Hi everyone, thanks for the kind comments!
One other thought would be to look at placing the common install tasks on the dashboard. The welcome screen might be best served as a simple template page that can take various html and tagged calls.
Yes, exactly. Just a kind of MODx document, where you can put snippet calls, chunks, custom links or quicklinks to custom apps. We need a kind of an easy classification for dashboard ressources (e.g. XML or whatever), so everyone can easily add content, links, content and so on.
Security Announcements for vulnerabilities should be on the top and as an alert. Shows we're crazy about app security.
Upgrade notices should be also shown (could be disabled my site managers).
Will include this in the next version of the draft.
Yes! Exactly what I thought about. But not with hacking the core or manipulating the standard welcome page, more as a feature which can easily be filled with custm content/functions.
Is that just a Photoshop mock up or is that actually a functional (or semi-functional) design?
Just PS at the moment, but 100% realizable if revolution can change some markup (e.g. erm... the frames :-P ).
Although I personnally love dark backgrounds the trend would be in favor of lighter background too.
Well, colors are definitely the smallest part of this project :-) Already thinking about a dark and a bright theme. But first let`s talk about the structure, functions and usability in general.
Back on the first post : EE 2.0 set a benchmark indeed, had I seen this earlier I would have mentionned it too... also WordPress has gone in the same direction lately. WP 2.7 interface, and the blog post about the UI redesign is pretty instructive too.
EE, Silverstripe and WP are the only engines where it is worth at looking at the moment imho. Typo light is remarkable with its accessibility, but the look and feel is just too technical if not archaic. Since the whole manager is built by EXT, I think we should do the first step before the second.
Great points about the migration of WP from 2.0 to 2.5 to the new 2.7 back end. While it is far too simple to use for modx it does make one think long and hard about the UI. I'd love to see us (designers not the development team) forge a joint project on the UI that includes testing, a set of principles that lead the project...
+1!
and change philosophy that considers at each step do we really need this, how can we make this easier for each of our users, developers, designers and end users
EXACTLY. Imagine the common user, that is imho the one who has to work with MODx every day. What does he really need? Which actions need to be only one click away? And which functions are only needed by a couple of users or perhaps only by administrators... So let`s group them wisely and this can only be done by asking them.
Indeed I remember a few months back when you offered to set up a workgroup to brainstorm on this... I think this would be hugely beneficial if designers joined forces to try some combinations out for a new manager theme for Evo and Revo. We have loads of talent among the community, I am all for setting up a "taskforce" and start something here !
Where can I join?
Let revolution rock! The engine is new and more powerful, so let us all design a revolutionary backend interface as a chassis which also makes marketing efforts easier...