Forum OpenACS Q&A: user interface

Hi folks,
Just a thought...
The default openacs interface puts both the navigation and the content on a flat page. I realize nobody ever bothered about the design a user interface, but, ghiven fact that the current layout causes users to scroll down, simply because a few lines of bulleed instructions doesn't make sense. Can't we create a default interface with navigation on a left side bar, and the functioanlity righ of the navigation section instead of messing up the full screen. who needs the full screen anyway?

I think it would realy increase general usablity to have one or 2 default templates to display the tool kit's modules, instead of the current basic presentation, so it doesn't force newbies to dive into tempatting themselves.

Maybe some of design guru's we have on board can come up with a simple solution. Today I presented  the default photodb to a client, the owner of a shoe repairshop with no internet experience, and he was horrified by the current display. I am sure we can do better with minimal effort. After all, it's just about displaying info a simple page without every individual user of the toolkit diving into the sourcecode.

Cheers
Ben

Ben,

take a look at http://www.7-sisters.com for an example of a site with the navigation in fixed left hand bar. The layout uses CSS extensively and thus requires CSS compliant browsers. Be aware -if you choose this path- that there are still many differences between browsers when it comes to CSS. But at least it is a lot better than frames ;)

Don't forget that OpenACS is a developers toolkit. Practically all projects replace the default design for their own. While your suggestion has merit, out of the box design is not a top priority. Having said that, the community will putting more effort into separating (Tcl) code from presentation. The next OpenACS release will see better and more extensive use of the OpenACS templating system allowing rapid design changes.

/Bart

Bart and Lars, I understand the toolkit approach and no design policy, yet with a minor tweak the current output would be greatly enhanaced without any design efforts. If we change the default "horizontal line" into a "Vertical line" to split up the screen, and have the navigation and other funcitonality on the left of the page, it would give a full screen to the ACS output display. I will try to make sense out of the templating system as soon as possible, so I won't have to bother you any longer, but for newbies to have a few simple options like this so the basic display looks presentable might make sense. Maybe it would be usefull to start thinking of creating an OpnenACS "designers manual". I have a feeling a lot of features are allready available most people don't realize. A strat could be we identify which OACS members are reraly familiar with all this, and create a seperate working party. Maybe my simple ( non-merd )trials on Tmedesk could help to write an OpenACS Designers Guidebook Cheers Ben