Topic: Contribs.org home page doesn't tell me why I'd want to use SME Server (again)

[janet]

All

A flashy self promoting main page is fine with me, it is quite appropriate to include "reasons to use sme" on the main page, go for it, you have the wiki sandboxes, you have bugzilla.

As I understand it, smeserver.org was an attempt to have a website promoting sme, but was discontinued due to lack of maintainers. smeserver.org currently resolves to the main contribs.org wiki site.

I gather there was also an idea to have a commercial section on the smeserver.org site, where support personnel could advertise etc, but such ideas never developed as there were no creators and maintainers volunteering.

I think this whole topic is also related to the elections issue and previous attempts to have a formal management structure in place, please see the forum about "elections etc".
SME  could do with a Promtions Manager etc to push such things as creating a bigger public profile for SME. It can all be done, it just needs people to step forward and actually do it, rather than suggest what should be done. 

[timn]

I have thought for some time that the Main Page is not very helpful. Looking at it with a newbie hat on and imagining you have just landed there for the first time doesn't really present much meaningful information to make you stay.

Anyway, having seen this thread I have done as suggested and produced an alternative page at http://wiki.contribs.org/User:Timn/Main_Page for comment and consideration.

I have also created a bug for it http://bugs.contribs.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5912

[davelister]

Hey Tim I am glad to see someone has put the effort into this! I like the bullet points... makes it simple for this first timer to get a snap shot of what sme is

[Stefano]

could we start about re-publishing smeserver.org?

let me quote myself.. and I wolud add "with a good and actractive design?"

[CharlieBrady]

Hey Tim I am glad to see someone has put the effort into this! I like the bullet points... makes it simple for this first timer to get a snap shot of what sme is

Followup to the bug tracker please.

[johnp]

Nice job Tim, thanks for stepping up. I like the layout. Hopefully you can get some assistance with translations. Efforts like yours, IMHO, can only help to bring some harmony to this community.

If you have the ability, maybe you should consider Stefano's statement and think about designing a layout for smeserver.org

Regardless of the final outcome, it's nice to see someone rise up to this challenge. I look forward to the OP's comments.

[Paspv]

Looks very good Tim! No tech talk but things most people can understand and that's important.

[timn]

Praise and thanks are gratefully received, albeit that they were not the reason for my submission. I would point out that the purpose of this thread was to attempt to discuss the quality of the existing Main Page which subsequently resulted in a call for alternative layouts and perhaps a vote or consensus on change.

As Charlie has pointed out however, in order to effect real change if that is what people want, you need to add your comments and links to other suggested layouts if there are any to http://bugs.contribs.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5912

Thank you

<edit>
ps I have changed my Main Page slightly. Added a bit more wording and tweaked the layout

[paradigm]

Great work timn , looks vary nice ,

A few months ago i shared an idea with the forum off doing some kind of "success stories with sme server"  forum or maybe a sticky thread

But didnet get any response , putting a link on home page of something like that can help a new user understand the power of this distro.

I would like once again to raise some consideration to this idea from the forum members.

[CharlieBrady]

Great work timn , looks vary nice ,

Followup to the bug tracker, please.