Mini-beta and redesign of Crossforum Theatre

[Michael Allan]

Thomas and C,

Thomas, I was hoping we could Skype about this:
http://mail.zelea.com/list/votorola/2012-April/001352.html
Please ping me on IRC when you have a chance.

C, there's a minor BUG, per below.

Thomas von der Elbe said:
> It was this one:
> http://zelea.com/w/User:ThomasvonderElbe_GmxDe/P2P/p/dorf
> It didn't change the page title itself, but the poll-page did. And
> that seems to be pulled to position pages too.

Yes, that's currently how it works.  Now I'm thinking we should avoid
display titles in polls, too.  Better to stick with formal poll names.
Nobody can rightfully assign an "official" title or other description
to a poll, except from the vantage of his/her personal position.  So I
think the title belongs in the position draft, like here for instance:
http://zelea.com/w/User:Mike-ZeleaCom/Sys/p/sandbox

So I would remove the display title for P2P/p/dorf.

> Now since we try to use short url's, the automatic given title usually 
> does not say enough. The short description is an option then to give it 
> a proper title, but the font size is too small. I made it bigger, now it 
> looks a bit strange a the bottom of the page, where it is repeated. 
> (Btw, I think, it would be better without the dot in front of the 
> description.) But anyway, the user is now really clear.

There was a config bug, which is now fixed.  The dot should have been
an icon.

Generally speaking, that whole poll summary (grey area at top) needs a
design overhaul.  But we probably shouldn't attempt that till after
the core visuals of the mini-beta are deployed.

> Another thing: I personally would like to have the track stay on top of 
> the screen all the time and let the page scroll underneath it.

We could make that a user option.  Maybe once the visuals are complete
and we're using the software, we can start prioritizing improvements.

> And I still like the idea of using the unused space in the middle of
> the track for making navigation clearer, by telling the user where
> he is, i.e. in votespace, diff-bridge, postition-page, ... What do
> you think?

Technically that space is not free.  The two captions overlap there.
http://zelea.com/project/votorola/_/javadoc/votorola/s/gwt/stage/LinkTrack.html
See the geospace link further below for an example.

> > (2) A dedicated votespace view that makes maximum use of space.
> >     It appears on stage only when requested.  It obscures most of
> >     the scene (but not quite all) becoming itself a temporary
> >     scene.
> 
> Ah, I understand. It opens up on top of the page, covers it partly,
> lets you navigate around in votespace and closes then, uncovering
> the scene again. Like this?

Yes.  We might call it a "votespace curtain".  We could also have a
geospace curtain based on this code: http://zelea.com/y/vw/xf/#c=DG
Generally speaking, all our planned Crossforum Theatre scenes would
then become props for use with other scenes.

Minor BUG for C: the selected bite in the diff feed (left) is not
highlighted, as it used to be.

> > --- (b) ---
> >
> >   (i) Mock up votespace and pollspace tracks.
> >
> >       The pollspace track is needed for (iv), where otherwise
> >       the link and votespace tracks would be non-functional.
> >
> >  (ii) Code the votespace track.
> >
> > (iii) Code the pollspace track.
> >
> >  (iv) Stage the home page.
> >
> >       This is for purposes of showing off.
> >
> >   (v) Stage the mailing list archive.
> >
> >       This will be neat.  The stage will parse each message and
> >       the tracks will light up accordingly.  There is always an
> >       actor; there is sometimes a poll and/or difference.
>
> I like the plan. Only I would jump over staging the home page (and the 
> necessary poll-track) and go to the rest instead. I feel, the time for 
> showing to others what a potentially good tool we have is over. Now it 
> is time to use it. So lets think, what we want to change in the world 
> and start.

Votorola never had a face till now, so I'm keen to show it. :-)
But (iii) and (iv) aren't actually required for the mini-beta.
All we need for a complete "working face" are (ii) and (v).

I agree we should focus on changing the world.

-- 
Michael Allan

Toronto, +1 416-699-9528
http://zelea.com/