[TYPO3-project-4-3] New Backend?

[JoH asenau]

> I think we should completely rethink the backend design and eventually
> also get rid of the 3cols approach - that's why I think just a widget
> based module as start module is not the ultimate solution.

Well - actually it's a 4 col approach - and in fact it's a "how many cols do
you want" approach.
IMHO there are two basic concepts of the current TYPO3 backend that already
make it superior to many other CMS:
1.) page tree
2.) content columns - or better "content areas"

How many websites do you know that are not using a tree like structure for
navigation and more or less strictly defined areas to put content in?
Even if you want to use TYPO3 to create web based applications, these 2
concepts will apply to a very high percentage of them.

The more templating, widgets and other fancy stuff you will introduce to a
backend, the less consistent it will be. But consistency will be a major
requirement to any kind of backend (not just for TYPO3) since we are not
talking about an individual solution for one client but about a tool that is
going to become a standard in the open source CMS market. It will be
impossible to explain this backend to any of your clients if it's not
consistent, because you will never know which templates, widgets and other
cool stuff they have activated or not.

Currently people are complaining about the fact that there are too many ways
to do the same stuff in the TYPO3 backend.
Can you imagine how many complaints you will get in addition if you
introduce even more possibilities to change the look, feel and behaviour of
it?

Once I heard a rumour that "form follows function" and another one that
everything should be "kept simple and stupid". IMHO this is true for a TYPO3
backend as well, but I don't think you will satisfy these needs with too
many fancy design features.

IMHO we need a consistent look and feel and a consistent set of features
without too many possibilities to change it to get a TYPO3 backend that can
be handled easily by most of it's users.

Just another 2 cents

Joey

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