[squeakland] on having two squeakland websites

[Timothy Falconer]

On Sep 2, 2009, at 11:46 AM, Bert Freudenberg wrote:

> On 02.09.2009, at 16:45, Timothy Falconer wrote:
>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> A few people have been suggesting that Squeakland should have two  
>> websites, the "official" site we have now, and a new "community"  
>> website with a different look & navigation scheme.
>
> As we discussed before on etoys-dev, we are talking about separating  
> the redacted content from the community contributed content. I  
> suggested this can run on the same system, it would just be a  
> different visual theme.
>
> This would make it obvious to visitors if they are on the "official"  
> or the "community" pages.
>
> Maybe I shouldn't have said "community site" before and "community  
> section" instead - but the surrounding discussion should have made  
> the intent clear.


My apologies if a separate site was never desired by you, Rita, or a  
few others.   I'm responding not just to recent discussions on etoys- 
dev, but many, many talks within the last year, where a separate site  
seemed wished for.   It's possible that repeated use of terms like  
"project server" and "community site" simply helped to create this  
impression, along with resistance to the new showcase given  
superswiki2 and michael's system.

I'm surprised to hear "we only meant a new skin".  I've heard requests  
for special functionality, and frustration with the existing site, and  
a desire for a different navigation structure for the community site,  
which all led to my assuming a "separate garden" was desired.  (I'm  
pretty sure I'm not the only one that came to the same conclusion.)

The clearest way to proceed is with specifics.   Say exactly what you  
want, with details.   What is the difference in look?   Do we still  
have the same "chrome" (logo and nav), but with different colors?     
Does the new section/site have different top-level sections?    What  
exactly is different?

Also, please elaborate on why you think this needs to be done.   If  
possible, cite other examples where such an approach was beneficial  
(and where the separation wasn't just a matter of the corporate  
marketing wonks wanting to make sure that their message wasn't  
confused with the community stuff.)

At this point, I can't see the need for it . . . it feels like it'd  
lead to confusion, or at least an inconsistent split, complicating the  
nav struture and sense of place ... the featured showcase would behave  
nearly identically with public showcase, but it'd look different and  
have a different navigation structure.

Show me what I'm missing.  The best way to do this is with an HTML  
mockup or napkin drawing or balsamiq mockup (or Etoys project :)

Take care,
Tim