New Python.org website ?

[Steve Holden]

Shalabh Chaturvedi wrote:
> Tim Parkin wrote:
> 
> 
>>Well apart from the front page and a couple of pages providing content
>>specific to different types of usersm the whole site is the same as it
>>was before. Do you have a problem with marketing python or with the
>>content of the python site? Could you expand on why you think the beta
>>site looks 'phony'?
> 
> 
> The pictures are too big, too many and in your face (boastful, as 
> someone else mentioned). Even in most commercial product sites I see a 
> single company name/logo or a single quote in a corner somewhere. For 
> example www.ironport.com, www.informatica.com, www.basecamphq.com... One 
> great open source site is www.postgresql.org. Everything including 
> documentation has the same look and feel.
> 
> I'm looking at it as someone who is skeptical or knows only little about 
> Python. "What? Google, NASA!" (click, click.. nothing.. or a single 
> quote) "Bah! this is bogus". People want to know how something will help 
> them and why should they use it. It would be awesome if we can pull all 
> the pythonology success stories into python.org and link exactly one on 
> the main page (again see www.postgresql.org). Anything less than a case 
> study does not warrant a picture with a 'learn why..' on it.
> 
> 
>>>My gripes with the whole thing:
>>>
>>>1. Learn why.., Learn why.., Learn more..? Unless each one takes you 
>>>directly to a great success story, these should be removed.
>>
>>These will link directly to success stories.
> 
> 
> Good, but I think there should be only one with a smaller link to case 
> studies and/or quotes.
> 
> 
>>""Python has been an important part of Google since the beginning, and
>>remains so as the system grows and evolves. Today dozens of Google
>>engineers use Python, and we're looking for more people with skills in
>>this language." said Peter Norvig, director of search quality at Google,
>>Inc. "
>>
>>thats what it says on the old site right at the top of the page...
> 
> 
> So the google link on the home page should perhaps go to this quote 
> instead of google.com.
> 
> 
>>>4. I have a lot of respect for GvR, but there ought to be more 
>>>advertising of the fact that the language is not supported by just one 
>>>person. There is an great dev team behind it and a stable PSF 
>>>organization. Anyone reading 'developed by one person' is not left with 
>>>the fuzzy feeling of a mature, well-supported product that is here to stay.
>>
>>So you think we should add some copy that creates a more positive
>>impression of python? Thanks for your suggestion to rewrite the copy
>>regarding the team behind python. Could you come up with some
>>alternative for this?
> 
> 
> Sure, I will work on this.
> 
> 
>>>Hopefully most of these will get fixed as people 'convert' the site and 
>>>fill in content. I would urge people to do some 'user' testing - get 
>>>persons not very familiar with Python and get their honest opinion on 
>>>the site.
>>
>>We have done... The feedback was that some pictures would help engage
>>people who view the website for the first time. This was especially true
>>of non-programmers who may be assessing python as part of a business
>>decition (who will probably not get further than the home page).
> 
> 
> I think logos might be more effective. Again with links to success 
> stories with pull quotes highlighting Python's strengths. Pretty 
> pictures by themselves don't do much. People want to know how it is 
> different from other things, why it is better and *where* it is better.
> 
> 
>>Most developers tended to want to jump straight into bookmarked parts of
>>the site or just check the updated news. People wanting to learn about
>>python would try to find a 'for beginners' link (hence the prominence of
>>this).
> 
> 
> These links are very important. A couple of nitpicks about presentation:
> 1. Why are there two 'documentation' sections on the left?
> 2. Why does the 'about' section show 3 sub-headings on the main page, 
> but grows to 6 when clicked?
> 
> 
>>A summary of questions whose answers may help us:
>>
>>Do you have a problem with the way we are trying to 'market' python?
> 
> I like that you are trying to market Python. I think the way it is being 
> done may be ineffective, or worse, may backfire.
> 
> 
>>Which content in particular do you have an objection to?
> 
> The 3 edited (or stock?) pictures occupying majority of the real estate.
> Missing success stories or case studies.
> 
> 
>>Could you expand on why you think the beta site looks 'phony'?
> 
> See top of email.
> 
> 
>>Could you tell me what about the site makes you think it looks 'cool' or
>>'flashy'?
> 
> The big pictures are too flashy. The colors and fonts etc. give make it 
> somewhat cool. Cool is a good thing. But not without content.
> 
> 
>>Could you come up with some alternative for the intro copy about python?
> 
> Sure. In fact I think the front page intro should be very minimal with 2 or
> 3 specifically targeted intros in the about section.
> 
> Is the current www.python.org written in HTML? If not where can I get 
> the source?
> 
> Cheers,
> Shalabh
> 
The current site is mostly HTML, so you can use websucker to get the 
(majority of) the content. We also have a well-defined mirror process in 
place.

This critique is all very well, but it tends to rely rather heavily on 
the words "I think". You are, of course, entitled to your opinion, but 
please don't think that this new design was created on a whim. There are 
many contrary opinions, and like all good designs this one is a compromise.

Now roll your sleeves up and start converting content!

regards
  Steve

-- 
Steve Holden       +44 150 684 7255  +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC                     www.holdenweb.com
PyCon TX 2006                  www.python.org/pycon/