Talk:Main Page/Archive

2014 June Discussion

I've just refactored the source code for easier readability. In the process I've lost the orange (easily reinstated, but actually prefer just blue. I was never convinced orange was a good match:) but deliberately left it otherwise unchanged for now. However, since it's SMW based, adjusting the content should be a breeze. Issues to work on:

• Lack of images
• Inclusion of relative junk (e.g. Test/Main-page-panels - visitors don't want this)
• Lack of structure (people, events, etc. all jumbled together, in a way this reflects the software structure, which doesn't interest people, not the semantic content which does)
• Lack of details
• Quite a lot of space used up - seems not good for small screen devices
• Annoying "File:" at the start of the list of files
• Lack of excitement?

This is not an exhaustive list. I never use the main page. I wonder what it would take to make it helpful for me. I note a test page which includes image/video...

Robin (talk) 05:28, 27 June 2014 (IST)

I use Feedly pro as my RSS reader. I scan a vast number of articles every day and tag maybe a dozen or so as worthy of proper review - reduced to maybe 6 on reading. I would like to be able to display the linked titles of those tagged article - probably on the Main page but certainly linked from there. Since I include new WS pages in the reader, tagging those would result in links to them too. I'm bogged down in the technicalities and may cry help --Peter P (talk) 06:55, 27 June 2014 (IST)

I'd also like to be able to put a simple bit of linked text on the main header where the site maintenance warning goes, in order to draw attention to some other cause du-jour. For example Denis Rancourt is a long-standing colleague who has just lost his 3 year long defamation case for a cool $1 million - See here. I want to link to that appeal. I'd like to be able to have the space blank or to show an appropriate link with brief detail and be over-ridden by the site maintenance warning when necessary - Simply!!! --Peter P (talk) 07:06, 27 June 2014 (IST)

---

Suitability for Small Screen Devices

I have a netbook and this page is way too big for it, so I'm trying to compress it so it doesn't need as much scrolling. Basically, it's a war on white space. Another trick is to link the images. By default, the mediawiki behaviour is unhelpful here - people like linked images and expect them to go somewhere. At the moment I'll leave the actual content untouched, though I reckon the links are of varying importance.

Robin 05:56, 23 March 2012 (UTC)

More... =

How about putting the 'More...' links under the images in a floating

in the top right corner of each section, so that it doesn't use up vspace?

Robin 06:10, 23 March 2012 (UTC)

All good stuff Robin. I must also get around to u/grading the Mediawiki software itself because the latest versions are focussing on portable device compatibility and other 'uasabilty' stuff quite a bit. --Peter P 10:30, 23 March 2012 (UTC)

Redesign Coverpage for greater appeal?

How about "Latest People", "Latest Events" etc. ... Images would also be good. If it's SMW based, that should be fairly easy to recode this? Robin (talk) 11:24, 25 April 2014 (IST)

I'm happy for you to have a go at it Robin. It is getting a bit long in the tooth and your mods are always an improvement. I have a number of projects bubbling and too focused on them, plus content to be able to contribute much by way of redesign - also the server techie challenges take up more time than I like. --Peter P (talk) 11:39, 25 April 2014 (IST)

That is impressive. I like it. I do a lot of Twitter posts and am considering an RSS feed of them on the Main page, together with a picture box to utilise along similar lines to the current video one. I'll maybe experiment with both when I can --Peter P (talk) 17:45, 26 July 2014 (IST)

I'm happy to leave any/all redesign work to you. I'll jump in as and when, either with edits, tweeks and suggestions but you are better at both coding and design then I. A few observations:

• I'm happy with just the blue too. I have a vast collection of icons that repeat in 4 different colours and that's what prompted the original design; thought it a bit clever - then :-)
• Junk - agreed
• Structure - currently based mainly on NS's + edits of Main NS - Seemed logical at the time but could be much better
• I have a few different display devices and current layout is reasonable-ish on all of them. I never use a smart-phone sized one. I guess they are becoming more important and should be considered. However, there's a fine balance between cluttered and pleasing appearance - judicious use of blank space does contribute to the latter IMO but present layout hardly optimal. One other thing that stands out like a sore thumb is that the Footer/Policy section runs right off the rh edge on my lower resolution screen. I've been meaning to fix it by having it either use smaller fonts and/or more depth but its a bit complex and I keep shying away.
• How to get rid of "File"? - must be a doddle

Visitor stats show that main page is always among the top few page visits every day, though with less average time spent there. It IS therefore important even as it is. My main concern is content. I'd prefer to spend 99% of my WS time on it. To that end I've been frustrated at NOT being able to show video and pics with links on main page. I want to be able to draw quick visual attention to a burning topic du-jour, changeable quickly and easily without getting bogged down in coding every time its changed. That's what MPTest is about. I'll re-hash it using the new Main Page code, then feel free to dive in and tear it to bits (ie improve it) --Peter P (talk) 06:41, 27 June 2014 (IST)