[GRASS-dev] web svn

[Hamish]

re. the move to Drupal website:
  http://grass-dev.osgeo.net/

(rambling thoughts follow)


> >  I think policy on that is not very clear (at least not for me). Up
> > to now I've understood this site as somethink like a test, nothing
> > more.
...
> > At this stage we have several sites and it just is a bit confusing to
> > me...  Could you remind me of the official strategy and timing ?


http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/Web_Migration_to_Drupal


re official strategy, I am unhappy with a "blog-like" homepage and await
to see a fleshed-out demo of what the homepage, downloads page, and
screenshots page could look like before being able to support a move away
from the current system. What I see now is a RSS feed/blog, not a
structured portal suitable as the first point of contact.

I'm quite happy with the way the current website looks and is structured,
and don't mind working in SVN. I think Markus has done a very nice job
with the PHP, it's very easy to follow and work with (see below). I like
the clear "exactitude" of svn diffs, and prefer to work in my favourite
text editor rather than a web form.

I fully accept the content needs a big cleanup (e.g. the GDP docs -> wiki
merge), and we won't make everyone happy (including me).

Don't get me wrong, I am all for a system which will make it easier for
folks to contribute, easier to edit, more consistent, take less
maintenance, be less of a burden on any one devel, etc..


I wonder what is the real barrier to entry for the current system:
 - svn rights (can be fine-grained, learning curve = 1 hr)
 - knowing html (not much worse than wiki markup, more google hits,
drupal uses basic html markup as well)
 - lack of interest by those with the answers
 - lack of users knowing the answer definitively

I suspect it is primarily related to the last idea, and as it happens
Markus happens to know most of the answers better than anyone else. I
worry that changing to drupal can't solve that part of the problem.


Before we start any migration we need to figure out what the homepage is
for and goes where:
 - Website content
 - Mediawiki content
 - Trac wiki content

The main website may reduce down to:
 - mainpage with TOC and non-dominating news
 - about (drupal page)
 - download (drupal page)

 - help (-> mediawiki)
 - community (-> wiki)
 - bugs (-> trac)
 - development (-> trac wiki)

the last four there can and should happen now, not need to wait, it just
has to be systematically done.


Some minimum requirements of any system with publicly represents us:
 - Modifications restricted to approved users (keep out vandals)
    [ok, drupal does that]
 - Verifiable & reviewable change history (accountability)
    [I am logged into the test site as an author now and just made a
"book page" edit, but I don't see how to find a page's change history.]


Style:
eeek, get rid of the puke-green rectangle at the top, it gives me a
headache.

For comparison, IMHO the qgis homepage is community-friendly but way too
cluttered* and scattered**, while the gdal page has a nice logical
structure but is too aesthetically sparse for an end-user project like
GRASS.

[*] a page needs lots of whitespace! no need to shove everything on one
page, addition pages are free.

[**] a solid hierarchical structure is the key to usable site navigation.
A pile of random node pages with a search tool is a poor substitute in a
front page / portal site.


We already have trac and a wiki sites with User: and Pass: prompts, do we
need a third in the same meme? I don't much like that on a project
homepage, to a new user it might seem elitist. (better: quietly put a
login link at the bottom for editor access) On the other hand, maybe that
gives new recruits more of a sense of belonging to the community? shrug.
(did I mention I hate clutter?)


/me stops complaining and wanders off to learn more about how to use
drupal


Hamish




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