[TYPO3-hci] alternative starting page for BE users

[Andreas Balzer]

Andreas Balzer schrieb:
> Hi!
> I'm Andreas Balzer, 17 yrs from Germany. The following is from the TYPO3
> Wiki (projects):
> 
>  Typo3 Project: Alternative BE starting page
> 
> This is a suggestion
> 
> ... for an alternative starting page extension for Typo3 BE users. This
> page could introduce Typo3 for new beginner users. It should provide a
> simple way to get help, offer daily-used functions like "Create a new
> page", "Do this, do that" etc. For admins, it could provide fast access
> to database and system managing stuff of TYPO3.
> 
> With a special API it could provide a simple way for other extensions to
> add a possibility for the users to select special operations to be shown
> on their starting page. (Which means, that every user has its own
> configurable starting page)
> 
> What do I mean exactly? Are there any examples of such a thing?
> 
> Yes there are. If you look at media applications from M$ or your
> favourite fruit company, you'll notice that their 'living room' programs
> have special introducing pages that show the most important icons in the
> middle.
> 
> So for TYPO3 it would be nice to get redirected to a BE page, where you
> have the full menu in the left, but in the middle you see the most
> important things like "Create page", "Tasks", "Help" with a nice welcome
> message and a nice digital clock in the upper right.. :)
> 
> Current questions:
> 
> Currently we ask us, whether the starting page should have its own
> design, or whether it should be able to 'get the design from the current
> skin'. (See skinning topics in dev mailing list) The next question we
> are talking about is, if a possible starting page should offer help
> system bots. These bots could offer help through a 'ask me your
> question' system which could answer with an intelligent ai. This bot
> could be like a MS Agent or made with Flash or just a simple image.
> 
> 
> Ok, so let's try to see what a "tool" like the starting page could and
> should offer to the user:
> 
>     * Show the exact time for better organization
>     * lists the next tasks that have to be done.. The best would be an
> order from important (task has to be done today) to unimportant (task
> deadline is far far away.. (configurable - f.e. 7 days..)
>     * gives the possibility to reach often done things very fast and
> easily. ("Create new page", "Create new task", "Create new...", and of
> course it should give the possibility to do advanced things. "Daily
> checkups done ;)"
>     * It could offer some help in an easy "ask what you want and I’ll
> show it up" kind. So no more long documents and bad searches for "how to
> disable the arrow in the rte when insert a link", but a nice search with
> this question in a nice conversation bot. He could search the databases
> and list the right docs in a short way. Different user groups (admin,
> news writer, designer, etc..) could be linked with different databases
> and the installed extensions from TER could offer some
> ADDtoStartpageHelpsystem(linktodatabasefile);
>     * This would give the possibility to extend the help system to the
> needs of everyone. While I as a student prefer to be informed about the
> current television program and press releases about my school (so I can
> add them to our school website) while keep the site running, some others
> might want to know.... The amazing thing is that bots are able to do
> that already. So it could be nice to have some bot like that..
>     * Perhaps use AJAX to drag and drop new items from a list onto the
> window? (Configuration)
>     * AWstats extension: Overview of most important stats. Like
> views/pages today, this week this month. Last referrer. Etc.
>     * Products extension: Latest order. Add products/categories button.
>     * News extension: Latest news items + edit button. Add new news item.
>     * Log: Latest 5 errors from log; Last changes, logins etc.
> 
> 
> ToDo List
> 
> who is willing to take a task, please say so here.
> 
>     * create API for the modules (any volunteers?)
>     * create design for draggable modules
>     * how are these modules configured? this should be self-explanatory
> 
> Current project members:
> 
> Andreas Balzer, René Häfliger, Sebastian Kurfuerst (for core
> implications and coordination)
> 
> Please add your name here if you wish to participate
> 
> 
> =====
> What do you think about it?
> 
> Greetings
> Andreas

anyone interested?
Andreas