New Python.org website ?

[Roel Schroeven]

Tim Parkin schreef:
> Roel Schroeven wrote:
>> Tim N. van der Leeuw schreef:
>>
>>> Shalabh,
>>>
>>> You've managed very well to express the same things I feel about the
>>> new Python website.
>>
>> FWIW, I don't like the new site at all. It tries to look slick (but 
>> fails to do so in my opinion), and buries the useful information in all 
>> kinds of misplaced eye candy.
>>
>> In fact I like the old one better: short, clear and to the point.
> 
> Can you make some specific comments about which 'eye candy' that you
> find objectionable and which parts of the navigation structure you find
> confusing?

It's not easy because my perception of a website is formed by a general 
impression; trying to explain or even find the origins of that 
impression is actually some sort of rationalization after the fact. 
Anyway, I'll try.

- As many people have mentioned, the images. An image can be perfectly 
OK, but I don't like how they are used on the beta site. I kinda like 
the one on http://www.joelonsoftware.com/ for example, though I can't 
say exactly why I like that one and I don't like the images on 
http://beta.python.org/.

- The site feels 'empty'. I think I found out why: it's the navigation. 
To me, it feels like the navigation is strongly de-emphasized, almost as 
if it's not meant to be used by the casual passer-by. It doesn't really 
invite to explore the other pages of the site. The old site does a 
better job of that, even though the navigation looks a bit chaotic.

- I'm not too fond of the sitemap link. On many sites a sitemap is 
useful because sometimes it's the only way to navigate the site in a 
sensible way, or to find all pages. In other words, a sitemap is only 
needed if the normal navigation doesn't do a good enough job, and if 
it's present it always makes me feel as if the website designer is 
admitting that that indeed is the case.

- The boxes on the right don't feel right. Maybe it would be better with 
other content in it, more directly relevant to the main text.

- The header is too empty. Maybe "The Official Python Programming 
Language Website" should be there instead of under it. (I also think 
that title should be shorter, maybe something simply like "The Python 
Programming Language"


-- 
If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood
on the shoulders of giants.  -- Isaac Newton

Roel Schroeven