Michael,
I think that's some great stuff you posted. Very helpful in generating new ways to think about the portals module.
However, I'm not really clear about how portals, CMS and graphic designers work together. It seems to me that portals is a way of removing the graphic designer from having to generate UI all the time and allowing the user to to select a modular presentation of data from across the system. Rather than have the UI designer define how and where each person can view information, the user can select what info and how they wills see it.
An administrator chooses what info a user or user group gets to see. For example, everybody in an organization sees the general information that everyone needs to see -- what's for lunch in the cafeteria, where the stapler can be found and why God has abandoned us in our times of need. Also, each person gets a limited view of their mailbox so they know what they received last. However, Sammy the SysAdmin gets a page with all the pertinent system information, Gloria the Graphic Artist gets the latest pages to be delivered and Eduardo the Executive gets to see his stock quotes.
That is a pretty general description of how portals work. However, I'm not really sure what you're asking for that doesn't have to be built on a case by case basis. I must admit that I am not familiar with ACS 3.4, let alone ACES 3.4 so I don't really know what you are referencing.
Perhaps my real question is what kind of control do you want or need over the portlets? Shouldn't the portlets have as little UI design as possible so that they can conform to any data placed in them? What does a portlet consist of, anyway? Can you give me some examples of what kinds of data would be displayed in each of these?
Forgive me for asking these questions if they are a little elementary. I have some ideas of what I would like to see the portals packaged used for but I think that it's much more straightforward than what you are talking about. If you can describe it a little more I would appreciate it.
talli
