[theforum] evolt.org layout/typography driving me nuts

Sun Nov 9 13:57:36 CST 2008

I must've missed this.

My comments (harsh to a degree, but well meant and hopefully constructive
;)):

1) I like the structure, location of most things and the typography.
(although, I don't like the location and solution with the login / register
block).

2) I don't like what you've done with the logo. The ratio between cubes and
letters is sett in stone and should not be changed without particular
discussion on that issue. Same goes for colors. Besides, I like the bright
colors of the cubes.

3) I find the color scheme too dull. This is partly because the bright
colors of the logo are missing. I much rather like the idea you've mentioned
in a different email, to go back to the 2000-ish bright colors on black-ish
background. But I also like images, photos or other visual decoration. As
I've also mentioned before, I do miss the black bar, connecting us to
evolt.org 1.0. In that sense I do like the current layout. Although, by
removing a lot of things that were a part of the theme, it too is becoming
very dull. I also like better Martin's header, with the same comment that
he's modified the colors and the letters of the logo - which is a big no no.

4) "The web workers world community" ??? what is this? Is this something to
replace the current description of evolt.org: "Evolt.org is a world
community for web developers, promoting the mutual free exchange of ideas,
skills and experiences." ??

5) As a whole, I like Martin's design better (but same comments re logo and
slogan? apply). And there were certain things in Tara's design that I
remember liking ... both Tara and Martin used more and brighter colors ...
perhaps you three should try to merge them ;) (Martin's header + Tara's
bottom, with your twist) ... or even better ... start with a logo on a
completely blank canvas ...

I'm not sure that stripping things from the current layout was the right
thing to do (but I'm not suggesting that they're put back). I think that
even though the layout as was desperately needed a revamp, doing it by
removing things from it without adding others was the wrong decision. ...
But it has been made and, again, I'm not asking for it to be changed back.
However, it does affect the evaluation of one layout against another.

Martin's: http://weo.easyweb.co.uk/
Tara's: http://taracleveland.com/evolt/HTML/

.:| 2. We need our new server to be set up, also very soon.
.:| 
.:| Things are starting to suffer on account of we don't have the same
.:| software on t.e.o and w.e.o, and we don't have Drupal 6 running on
.:| *either*.  Even before the front-end is coded, modules could be
.:| installed and tested if we were already running Drupal 6.

I disagree partly. For the upgrade to be planned and worked out - teo is the
only worry atm. Getting weo up to date is the last step in the process
(migrating all that has been done over to weo). This is what I was trying to
comment on before ... do the development of text and structure, as well as
layout and CMS ... do the development on teo and when all is up and running
smoothly there ... you migrate to weo.

But I do agree that getting Drupal 6 up and running and testing the
different modules intended to be used for the upgrade. To solve this issue I
can donate a temporary parking place for a D6 testing area - without someone
importing the complete evolt.org database over there :). John Handelaar is
already assisting me with sysadmin stuff on the box so he should be able to
set up an account with the correct login information and redirecting that to
my D6 multi-site test setup. ... I better ask him :)

.:| So I would say on both the front-end design and the server migration,
.:| my
.:| anxiety level is starting to rise.

Hehe, and here I am, solving one (for the short term) but increasing the
other :)

Hth
Elfur