[Pdweb] Webpage Development Wiki and Collector

[Hans-Christoph Steiner]

On Thursday, Jun 12, 2003, at 09:34 America/New_York, Frank Barknecht 
wrote:

>> I think there are too many tabs planed
>>
>>  I just propose that instead of
>>
>>   Public Relations (need a better name)
>>
>> 		 - news
>> 		 - announcements
>> 		 - blog?
>>
>>   Exchange
>>        - patches
>>        - "art" (tracks, GEM pictures, flash-installations)
>>
>>
>>  there is a news which is also announcements (see now news, everyone
>>  can write) instead of a blog we can do a central wiki, which is
>>  just better. Everyone can make an own Wiki oder Photoalbum etc...
>>
>>  Patches could be under Downloads or development.
>
> I agree with that. I think, we should focus the front page on changing
> content to attract visitors, i.e. all kinds of news. So a user can
> submit a patch or a mp3 and write a news item about that. After
> review, this can go on the main page, linking to for example the patch
> area or the user's Mamber area.
>
I don't think that a Wiki is a good replacement for a blog.  The wiki 
is great for organizing info, like pd stammtisch meetings, etc., but a 
blog would be much better for news and announcements since blog's are 
very good for promoting discussions.  But instead of calling those 
sections 'blog' and 'wiki', I think they should be called by their 
intended use:  blog=news/announcements  wiki=info/organizing  )but 
we'll need better names that than.  'News' works well for the 
news/announcements/blog section, but I don't have an idea for the 
wiki/info/organizing section yet.

I agree that the 'News' should be the front page though.  Which means 
that the 'About Pd' section probably isn't needed.  It should be a 
section under 'Docs'.

As for 'Exchange' I actually really like this idea.  I think it would 
be awesome to have an informal place to swap patches.  Finished patches 
should go into the CVS, but it would be great to have an exchange for 
works in progress, simple demonstrations, etc.  As for 
tracks/videos/art, this might fit into 'News', but I think a web forum 
format would probably be best for the 'Exchange'.  Plus a forum in the 
'Exchange' could be used for getting help for people who don't want to 
join the list in order to ask the occasional question.

I see this a lot at my university.  Lots of people take the Intro to 
Sound and MIDI class and learn Max/PD.  But they are hesitant to join 
the list in order to ask for help since they are just starting out and 
not sure whether they are going to focus on pd.  Plus I think that 
forums are a better format for asking for help, especially for 
beginners, since you don't need to get a ton of email that is confusing 
or unrelated.

>>  so we have
>>
>>       - News (very simple news)
>>
>>     optional:
>>
>>       - a calendar for events. as a sidebox only on main page
>>
>>     and other things should go out.
>

A calender is a great idea, especially if it is open to everyone to 
post stuff on it.  I would love to see a calender crowded with pd 
events.

> I think, that the Development tab could disappear into Documentation.
> I don't quite see what else than a kind of Doc could be in a
> Development folder.
>

I think that the Developer section is actually useful as something 
separate from downloads and docs.  I think that dev downloads and docs 
should be included in the downloads and docs sections respectively.  
The Developer section is all about who is doing what, how to join, 
etc., like is listed on the structure in the Wiki:

		- how to join the [SourceForge project|http://pure-data.sf.net]
		- list of current projects/developers

I don't see this content fitting in elsewhere, except pure-data.sf.net, 
but I think that pure-data.org should be THE central site for all info. 
  I think having this as a separate section highlights that pd is a very 
open system, and that _anyone_ can join in and contribute, whether it 
just be a couple objects, or more substantial work.  So the Developer 
section should be all about getting people to join the central project 
so that their objects become part of the central distros.  Developer 
news, docs, and downloads would be in the regular news, docs, and 
downloads section.

Whew, I guess I have been thinking about this a bit...

.hc