[OWW-Discuss] Front page. It needs more than it has.Anysuggestions?
Ricardo Vidal
rvidal at openwetware.org
Wed Apr 16 12:18:14 EDT 2008
I'll give this a go later on today and will post something on the wiki and
we can go from there.
~R
On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 12:13 PM, Jason Kelly <jasonk at mit.edu> wrote:
> hey jenny/ricardo,
> maybe the next step here would be for you guys to work together on a
> mock-up of a new de-wikied OWW homepage? let me know if that makes
> sense.
>
> ricardo, i'd like it to be geared towards new users, and i think you
> have a good feel now for what it would be best for them to see.
>
> thanks
> jason
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Reshma Shetty <rshetty at mit.edu>
> Date: Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 4:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [OWW-Discuss] Front page. It needs more than it
> has.Anysuggestions?
> To: Jason Kelly <jasonk at mit.edu>
> Cc: "Steven J. Koch" <sjkoch at unm.edu>, Barry Canton <bcanton at mit.edu>,
> oww-discuss at mit.edu, team at openwetware.org
>
>
> I'm divided on whether dewikifying the main page is a good idea or not ...
>
> However, it may be worth considering converting the openwetware.org
> page to a static html page. It could be modeled on Wikipedia: an OWW
> logo surrounded by links to Protocols, Blogs, Labs, Resources,
> Materials, etc. plus a prominent search box and Join OWW link centered
> below. Clicking on any link takes them to the "real" wiki. The wiki
> "main page" could continue to be our current main page akin to how
> Wikipedia does it.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> -Reshma
>
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 12:53 PM, Jason Kelly <jasonk at mit.edu> wrote:
> > I agree with this strongly, steve.
> >
> > I would point out that http://wikipedia.org/ points to a "non-wiki"
> > welcome page. I think if we did this for OWW we would need to make
> > sure we kept links to the core stuff prominent on the main page. (e.g.
> > we would still have a search box, it would just be front and center,
> > rather then on the side). Also links to labs, protocols, etc, would
> > stay.
> >
> > You right that tracking wikimedia is an excellent way to save on
> > resources / get free "buzz" and new community members who already
> > trained by wikipedia to understand our wiki engine. So i agree we
> > should keep the connection strong, might be more explicit about saying
> > that OWW is a wiki on the mainpage. (the word wiki isn't on there
> > right now).
> >
> > thanks,
> > jason
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 12:09 PM, Steven J. Koch <sjkoch at unm.edu>
> wrote:
> > > Looks like I'm in the minority opinion, but I feel strongly that
> main page
> > > should not be dewikified. First, there may be unintended
> consequences. It
> > > always seems like there won't be, but there always are. For
> example,
> > > sometimes (rarely) I'll type in the address on my cell phone and
> then use
> > > the search box (which won't be there). Second, it may have the
> consequence
> > > of confusing people who ARE specifically looking for a lab
> wiki. This was
> > > me a little over a year ago--I was very happy to find something
> that looked
> > > like Wikipedia. I may not have joined if I found a main page that
> wasn't
> > > obviously a wiki. Of course, there may be more people unlike
> me, who have
> > > been turned away, this in unknown. But as time goes on, I
> would think the
> > > general scientific community will become more acquainted with
> Wikipedia and
> > > therefore wikis.
> > >
> > > Another thought in regards to my second point. Google decided to
> wipe
> > > "wiki" from their vocabulary. Maybe I'm in the minority
> opinion here too,
> > > but I find that a poor decision. Back when I joined OWW, I
> also signed up
> > > to be notified when jotspot was accepting customers again. A
> year later, I
> > > finally was notified and I was not at all attracted to Google Sites
> as an
> > > application for my lab wiki. Whether or not Google made the
> right decision,
> > > it does seem that their interface is geared towards people who
> don't want to
> > > see wiki code. There's no way we can compete with Google as
> far as general
> > > technical features go. But we can compete in terms of the
> community focused
> > > on open science and smart technical features like Lab Notebook
> 2.0. OWW's
> > > mission is in the same vein as Wikipedia's mission and they
> share the same
> > > wiki engine. So, I think a general guiding principle should be
> to emulate
> > > what Wikimedia does. This should save a ton on workload and I
> think also
> > > make sense to the majority of the OWW community and potential
> new members.
> > >
> > > --Steve
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: oww-discuss-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:
> oww-discuss-bounces at mit.edu] On
> > >
> > >
> > > Behalf Of Barry Canton
> > > Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 7:46 AM
> > > To: julius.lucks
> > > Cc: discuss at openwetware.org
> > > Subject: Re: [OWW-Discuss] Front page. It needs more than it
> > > has.Anysuggestions?
> > >
> > > I'm also in favor of getting rid of most of the the wikiness
> from the main
> > > page.
> > >
> > > On 4/15/08, julius.lucks <julius.lucks at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > I agree with Jason's points - Julius
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > -----------
> > > > http://www.openwetware.org/wiki/User:Julius_B._Lucks
> > > >
> > >
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > ------------
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Apr 14, 2008, at 8:52 PM, Jason Kelly wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > agree with steve that we should keep it simple. Also, I think
> the
> > > > > main page is mostly used by new users, I assume most regular
> users
> > > > > never go there, so we could gear the page even more to new
> users then
> > > > > it already is.
> > > > >
> > > > > e.g. a prominent getting started button / prominent join
> button (not
> > > > > just a link buried in text), a search box in the middle
> somewhere,
> > > > > etc.
> > > > >
> > > > > might even o with a totally "non-wiki" main page (e.g. lose
> the side
> > > > > bar and the top bar) as well.
> > > > >
> > > > > thanks,
> > > > > jason
> > > > >
> > > > > On Mon, Apr 14, 2008 at 11:42 PM, Ilya Sytchev
> <ilyas at mit.edu> wrote:
> > > > >> Also, I've removed the heading "Main Page" from the Main
> Page. I
> > > > >> think
> > > > >> it looks cleaner this way but if you disgree I can revert
> this change
> > > > >> very easily.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Ilya
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Reshma Shetty wrote:
> > > > >>> Great work! Looks much better.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Two minor comments...
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> 1) I'd get rid of the blog name on the RSS feed (if that's
> > > > >>> possible).
> > > > >>> I think it is redundant for the feed on the main page.
> The time of
> > > > >>> the post is likely also unnecessary (but keep the date).
> But if
> > > > >>> this
> > > > >>> requires additional recoding of the extension, then skip it.
> > > > >>> 2) I am seeing some faint blue lines around each feed
> element ...
> > > > >>> not
> > > > >>> sure why ... perhaps some CSS oddity?
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> I agree with Steve re the main page. I prefer a streamlined
> main
> > > > >>> page
> > > > >>> ... especially if it helps with load time (which was
> quite slow ...
> > > > >>> due at least in part to an unnecessarily large main page
> image ...
> > > > >>> not
> > > > >>> sure about now?)
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> team is the email list for the OWW board + full-time OWWers
> ...
> > > > >>> Bill,
> > > > >>> Lorrie and Ricardo. All folks on team are also on discuss.
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> -Reshma
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> On Mon, Apr 14, 2008 at 10:59 PM, Steve Koch
> > > > >>> <koch.steve at kochlab.org> wrote:
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>> I can come up with ideas, but my opinion is that it looks
> pretty
> > > > >>>> good right
> > > > >>>> now and more stuff may dilute effectiveness of stuff that
> is
> > > > >>>> there. That's
> > > > >>>> just my opinion, but brings up another question. What kind
> of
> > > > >>>> metric would
> > > > >>>> show how effective the main page is? Maybe this has been
> figured
> > > > >>>> out
> > > > >>>> already?
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>> What's "team at openwetware.org?"
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>> From: oww-discuss-bounces at mit.edu
> > > [mailto:oww-discuss-bounces at mit.edu
> > > > >>>> ] On
> > > > >>>> Behalf Of Bill F
> > > > >>>> Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 8:50 PM
> > > > >>>> To: discuss at openwetware.org; team at openwetware.org
> > > > >>>> Subject: [OWW-Discuss] Front page. It needs more than it
> has.
> > > > >>>> Anysuggestions?
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>> We've pared it down to the point that it's getting pretty
> > > > >>>> 'minimalistic'.
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>> Any ideas on what to do to start bulking it up a bit?
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>> _______________________________________________
> > > > >>> OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List
> > > > >>> discuss at openwetware.org
> > > > >>> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss
> > > > >> _______________________________________________
> > > > >> OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List
> > > > >> discuss at openwetware.org
> > > > >> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss
> > > > >>
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List
> > > > > discuss at openwetware.org
> > > > > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List
> > > > discuss at openwetware.org
> > > > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Barry Canton
> > > Endy Lab
> > > Biological Engineering Division
> > > Massachusetts Institute of Technology
> > >
> > > Tel.:(617) 401-7320 (Grand Central)
> > > Email1: bcanton at mit.edu
> > > Email2: bcanton at gmail.com
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List
> > > discuss at openwetware.org
> > > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss
> > >
> > >
> >
>
--
Ricardo Vidal
rvidal at gmail.com | http://my.biotechlife.net
http://www.openwetware.org - Share your Science
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