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Idea #25917: Change the Xubuntu Home Page (www.xubuntu.org)

bug This idea was marked as implemented the 26 February 12.
Written by Vahan Harutyunyan the 23 Sep 10 at 11:46. Related project: Xubuntu. Status: Implemented
Rationale
I think that the first acquaintance with the operating system occurs (and the first impressions we get) after we visit the website of the operating system. So why do not change the Xubuntu Home Page (www.xubuntu.org) and don't make it more comfortable, attractive and colorful???

0
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#1): Improve the Xubuntu Home Page (www.xubuntu.org).
Written by Vahan Harutyunyan the 23 Sep 10 at 11:46.
I suggest to improve the Xubuntu Home Page (www.xubuntu.org) and make it more comfortable, attractive and colorful. Because I think that nowadays the Xubuntu Home Page looks very simple and archaic.
In particular, I suggest entirely to change the "Take the feature tour" section, it must contain a more detailed description of key features of Xubuntu and it must be presented by clear pictures, but not by those which we have now (not clear pictures). I think that animated elements give the site a peculiar charm, and I think that it would be nice to create an animation in where it would be represented slogans of Xubuntu (free, stable, ...etc.). And also add icons in the other sections of the menu. And of course change the Xubuntu logo and make it similar to new logo of Ubuntu or Kubuntu (talking about the outline).
10
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#2): Keep it simple.
Written by lvxferre the 24 Sep 10 at 10:29.
I agree that Xubuntu page needs some improvement. However, I disagree in "how much improvement" and "which".

Design, IMHO, is about goals and not features. Xubuntu page's goal is not "look cool", is promote the OS and give users info about it.

*Xubuntu is about a lightweight desktop. So, keep the page the cleaner possible - no animated element, small images.

*Wipe off "Latest news" column - "Xubuntu 9.04 Released" isn't news at all, it's about an year and half ago. In its place, put useful links - last stable release, last LTS, "get Xubuntu CD", this kind of thing.

*The three "Get" icons are huge for no reason. Make them smaller - less bandwidth needed [both for server and user] and cleaner design. And their text should be plain text, not part of image, for the same reason.

*Flash is a no-no: proprietary codec + too heavy to be useful. But yes, like is said in Solution #1, change the tour and add more info and cleaner images.

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Comments
Ssdg wrote on the 23 Sep 10 at 22:02
sorry, I don't see why promote a ressource friendly OS with a ressource unfriendly "technology".

-1. (but still, I think some of the ideas where good)

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 24 Sep 10 at 11:36
@lvxferre:

I do not think that if we have a product whose main advantage is simplicity and ease of use, then we can not advertise it by colorful and spectacular way. I agree that the website in the first place should be convenient to use. I do not think that it should be done only by improving the design. But this does not mean that if the site is colorful then it is not convenient.
Thank you for your views and comments.

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 24 Sep 10 at 11:49
@ Ssdg: Of course if we can create this animation without using Flash technologies it would be great.....I am sorry, I am not specialist in web-designing or creating of animations.

lvxferre wrote on the 25 Sep 10 at 00:07
@ Vahan Harutyunyan: I'm talking about simplicity, not primitiveness :D

Having a colourful and spetacular site is nice, no doubt - it IS part of "promote the OS". But animation just for the eye-candy will not help at all, it will just bloat the page.

In this very case, I propose playing with the "lower" technologies like images and change colours and CSS.

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 25 Sep 10 at 06:59
@ lvxferre: Of course I agree that the most important is the question of optimalization, the site must be colorful and atractive with more helpful and detailed information for user.
I think that one beautiful animation will not change anything (in the sense that the site will be heavy or something else), but on the other hand it will add more attraction.

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 25 Sep 10 at 07:04
@ lvxferre: I think that you only paid attention to question of animation in my solution :-)

mskitty wrote on the 26 Sep 10 at 17:11
Well, I don't think the page needs an entire overhaul, but it could be touched up. First of all, it needs to be updated regularly. I mean, when you go to the page and the release notices are for two versions back, this should tell us something. We need to add info about the new features, such as Parole, Xfburn, etc. and a banner to promote upcoming releases. Before considering a new site look, we need to make the current one up-to-date!!

Let's also start talking about changing more of the default apps. We need a faster browser, like Midori, SeaMonkey, or Chromium, add to add a social client, replace Thunderhog with Claw/Sylpheed, add Pino or Hotot. Let's replace Ristretto with Gpicview or something else, as Ristretto renders pictures the size of a stamp. Finally, let's get rid of all of the Gnome dependencies, Gnome look, and get more XFCE native!

I like GIMP, Xfburn, Parole, and Exaile though. These apps are great, but we have room for improvement! Xubuntu will become more popular as Gnome and Ubuntu become more bloated with their desktop features, but we need to make changes and abandon the Mozilla and Gnome bloat.

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 26 Sep 10 at 18:25
@mskitty: If I am not mistaken there are some ideas about Xubuntu lightness. I agree with them and promoted these ideas.

lvxferre wrote on the 27 Sep 10 at 00:55
@ Vahan: no, I read it throughly. I commented about the animation because is where I disagree.

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 26 Feb 12 at 16:06
Xubuntu home page has been improved and now looks more clean, informative and comfortable http://xubuntu.org/

Marking as implemented.


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