Author Topic: Opinions (Read 7717 times)

sirwoogie · « **on:** February 28, 2006, 12:45:13 pm »

From the limited authors we do have, what do you feel is necessary to do before we release this to the community? At this point, I don't have a real preference how the main page is set, and I'd welcome others authors to give it a shot and see what comes up. We can always revert or move "potentials" to their own page for review. I just don't have the time this month to jump way into that type of design, but really the possibilities are not that vast for a meaningful index.

Are there modifications to the navigation or theme that should be done before? Obviously you guys can't change them so I'm on the hook really to do that.

Just by the wiki-fu of some of you, it really has blossomed quite a bit.

I'd like to get this to the community sooner rather than later. Opinions?

JoyMonkey · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2006, 01:21:25 pm »

Quote from: sirwoogie on February 28, 2006, 12:45:13 pm

From the limited authors we do have, what do you feel is necessary to do before we release this to the community? At this point, I don't have a real preference how the main page is set, and I'd welcome others authors to give it a shot and see what comes up. We can always revert or move "potentials" to their own page for review. I just don't have the time this month to jump way into that type of design, but really the possibilities are not that vast for a meaningful index.

As I mentioned on the Main discussion page (dunno if anybody actually reads that), I think it would be good if someone could write a brief introductory note on the Main page, maybe explaining the purpose of this hobby and what to expect out of it.
Other than that, I'd like to start a little documentation in the Software section. It seems as soon as you start writing a little in one of these things, the whole section starts to take shape pretty quickly. Did MinWah get invited? I'm not familiar with MameWah and it should probably get a page or two in there since it seems to be the frontend of choice.

Quote from: sirwoogie on February 28, 2006, 12:45:13 pm

Are there modifications to the navigation or theme that should be done before? Obviously you guys can't change them so I'm on the hook really to do that.

You might want to adjust the theme so a Google Ad is displayed on each page, just to help pay for all that bandwidth. You should probably remove the 'Donations' link on the sidebar, and perhaps the 'Current Events' link too. Oh, and add a link to the big 'Contents' page.

sirwoogie · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:14:33 pm »

Yeah, I read it. Saint is writing the introduction paragraph as we speak.

MinWah did get invited, but he hasn't posted content yet.

John, do you want AdSense on the wiki site? I have to change the code to provide that, but it's not a big deal. Just tell me where you want it if you want to include it.

I can remove those links on the sidebar as well. I agree with the deletions.

I wouldn't put a link to a "master contents" page as that really at the moment is a workspace for ideas. In the end, we'll have to have one, but it's going to be pretty fluid right now. I do agree putting the link on the Main_Page though.

mahuti · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:16:54 pm »

Minwah was invited. As for content, there's plenty more that I can / will add, but I don't have much to offer in the way of introductory stuff. The most logical thing to add before it goes live, is a short description about making your own cabinet, and links to a beginner guide, then a short note telling people they can and should edit the pages with a link to a digest help page (rather than the full wiki site)

I don't have any comments about the navigation per se... just a shame that it has to look so off-the-shelf wiki like... especially with such a visually rich hobby as the one we have.

I do think that the help section should have basic WIKI stuff added to it before the site goes live. I know there's a whole site dedicated to wikiness, but the basics should be on that page.

Also "random page" is just silly chartjunk navigation, and community portal should go to the board rather than the BYOACWiki:Community Portal page.

sirwoogie · « **Reply #4 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:39:49 pm »

I agree the skin is wiki-ish, but we don't have a consistent theme that works for all the sites, thus we stuck with the defaults for now. I don't like it, but I just haven't had time to work on a new layout based on some artwork I have, but no one else has had time either.

I agree that "wikiness" should have a more basic editor guide, but there are plenty out on the web for that. We should link to those, not write our own. Eventually we should have a look and feel guide for the wiki once it matures.

The sidebar has been changed.

saint · « **Reply #5 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:41:33 pm »

Woogie: Yes please, let me get you the Google adsense code to add (it will be slightly different than what's on the forum and main site) when I get home tonight.

Mahuti - I concur on the community portal and the look/feel.

I like the logo by the way - who designed it initially? I'd like to get their blessing before it goes live. Was that one of Pixel's?

JoyMonkey · « **Reply #6 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:43:35 pm »

I believe the logo is PixelHuggers design from the 2004 BYOAC tokens. I'm not crazy about the choice of colors though.

sirwoogie · « **Reply #7 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:56:37 pm »

Yes, that logo was the 2004 design. He's already told me that anything that is published on BYOAC (which this is) we can use it to our hearts content. I added color based on what the original wiki skin color scheme was. It was the best fit I could find at the time while at work and on the phone in a meeting.

saint · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:56:41 pm »

Does the wiki side bar need changing in multiple locations? It's changed on the main page, but still has all the old items on other pages...

mahuti · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2006, 02:59:28 pm »

Dump your cache.

sirwoogie · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2006, 03:01:19 pm »

What he said.

saint · « **Reply #11 on:** February 28, 2006, 03:08:54 pm »

Did -- Still seeing differences on different pages. Even switched to a different browser that I hadn't used on the wiki before.

http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Power_Tools doesn't have "current events" for instance, but http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Ghosting does. http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Contents lists the byoacwiki community portal link that the previous two mentioned pages do not.

Bug/feature?

Oh, and are any of us actually working at work today?

--- saint

sirwoogie · « **Reply #12 on:** February 28, 2006, 03:37:49 pm »

Ehh, mediawiki is cranky about this because it maintains an objectcache with it's own purging and expiration mechanism. Doing a force reload on Firefox or IE makes it update the page locally and in the server. I just truncated the objectcache, so they should all be refreshed now.

JoyMonkey · « **Reply #13 on:** February 28, 2006, 04:02:27 pm »

Quote from: sirwoogie on February 28, 2006, 02:56:37 pm

...It was the best fit I could find at the time while at work and on the phone in a meeting.

Excuses, excuses, excuses! Get your priorities straight!

If you want to email me the ai file, I'll give it a shot. I'm sure Mahuti would like to get a hold of it too, maybe it could be posted in the library?

saint · « **Reply #14 on:** February 28, 2006, 04:11:47 pm »

Should the google ads be a banner across the top, or a bar down the left side?

JoyMonkey · « **Reply #15 on:** February 28, 2006, 04:19:11 pm »

I'd say 'down the side' would be easier to incorporate into skins, and 'accross the top' might break up the content a little.
So my vote's for down the side.

sirwoogie · « **Reply #16 on:** February 28, 2006, 04:30:00 pm »

Quote from: JoyMonkey on February 28, 2006, 04:02:27 pm

If you want to email me the ai file, I'll give it a shot. I'm sure Mahuti would like to get a hold of it too, maybe it could be posted in the library?

I just worked off a JPEG that Santoro posted. I emailed PH to see if he could send me the ai. I'll put it in a place we can get at once he does.

sirwoogie · « **Reply #17 on:** February 28, 2006, 04:30:57 pm »

Quote from: JoyMonkey on February 28, 2006, 04:19:11 pm

So my vote's for down the side.

Seconded. At the top is irritating as hell.

SirPoonga · « **Reply #18 on:** February 28, 2006, 05:23:14 pm »

I like ads that are down the right side, if ads are going to be added.

mahuti · « **Reply #19 on:** February 28, 2006, 07:59:03 pm »

One suggestion, about navigation. The glossary page might be useful to have as a permalink in the side navigation. We have a habit of using acronyms. Alot imho.

saint · « **Reply #20 on:** February 28, 2006, 08:23:33 pm »

Good call

Quote from: mahuti on February 28, 2006, 07:59:03 pm

One suggestion, about navigation. The glossary page might be useful to have as a permalink in the side navigation. We have a habit of using acronyms. Alot imho.

sirwoogie · « **Reply #21 on:** February 28, 2006, 10:12:03 pm »

So..... when do we want to announce this?

saint · « **Reply #22 on:** February 28, 2006, 10:16:05 pm »

Let's shoot for Thursday of this week? I'd like to get the Google ads in place, and see if we flesh out a few more pieces. It's looking sweet

I'll PM you the Google info here in a moment.

--- John

Quote from: sirwoogie on February 28, 2006, 10:12:03 pm

So..... when do we want to announce this?

sirwoogie · « **Reply #23 on:** February 28, 2006, 10:48:51 pm »

OK, it's in there, but honestly it looks totally out of place. Perhaps a taller one (maybe 120x600) and we put it on the right hand side? I would avoid the top and bottom of the page as it'll get busy at the top, and get lost in the bottom.

This Monobook theme doesn't give a lot of choices.

saint · « **Reply #24 on:** March 01, 2006, 07:53:15 am »

Yeek you're right. Let me cook up a few different sizes to try out.

Quote from: sirwoogie on February 28, 2006, 10:48:51 pm

OK, it's in there, but honestly it looks totally out of place. Perhaps a taller one (maybe 120x600) and we put it on the right hand side? I would avoid the top and bottom of the page as it'll get busy at the top, and get lost in the bottom.

This Monobook theme doesn't give a lot of choices.

JoyMonkey · « **Reply #25 on:** March 01, 2006, 08:03:15 am »

I don't think it looks too bad, but it seems to be interfering with the 'Toolbox' table, cutting off its lower pixels. It also appears to be aligned to the extreme left.
If it could be moved slightly lower and centered or offset a few pixels to the right it might look a little better.

sirwoogie · « **Reply #26 on:** March 01, 2006, 02:43:34 pm »

I'm not sure about the interference as I see a gap. I've adjusted the color so it at least matches the #aaa 1px border of the navigation boxes. The problem is I can't customize the Adsense all that well, thus what we get there is about it. You can't arbitrarily size the Adsense box either (at least as far as I know), so you have to use sizes google gives you (which is 120 or 240 or higher).

We could also make it as a right hand column as well if we want. It'll turn the Monobook into a three column with header footer bar floats, but I don't have many other places to put it in that theme.

What say you John?

saint · « **Reply #27 on:** March 05, 2006, 12:44:56 pm »

Let's try a right hand column? I'm PM'ing you the Google code to look at...

mahuti · « **Reply #28 on:** March 08, 2006, 01:38:10 pm »

Quote from: saint on February 28, 2006, 08:23:33 pm

Good call

Quote from: mahuti on February 28, 2006, 07:59:03 pm
One suggestion, about navigation. The glossary page might be useful to have as a permalink in the side navigation. We have a habit of using acronyms. Alot imho.

So, should I make it an official request? I don't wanna be too forward... but I do think that the glossary is sort of "top level" The whole wiki is kind of a glossary, obviously, but "the glossary" is a pretty handy quick reference, especially for non-native speakers.


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