Web site look & feel

Template Prototype

The attachment, tango.jpg, is a mockup done in SVG. Lars had a few critiques to this layout, suggesting that the focus on blogging be de-emphasized and the Documentation, API, and other (wiki) sections be brought further up the page. I agree. That kind of stuff really does belongs above the fold.

The spheres are Mars/phobos/deimos inspired, so there's some DigitalMars? afiliation and theme going on with this design. All the same, we're still looking for a better logo (#81).

http://www.sequenceartworks.com/labs/tango/

Here's Trevor's HTML'ized mockup

We're now flying under the new L&F as provided by Trevor. As this is now implemented, and fixes are now opened up under distinct tickets, I'm closing this ticket.

Well, I was under the impression that we didn't want this exact look and feel, we just haven't seen a new template yet. In particular the current font for the word Tango is questionable (and a change of that may include the exact colouring and such of the logo), and I'm pretty sure the current colour has received enough flac to be reconsidered. My own opinion is that the first proposition was better than the current when considering colours. A theme with overall less colors might also be better for the wider audience.

I also think that the wiki content (links, etc) should fit better with the coloring of the rest of the site, if possible. Currently the content area is rather disjoint from the theme itself.

I reopen to gather more comments.

Regarding the last paragraph above, it can be extended with #161

Yeah, we're not there yet :)

There were some suggestions in that flurry of email activity a few weeks ago -- did anything come of those? My gripes are:

- Background is not wide enough for some pages. Probably needs to resize itself based upon the width requirements of the content (if possible?), or simply be wider.

- Changing font size on the browser sends the site up the river. Is there anything we can do about this?

- Top of the page is just too 'soft' ... slashdot would have a field-trip on this one :) There were a number of suggestions made in this arena, I thought.

- The menu/tab font is not rendered well (at least, not on this laptop). I'll mention Juanjoc's site again here, as a yardstick of readability.

The menu/tab font is rendered exceptionally crisp and good looking on this laptop. I only have a gripe with the font for the word Tango itself.

/me looks behind him, and left to right...

Okay, I put a new template on the server for Tango. It is:

• a wider page (although you can stretch off still, w/o white background :( )
  • I can take off the max-width and/or do other tweaks, if we need
• friendlier to font-size changes
• less image-happy, use text for menu/tab
• a bit 'harder'
• sporting Trevor's updated logo/Tango font change
• easier to change the location of a menu (top vs. bottom, order, etc.)

Todo:

• new images from Trevor that blend into the header/footer areas or that have no background, and then have a header/footer background image that is somewhat repeatable.
• There are gaps in the 'content' div on IE, and even in Firefox when the font size is changed to something stupid-big.
• Other feedback from the peanut gallery

Looks great! Good move on the auto margins, em based widths.

I noticed that the menu falls apart when resizing. You may want to try setting "white-space: nowrap" on .tagline and/or the other menu elements, so the block stays one line and forces the page width. :)

Also, did there used to be a drop-shadow (gutter) between the content and the left and right margins of the page?

Replying to pragma:

Looks great! Good move on the auto margins, em based widths. I noticed that the menu falls apart when resizing. You may want to try setting "white-space: nowrap" on .tagline and/or the other menu elements, so the block stays one line and forces the page width. :)

Yep, sounds good.

Also, did there used to be a drop-shadow (gutter) between the content and the left and right margins of the page?

There did, I guess. I didn't notice when it was there, and plowed ahead with my 'clean/simple' design. Others can embellish later, I guess. Tango1Theme should be open and accepting patches under the TracThemes? project ;)

Waiting on Trevor's background images

testing email notification in Tango,

testing email notification