[TYPO3-typo3org] [TYPO3-hci] Kickoff: TYPO3 4.1 (suggestions)

[Erik Svendsen]

Hello Matthew,

> Erik and team...
> 
>> Else the project "Usability testing of typo3.org" should be
>> supported. http://typo3.org/community/participate/in-progress/
>> 
> How am I supposed to contribute to this page there are no instructions
> for contributors? Surely a simply feedback form that allowed
> attachments would be sufficient.

It takes me 10 seconds to find the mail to Stefano. Stefano: Maybe you should 
take this as a hint/idea to give others in the community the possibility 
to help you and Kees with input on the usability. 

Matthew, you should also be aware of the changes in the organization of the 
work around typo3.org. But I agree in the need to make the possibility to 
contact the maintainers of different part of typo3.org more easy.

> 1) I search for TYPO3 in Google and get the first result as typo3.com
> wonderful!
> 
> 2) Great so I land on typo3.com - Why the is there no "Download" link?
> Every software website in the world has this but not TYPO3?
> 
> 3) So I am fannying about looking for a TYPO3 download link and I find
> it hidden under the screenshots section. Why?

Support, has it's own download link in the submenu. To me this was a logical 
choice. But of course you could have one download link in the main menu.
 
> 4) Great so now I am at http://typo3.org/download/ This looks more
> like it. But wait I have two choices:
> 
> 1) If you already have a webserver with the required components
> installed 2) If you don't have a webserver and want to test TYPO3 on
> your local PC,
> 
> Hmm neither of these suit me? I have access to a shared web hosting
> account yes but not 'I already have a webserver' Web servers are
> expensive and a bugger to maintain.

To me having access to a shared web hosting is the same as having my own 
webserver (have both). But my experience is that a lot of cheap shared web 
hostings aren't suitable to run TYPO3.
 
> These words are confusing and stem back to when TYPO3 was expected to
> run only on a dedicated web server. Shared web servers are way more
> powerful than old dedicated. Anyone heard of dual xeon? So this
> wording needs to invite people who have a shared web hosting account
> as well.

My oldest TYPO3 installation has been running on shared hosting for 2 1/2 
years. Even then I easy found relevant information about how to get it up 
and running. But I don't disagree in the need to reformulate the page.

Else there are two nice articles in the wiki. http://wiki.typo3.org/index.php/Hosting, 
http://wiki.typo3.org/index.php/Webspace_vs._Webserver

But why not propose text for a better download page. I suppose the maintainers 
of TYPO3 would appreciate it. As maintainer (the only one) of http://typo3.no/ 
I know how time consuming this work are, and I would appreciate every proposal 
of a better text. 
 
> 3) So ok I click on the zip/tar.gz packages link and whoa! Magic! the
> first item is perfect for me it promises: "Dummy package This archive
> contains a skeleton site. You will need this if you start a new TYPO3
> site."
> 
> Great I fancy a skeleton site! I picture a simple template and menu
> and a few dummy pages.
> 
> However as an experienced TYPO3 user I know that this does not
> actually give
> you a Skeleton site in fact it gives you at least 2 error pages. 1)
> Error
> no pages found on root level! Uh what does that mean to a newbie and
> 2)
> Error no template found?
> NB:  I look up dummy in the dictionary and I get:
> 
> 1) an imitation, copy, or likeness of something used as a substitute:
> 2) a mock-up of a proposed publication (as a book or magazine)
> 
> So on this basis the dummy package as a description is wrong and
> misleading for newbies. A better term would be 'Empty shell!'

I agree! But the problem isn't the use of the word dummy, but that the text 
itself don't give you enough information. And a part that is missing, is 
a link to installation notes/tutorial. Would solved a lot of problems.
 
> 4) So the only other alternative on this page is the Quickstart and
> Testsite packages which are quoted as "no longer maintained..." Geeze
> this does not sound very promissing.

It has it's reasons. But someone should hurry up the work making som T3D 
packages. Or link to some of the packages that are one the web. I know WEC 
has some, BEE3 has free templates (cooming soon!), here are some http://www.typo3.mapseven.de/index.php?id=19, 
and also has http://mediatech.net/typo3_templates.html a template. A link 
from the download page/installation notes could give you enough help to get 
a page up and running.

> So I download the dummy package because at least that looks up to date
> and I get a 'skeleton site'
> 
> So you can see how my expose of this tiny but vital part of the TYPO3
> to download journey causes problems for people new to the
> idiosyncracies of TYPO3.
> 
> Now we all now that installation also has its own set of problems but
> the next topic of my typo3.org expose would be documentation!
> 
> If you think from a beginner perspective you'll see that a few very
> tiny changes along the way would help a great many people.
> 
> Happy days!
> Matthew

Why not propose the actual changes you think will give the newbie at better 
journey. Text, links and so on. As it's a few tiny changes, it shouldn't 
take much time.

The reasons I wouldn't do it, - are that I have dedicated myself to typo3.no, 
but I will see if some of your ideas can be implemented there. 

To the maintainers of typo3.org: Why not make it more easy to give you feedback 
and suggestions on how to make typo3.org a better website. The newslist is 
okay, but if I have a proposal to a new text in some part, why not give me 
the opportunity to propose it in a way I know it will be looked at. I don't 
expect it always to be approved.

WBR,
Erik Svendsen
www.linnearad.no