the site.
> 
> The goal is to encourage someone to download the software and find
> help/information easily

This sounds like a VERY good idea.  This web site looks very nice to a
programmer, but to typical users, it is very bad.  The first sentence
describes what language it is written in and the second talks about
server/client stuff.  That's enough to scare away a lot of computer
novices right there.  (All the Windows and Mac folks are gone at this
point.)

The next part talks about the program status, CVS, mailing lists, and
BUGS.  For non-technical types, this is also very bad.  (Most Windows
users don't like to be reminded about BUGS...)

There is lots of text and descriptions of how to install on all the
platforms on one big page, with little eye-candy.  There also is no
screenshot on the main page.

I am not much of a designer, but I would break this into several pages.  
A pretty eye-candy home page with a layman description of what it does, a
nice big screenshot, and links to specific pages. (Download, Development,
Screenshots, Documentation).  You may list some simple bullets to describe
why its so great. ("Chat with your friends online for free!", "Create your
very own personal chat room", "Choose any image for your own character" -
if you are inclined to _really_ go for the layman.  This could scare away
the techies though.) I would consider making the Download pages different
for each platform, so Mac and Windows users don't see the scary Linux/Unix
install instructions and run away.

If I had any talent at graphic design or web page layout, I'd happily help
out here.  Unfortunately, I'd probably wind up with something worse than
it is now...

Dan

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