[Pydotorg-redesign] Rearranging the python.org sidebar (again!)

[Steve Holden]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pydotorg-redesign-bounces at python.org
> [mailto:pydotorg-redesign-bounces at python.org]On Behalf Of
> A.M. Kuchling
> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 7:56 AM
> To: Pydotorg-Redesign
> Subject: Re: [Pydotorg-redesign] Rearranging the python.org sidebar
> (again!)
>
>
> On Tuesday, August 12, 2003, at 05:56  AM, Matt Goodall wrote:
> > What about "Builtin IDE (IDLE)" and "Enhancement
> Proposals"? Perhaps
> > with tooltips to describe them in more detail if that is useful.
>
> This is a good point.  I've been dropping "Python" from link titles
> because you *know*
> the site is about Python, so the Job Board is likely about
> Python jobs,
> but I'm not sure
> about dropping it from PEPs, where the word "Python" is part of the
> acronym.  (Similarly, the PSF and PBF titles have to remain
> unchanged.)
>
> There's already a "Developers" link in the top bar, so I'll just drop
> that section from the sidebar.
>
> IDE is another acronym, so it's not clear that it'll be any more
> understandable for a newbie.
> However, /idle/ doesn't really contain a lot of material, so maybe
> dropping the IDLE link is OK; I've done that in my current
> draft.  I've
> also shortened the content on the main page a bit.
>
> The draft is as always at www.amk.ca/python.org.html.
>
> > As an aside, I really think that the top-left part of the
> nav needs to
> > be **completely** set aside for finding out about Python,
> particularly
> > for welcoming beginners.
>
I certainly agree that "Python Versions" is a waste of space - we
already have a "Downloads" lin k in the top nav section, and going there
shows you everything that "Python Versions" has in it. I'd just lose
that navbar section altogether.

Also, while "mirror sites" and "site map" are both useful links I thing
they are too far up.

Instead of heading what would become the first section as
"Documentation" (confusing, since there's also a "Documentation" link in
the top nav bar ...) could we have it read "Python: an Agile Programming
Language"? That way we have explained to complete newbies at the top
left of the page what Python is, and the introductory links have the
necessary prominence.

> Suggest a set of beginner's links and we can try it.  (But Kevin
> reported that many users go to python.org for documentation; the
> current link arrangement therefore has version and
> documentation links
> in the upper left corner.)
>
As I just explained, I don't think we need any other special "beginners"
links.

However, on the "What is Python" page I'd like to see a change from
"Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming
language" to "Python is an agile, open source, object-oriented
programming language". Also (from a marketing point of view) that page
focuses far too much on features (What is Python) and nowhere near
enough on benefits (How will Python help me). We should look at a
marketing-assisted rewrite.

> Incidentally, I received an anecdotal report from one of my SO's
> co-workers that it's really annoying when the 'Python' icon in the
> upper left-hand corner is actually unreadable.  (e.g. one is in the
> Wingdings fonts, so it's just a bunch of symbols.)  Anyone want to go
> through the icons and discard the offending ones?
>
We should adopt a common visual style for all pages. Which reminds me,
links like "Editing Python Code" and "Python Books" go to the Wiki. We
should try to ensure that Wiki pages have a look consistent with the
rest of the site to avoid confusing the new reader.

Overall, however, I appreciate what you're doing - this is an excellent
set of changes which will lead to a more useful site for many visitors.

regards
--
Steve Holden                                 http://www.holdenweb.com/
Python Web Programming                http://pydish.holdenweb.com/pwp/