[Cialug] new site

[Matthew Steven]

Barry,

Nice job.

The toughest task is ahead, and that is fighting off the stream of 
requests for everybody's favorite feature to be put on the front page 
until it bloats beyond all usability. ;o)

The page currently weighs in at 215KB. Though the server is using 
gzip/deflate, you'll definitely want to combine and minify the css and 
js included into single files when you roll it out. Wordpress probably 
has an easy way to help you do that.

 From a nuts and bolts standpoint, it's very close to being valid HTML, 
just one tweak that the w3 validator can point out.

Organizationally, you have the most important stuff (when do we meet) in 
a prominent place, but a top level menu structure wouldn't go wrong 
either to break major content into several pages at least. A section on 
meetings, a how-to page with step by step instructions for becoming a 
part of the group, etc.

Putting the mailing list link in a high and obvious place (like say, a 
top level horizontally situated menu) would be most helpful since that's 
probably the first thing you want people to do when they come to the 
site- sign up.

Adding the syndicated news like the old site has under the heading 
"Member's Postings" is also something that would go over well and give 
people a reason to check the site more often. I think that it could fit 
into a third column, possibly even with teaser text displayed, fewer 
items per page, but pagination links which would be really cool.

Cheers,
Matt Steven

On 01/-10/-28163 01:59 PM, Barry Von Ahsen wrote:
> I've got most of the new site up and going.  critiques, suggestions,
> flames welcome.  I know the maps on the events aren't working, and the
> style is a little weird on long paragraphs
>
> I purged a bunch of stuff and tried to keep it simple.  let me know if I
> missed something, or something should be added
>
> http://www2.cialug.org/
>
>
> -barry
>
>

-- 
Matthew Steven
http://www.geniusweb.com/
(515) 999 0842