Can you open it up?

Submitted by hatton on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 18:59

I would like to see this site move away from what feels to me like blog-like system, and towards a wikipedia system. I'm not talking about the underlying software; hopefully the current software can be reconfigured.

Some areas

* for a given app, we want multiple reviews, but only one set of data. As it is today, it looks as if the first person to write a review owns the table of data that goes with it. If the platform doesn't allow these changes, perhaps you could say "put your reviews in the comments". So the "blog" is just a description and the table of data, and then the review is a comment. If you have threaded comments, then, people can comment on each review, in order to correct mistakes or as questions of the author.

* make it easy for people to fix up the tables. Currently, they are loaded with false license info, missing links, etc. I'd suggest anyone should be able to add that stuff... if this were to cause problems, then you can back out to a more restrictive scheme; maybe have a large number of "editor" people, which should include all software developers, so that they can manage the info on their own products (not the reviews, just all the other data).

* the comments are hidden behind two or three clicks. I'd like to see them out in the open (like normal blogs), or at worst, one click away (like wikipedia discussions).

‹ Who are you?

More changes

Submitted by dhigby on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 19:27.

Now applications and reviews are separate.  Applications can be added, and any number of reviews can be given for an application.
Reviews are made on 4 criteria:

  • Features
  • Ease of Use
  • Reliability
  • Documentation

View-->Info

Submitted by hatton on Sun, 09/27/2009 - 19:13.

Cool.  In light of this, I suggest changing the label on "view" to "Information" or something.   
The "wiki" tab is a bit confusing... at first, one ends up wondering if one is now at some official wiki for the app.  I kinda like the idea of a place for trainers to deposit their training material... if that's the primary perpose, maybe this area could be labelled "training material wiki" or something? And if the app hosts that kind of thing itself, the wiki could say "please use this other wiki over here instead", so you we don't get all fragmented.  Often, that's my frustration when trying to learn open source software... info about it is spread over 3 or 4 well-meaning web sites, some of which will be out of date.
 
Request on this forum feature: Can you make the Save button available before I hit Preview? I've not seen a forum before which *requires* a preview first.

Done

Submitted by dhigby on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 11:59.

Views are now changed to Info
Wiki now says Training wiki, and I may move the link elsewhere to make it more evident that people are leaving the familiar site.
Fixed mandatory preview button.
Thanks for your suggestions.

Some improvements

Submitted by dhigby on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 12:23.

OK, there should be applications and reviews, but right now they are one and the same. I'll try to split these out so that reviews are more like comments.

Right now, any authenticated user should be able to edit the details of any application listed. Can't leave this to anonymous, but the sign-up process is automated so nothing stops a user from fixing something without admin authorization.

The comments were split out on a separate page. I'd like more input before I change that. My fear is that you have a page that is 8 screens high and have to scroll all the way to the bottom to see contents. Currently, you just click the comments tab.

The search listing is much better now. It was rather disorganized before to say the least.

Thanks

Submitted by hatton on Sun, 09/27/2009 - 19:28.

Doug, today, the comments are at the bottom, and that's great.  I'm seeing stuff I wouldn't have seen otherwise. (which reminds me... I suggest, instead of the "what's going on here" message on the home page, moving to something more like you have with the Recent posts. See the awesome stackoverflow.com for an example. It took me a while to discover Recent posts, and *that's* the page I would bookmark.)
 
Anyhow, in order to get all the new people understanding how this site is supposed to work, it would be helpful if you and Jon could refactor your old review+info posts so that they are an example of this new structure, moving your opinions, dissapointments, whatever into reviews and leaving only objective stuff in on the info ("view") tab.
Thanks again

Front Page

Submitted by dhigby on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 12:19.

OK, I'll try to get more interesting data views on the front page, and probably move the welcome message to an "About" page.
I'll replace the old review content with generic stuff I pull from the web, but I don't have time to write reviews for the moment.  It will be a bit much with dhigby all over the whole site anyhow, but yes, somebody has to jumpstart it.
I really appreciate your feedback! 

Can't see how to edit

Submitted by hatton on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 01:42.

(this editor is showing me my comment center-justified... what's with that?)
 
>Right now, any authenticated user should be able to edit the details of any application listed. Can't leave this to anonymous, but the sign-up process is automated so nothing stops a user from fixing something without admin authorization.
 
Doug, I logged in but couldn't see any way to edit the WeSay application info.  But if I look at Phonology Assistant, I see an "edit" tab.
 
jh

I just deleted it for you

Submitted by dhigby on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 19:02.

Since WeSay was added earlier before a whole set of major changes, I'll just assume it is a fluke you can't edit that one.  I had the same problem logging on as a normal user.  So I just deleted it.  Please add it yourself now.

 Fixed the center justify, it

Submitted by dhigby on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 12:22.

 Fixed the center justify, it happened with the theme change.
Weird that you can only edit some content.  I'll try to fix that right away.

 What's your opinion on the

Submitted by dhigby on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 12:25.

 What's your opinion on the embedded editor here?  I'm thinking of canning it here and on all comments, since it slows down page load.  Keeping it only for the applications and reviews.

I agree.

Submitted by hatton on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 21:20.

I agree.  Especially since it just shows, even if I haven't asked to add a comment.