IMSLP Forums

Apropos of the recent main page innovations, I'm sure many users have suggestions on how we may be able to improve the main page design. Please post any ideas on the this forum, and we will see how they may be implemented.

I'm a horrible web designer, however, when I had to decide the type of structure to be used for my websites, I opted for a "multitab" structure. My website is an example that makes use of such a concept:

http://www.choralia.net

The reason for using "multitab" rather than other structures (such as menu items on the left side bar) is that Microsoft Windows (and other window-based operating systems, I guess) provide a multitab interface for several functions (select settings, configure some features, etc.). Also, browsers like Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox are conceived so as to present different pages within the same browser instance, and each page can be selected by clicking a tab on the top of the window. Based on this observation, I assumed that visitors are probably more used to click tabs on the top of the page rather than other solutions, so I opted for the "multitab" structure.

Max

As a note: Please don't be so harsh towards other peoples efforts, designs, or ideas. Frankly, I thought the posts with respect to the category walker were incredibly (and unnecessarily) harsh.

That being said, I think the main page design in general could be improved.

Choralia wrote:I'm a horrible web designer, however, when I had to decide the type of structure to be used for my websites, I opted for a "multitab" structure. My website is an example that makes use of such a concept:

http://www.choralia.net

The reason for using "multitab" rather than other structures (such as menu items on the left side bar) is that Microsoft Windows (and other window-based operating systems, I guess) provide a multitab interface for several functions (select settings, configure some features, etc.). Also, browsers like Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox are conceived so as to present different pages within the same browser instance, and each page can be selected by clicking a tab on the top of the window. Based on this observation, I assumed that visitors are probably more used to click tabs on the top of the page rather than other solutions, so I opted for the "multitab" structure. Max

One problem with the multi-tab versus side bar is that there is that there may be too much in the side bar to fit nicely into tabs at the top. One thing that I could possibly envision is the recent changes, contributor portal, FAQ, help, and maybe even languages. The random page feature would of course be pointless to include as a tab, and we would still need the toolbox, and any external links as a side bar.

As a matter of fact, I don't think it's a terrible idea. Although I'm not sure about how easily this could be implemented. As far as I know, Feldmahler or Leonard would have to do it. Also as far as I know, the administrators do not even have the ability to edit the side bar.

http://imslp.org/wiki/MediaWiki:Sidebar
However, please do not try to change it to a tabbed style (not that there's any way to do that from that page). It would involve changes to the central Mediawiki software, and IMHO wouldn't work well on a wiki anyway because we already have tabs at the top of every page. I could be convinced otherwise, I suppose, but my first reaction is that it would not be ideal. The left sidebar is standard to almost every wiki I can think of (with the exceptions of Wikia and MeatballWiki IIRC).

Definitely, it was not my intention to propose anything very different from the current standard MediaWiki structure. However, as a discussion is in progress on another topic about easy-to-find "shortcuts" for specific functions (e.g., browse by composer name, browse by era, etc.), few tabs placed on the top of the main page might be more user friendly than links embedded in the page text. This is a very rough example of my idea, limited to two tabs only:

http://www.choralia.net/imslptabexample/tabexample.htm

Implementing something like this may not require any modification to the MediaWiki software.

You're right, Ken, that some tabs are present already on the top of the page. IMO, MediaWiki designers should have placed in such prominent position those functions that are most useful to visitors (who represent the large majority of users for most wikis) rather than to contributors (as it is now). It seems a rather egocentric ("contributor-centric" ) approach.

BTW, I like the way the shortcuts are currently placed on the main page.

Max

That's actually a really intriguing idea - I quite like it. Do you think it might benefit from less grey space above the tabs? (I know it's just a demonstration, but...) We probably don't want to take up too much of the actual page (which is one reason I'm a little hesitant to add anything extra on top).

KGill wrote:Do you think it might benefit from less grey space above the tabs?

Done. I've also changed the grey color, now it matches the background of the left sidebar.

Max