[webteam] DRUPAL: Design update + Illustrations

[Robert Martinez]

Peter Saint-Andre wrote:
> On 06/19/2008 4:56 PM, Matthew Wild wrote:
>   
>> Posting on behalf of Robert.
>>     
>
> I still haven't figured out why he can't start new discussion threads
> here. It's weird! Perhaps Florian could create a JabberForum page for
> this mailing list so that people can participate from there?
>
>   
>> ------------------
>>
>> I recently finished the work on the new icon system.
>> Along with that comes a soft design update of the page.
>> It is only _part_ of what needs to be "properly made"; Things like the
>> wizard will hopefully be the next big iteration.
>>     
>
> Agreed. Thank you very much for working on this.
>
>   
>> First of all:
>> I know that the new icon may raise issues - I hereby open the
>> discussion for that :P
>>     
>
> By "icon" do you mean the logo? You've used the XSF / XMPP logo, and I
> see no reason to stop using the light bulb logo for jabber.org.
>   
Yes, I meant the logo.
There may be reasons why keeping the old may be good, but there are at 
least twice as many good reasons NOT to do so:

By keeping the bulb we actively support the confusion of what a bulb in 
the context of jabber actually means:
Tons of clients use it, jabber inc. uses it and many still use it 
instead of the xmpp logo. (This is also a reason for companies not to 
promote a foreign corporate logo. They probably wouldn't have so much 
problems to name and show a neutral and meaningful logo.)

By keeping the bulb we also actively dump the chance of having a 
widespread "sign" for marking products or services that use jabber/xmpp. 
Of course there is xmpp and its logo - but what is that good for, if 
only developers know both?!

On top of that, keeping the bulb also means to actively agree, that 
jabber should be represented by an outdated, inefficient technology. A 
quick google search shows me this:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,560410,00.html
http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/1009346,greenlight061708.article
...


The only thing that hurts is having to change a logo at all, since that 
isn't something you want to do every day.
But apart from that I just see benefit.
>   
>> Second:
>> Most important!!! This is an invitation for everyone to make this all
>> happen in a drupal 6 theme!
>> My code-brain and my amount of free time are too tiny to finish this
>> in the near future.
>>     
>
> Yes we need some real Drupal help here! I think we need to put out a
> call for help in the Drupal community.
>
>   
>> (The images are long! scale them to 100% in the browser)
>>
>>
>> ----
>> Front page (with notes):
>> http://wiki.jabber.org/images/e/eb/Front_notes.png
>> http://wiki.jabber.org/images/9/9e/Front.png (without notes)
>>
>> ---
>> Listing page - for every project type (with notes):
>> http://wiki.jabber.org/images/b/bd/View_notes.png
>> http://wiki.jabber.org/images/9/98/View.png (without notes)
>>
>> ---
>> Project page - for every project type (with notes):
>> http://wiki.jabber.org/images/4/49/Project_notes.png
>> http://wiki.jabber.org/images/9/92/Project.png (without notes)
>>
>>
>> New content:
>>
>> ---
>> "How does it work?":
>> http://wiki.jabber.org/images/5/54/How.png
>> http://wiki.jabber.org/images/e/e5/How_notes.png
>>     
>
> I freely admit that I am a graphics idiot. However, to me those server
> images look like alien spaceships picking up unsuspecting humans. :)
>   
:D
My intend was so have a distinct positive/negative fitting system that 
shows how jabber parts fit together by design. (so that they are not 
"just connected", but connected in the "jabber-way" and therfore can be 
axchanged and expanded)
It didn't occur to me to read that like a space invasion :D, that's what 
I'm always happy for feedback.
... i'll search a solution for that, maybe deadly laserbeams are 
cooler... ;)

thanks for the feedback.
>   
>> I also rearranged some menus and wrote new text, thoughts on that are
>> welcome, too.
>>     
>
> The text changes look nice and clean to me, but I have not yet read them
> in detail.
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Peter
>
>   
The text certainly needs some correction from a native speaker, but my 
approach should become clear.