Re: some CD issues/wishlist items

Hi Sandro,
Thanks for the detailed feedback on the Community Directory.  Today I had a chance to meet with James and the two of us went through your entire list plus the feedback from others @ F2F meeting last week.

In summary, we are setting up an issue tracker on Google IssueTracker.  I'll let you know when it is set up & seeded with the feedback we've received to date.  I'll respond to each item and track them as they're resolved.

FYR - In mid-February we are scheduled do a port of the app to next version of the Linked Data management system we're using.  The confusing menu options will be streamlined because the new version of Callimachus provides more flexible control of menu editing.  It will also provide a cleaner UI through the use of HTML 5 themes.  

By mid-February, export of the application will be supported.  This means you or others can download the app locally and play around with it, extend it, etc.  The directory will become a 'sample app' Linked Data app since a directory is a commonly understood and used Web app.

Thanks again for your feedback.  It is in people using a Web app that it gets better.  We expect to have a lot to show from the GLD WG in the later half of February, not the least of which is a more appealing Community Directory.

Cheers,
Bernadette Hyland

On Jan 25, 2012, at 5:19 PM, Sandro Hawke wrote:

> I tried to look at the Community Directory today, while we were talking
> about it, with a critical eye, imagining what might be problems for a
> first-time user.  This is no substitute for real usability testing, but
> it's a lot faster and cheaper.  :-)
> 
> Please forgive the critical tone here -- it comes with the critical eye.
> 
> If we start to use an issue tracker, I'm happy to put these there and
> try to rank and categorize them.   I'm willing to fix some of these, if
> it's not too hard to learn how.  (I've sat through two talks on
> Callimachus and I still don't understand it.)
> 
>     -- Sandro
> 
> 
> * I don't know what "View by Directory" means.  Maybe it should be
>  "List of Organizations"
> 
> * I think the "DOWNLOAD" link should be on the left, visible on every 
>  page.  Right now it's buried on the About page which people don't want
>  to read.
> 
> * SPARQL link should not require login (unless the underlying engine
>  has no defense against DoS, I guess).  Also, it shouldn't be in an
>  admin feature.
> 
> * Admin options probably shouldnt be available, at least when not
>  logged in
> 
> * I can't find a way to upload RDF data (but if we allow upload, we'll
>  need some validation/vetting to prevent someone easily, even
>  accidentally, flooding the system with junk.)
> 
> * system should actually do its own downloading - let people submit URLs
>  from which the system will fetch their data (in RDFa, RDF/XML, Turtle, 
>  (maybe SPARQL)) every day or so.
> 
> * front page (dir.w3.org) should be the best view of the data, not a
>  splash page.  Splash pages are annoying.  Each page should just have 
>  visible links to pages for editing/adding-to the data.
> 
> * URLs should be shorter/simpler/less-implementation-specific, not
>  "http://dir.w3.org/callimachus/lookup?q=w3c" but
>  "http://dir.w3.org/about/org/w3c"
> 
> * "Main page" link on the left is blank/access-controlled
> 
> * "Contents" link on the left doesn't give me the contents of the
>  directory.  It's very confusing if I'm looking for vendors, etc.
> 
> * "All pages" link on the left doesn't make sense, for a directory, I
>  think.
> 
> * "Recent Changes" should be changes to the data, not to the templates
>  (or maybe it is -- links are access controlled)
> 
> * "About" should probably include some kind of blog/news about the
>  directory, too.
> 
> * In search results, it's not clear what to click on, or what the rdf
>  logo means on a search result.
> 
> * In the upper left, under the W3C logo, the phrase "Community
>  Directory" should be "GLD Community Directory", so people don't
>  think this is the "W3C Community" Directory
> 
> 
>