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Thinking of creating a Linux website: Need comments


ral
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3lade has a good point.

 

a site that is unbiased, pointing out the difference. none of the "Windows is evil" "Windows is unstable" stuff. The majority don't care, or even know, about windows being unstable...they just want things to work, and if they work, cool. if they have to think........well crap, that's not supposed to happen!

 

the masses see a computer as a tool, not a hobby. it's supposed to work, they aren't supposed to have to fix it.

 

if you've seen the recent Mac commercials, you can see where they're aiming...that's where we need to aim, if we REALLY want Linux to become a viable desktop solution.

 

there are enough sites out there bashing windows and exalting linux, but-like 3lade said-what is needed is a site which compares the two, and doesn't try to force the reader one direction or the other.

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This is a tall order but may give you some ideas. Starting with the sites still active in the Mandrake webring

( http://www.mandrakeuser.org/docs/ring.html ), look at as many sites as you can and take notes on the the things you think you could have done better. Decide who your major audience is going to be. Note things like colour and typeface, readability, poorly defined or explained topics, the kitchen sink menu type, placement of graphics. If you have an artistic friend, get him to help you design distinctive graphics. Make it look more than the site of a single user (don't ask me how!) and make it a place people want to come back to. Your content ideas are not bad, just overused on every Linux news page on the net in one way or another. Find a different way to express them instead of just text repeating what others have already said. Use pictures of real people doing real things as well as cartoons of people doing real or unreal things. Quote people saying things instead of you writing it out. Look at your local newspaper and see how many quotes they go for in a given news piece. Do the same with TV and see how hard they go after somebody to quote rather than the reporter saying it themselves. Bring that into your web page. People come here and to the club because they can get involved and make personal observations known and get the same for others. Read the Linux newsgroups on Usenet. How much of what happens there can be brough to your web site. Do the same with IRC and the many Mandrake communities there.

 

As ideas occur to you, write them down before you lose them. At the end of that (it never really ends) start laying out your site. When you have the framework invite us all back and we'll give you even more ideas to sort through. Good luck.

 

Counterspy

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Thanks aru, am there now.

 

In general though, I don't want to give viewers too much history. Frankly, I think what they really want to know is it free, is it easy to use, can I do my work on it, were can I get it...etc.

 

It is likely that people will think GNU/Linux and Linux are different things.

 

After reading the fact, I realize that the GNU Project may not have gotten the credit they deserve, but it may be too late to remedy that now.

 

Maybe I could put a development history section. I know this may not want to be politically correct but... I want to keep things really simple.

 

-----

 

3lade

 

I still use Windows myself (98SE dual boot)...for my games and Quicktime :)

 

No I don't intend to place any anti MS stuff...but referrences to Apple and MS will probobly necessary. If you tell someone Linux is an OS... the nest question is "What is an OS?" --- "Err like Windows?". A know a fair number of people who cannot even distinguish Windows from MS Office.

 

------

 

tyme

 

I plan to take the Linux works, is compatible and is free or cheaper :)

 

I don't have to tell an MS user that Windows is not stable. But I should tell him that Linux is. I should also inform them about Linux's (and Linux apps) weaknesses so that they don't get shocked when they use it.

 

-----

 

counterspy

 

Thanks counterspy.

 

----

 

By the way, I use RH8...so the examples and the screens are going to come from a default RH8 install.

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If you tell someone Linux is an OS... the nest question is "What is an OS?" --- "Err like Windows?". A know a fair number of people who cannot even distinguish Windows from MS Office.

 

It is scary, I've met people that think Windows is not an option. Every computer MUST have a copy of windows on it. When talking to a bloke once about Linux, I explained it is a OS, like windows blah blah blah. He replied with "so it's a program you run in windows to make it more stable?"

You have to just walk away.

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I have a basic layout I put up two days ago... it has changed a bit since than but I can't access my ftp site... ARRGGHHHH. Anyway here is how it looks today http://www.veranda.com.ph/ral

 

My HTML and graphics skills are limited. I will be using Mozilla Composer (I miss Frontpage) and The Gimp to build the site. Now if only I had even a fraction of DOlson's skill. I love the way his nerw site looks.

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I have been trying to figure out how to do that. The problem with now really knowing HTML is sometimes things don't appear the same way in your editor and browser.

 

If anybody want's to donate some cool graphics I would really appreciate it.... maybe I could rip some from DOlson's site. That penguin of his is really cool. :twisted:

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Try replacing

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="770"

align="center">

         <tbody>

           <tr>



             <td valign="top"><img src="images/header.png"

alt="PenguinPC A beginners guide to Linux" width="770" height="80">

             </td>

           </tr>

                              

 </tbody>        

</table>

              

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" border="1" width="770"

align="center" bgcolor="#cccccc">

         <tbody>

           <tr>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><small>General  Information</small></b><br>



             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>The  Linux Desktop</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Linux  Applications</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Tricks  & Tips</small></a></b><br>



             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Advanced  Topics</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Useful  Links</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Contact  Us</small></a></b><br>

             </td>



             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>About  Us</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

           </tr>

                              

 </tbody>        

</table>

with:

 

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="770"

align="center">

         <tbody>

           <tr>



             <td valign="top"><img src="images/header.png"

alt="PenguinPC A beginners guide to Linux" width="770" height="80">

             </td>

           </tr>

            <tr>

                     <td>

                                   

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" border="1" width="770"

align="center" bgcolor="#cccccc">

         <tbody>

           <tr>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><small>General  Information</small></b><br>



             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>The  Linux Desktop</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Linux  Applications</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Tricks  & Tips</small></a></b><br>



             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Advanced  Topics</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Useful  Links</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>Contact  Us</small></a></b><br>

             </td>



             <td valign="top" align="center"><b><a

href="http://www.com.com"><small>About  Us</small></a></b><br>

             </td>

           </tr>

                              

 </tbody>        

</table>

                     </td>

            </tr>                  

 </tbody>        

</table>

           

 

please excuse the tabbing, I cut and pasted and typed it into here so it is going to look messed up. It is also untested of course but should work. Basically all it I did is put one table inside the other one (you actually didnt need the table for the image originally as it was all by itslelf, but I used the table the image was in to hold the menu table as well.

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