Re: [boost] What is Boost?

From: Andy Little (andy_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-09-29 04:35:03

"Rob Stewart" <stewart_at_[hidden]> wrote in message 
news:200509282101.j8SL1cqQ022313_at_shannonhoon.balstatdev.susq.com...
> From: "Andy Little" <andy_at_[hidden]>
>> "David Abrahams" <dave_at_[hidden]> wrote in message
>> news:uirwm4ipb.fsf_at_boost-consulting.com...
>>
>> Have you considered that the index page may be too busy.
>>
>> For example see :
>>
>> http://www.microchip.com/
>>
>> There is a huge amount of information available but only headings are used on
>> the index page. Using their approach I would guess that a link titled 
>> "About"
>> would be suitable for those who want to know  what boost is.
>> IOW nothing much on the main page ...just links.
>
> I find their page lifeless.

Its functional which is much more important to users. If you were looking for 
data on a particular chip then you really arent worrying about how pretty it is. 
The best web pages are the ones you dont notice at all.

>  I appreciate the amount of
> information offered, but there's too much.  They need to
> categorize a bit more to reduce the number of links presented.

Key point is that there is no content on the index page. By putting content 
right at the top of  the home page you are assuming that you know exactly why 
the user is at the site.

[cut]

>> As a user all I usually want from an index is to get to the
>> particular information I need as quickly as possible by
>> clicking on the appropriate link.( For instance how would I
>> quickly find Supported Compilers via the current page)?
>
> You have to pick your audience for a home page.

I dont think you can pick them!  The game is not to lose them.

 In our case it
> should introduce Boost to those completely unfamiliar with it.

This is a big assumption about the types of people that arrive at the home page.

> Everyone else can use another page.  (That is, we can have a
> secondary home page, if you will, that omits the introductory
> text and related links and offers the links most useful to the
> rest of us.  Then, you simply need to save a bookmark to that
> secondary home page to get your quick index to everything Boost.)

FWIW I always start at www.boost.org because its easy to remember, but I am not 
unfamiliar.   I should put a bookmark ? I have too many bookmarks already!
Sounds to me like you are forcing users such as me into one mode of doing 
things. We wont like it!.  Maybe the secondary page should be the home page ;-)

regards
Andy Little