I found an article criticizing Linux Mint website appearance

[karlchen]

The pity and the fault is that most of you, who have voted "no, no change needed", have not bothered to read this post before voting: viewtopic.php?p=1996312#p1996312 by Mick-Cork.

The Linux Mint website, only for us forum users is the Linux Mint forum. But for all non-forum users it will be the Linux Mint homepage.
Hope that at least some of the forum users are aware that it exists.
And then there are also the Community website and the Mint Blog.

Please, read what Mick-Cork wrote about the 4 sites, differences in design and possible (slight) modifications to streamline their look and feel.

Folks, please, try to be more open-minded and first spend a thought or two on (constructive) criticism, before rejecting it. There is room for improvement. Saying so in no heresy.

[mfcallahan]

[deleted duplicate post]

[mfcallahan]

As happens often, I agree with Karlchen. The different sites look too different from each other, as I see it. It's hard to see them as parts of a whole.

Agreed, this is what happens when there is no unified design vision, and things get siloed. This criticism doesn't take anything away from operating system itself or the hard work all those involved have put into it, but there are people out there who would gladly volunteer time towards unifying Linux Mint's online presence:

[Schultz]

As happens often, I agree with Karlchen. The different sites look too different from each other, as I see it. It's hard to see them as parts of a whole.

If this would be the extent of any "redesign" then I'd be all for it. Then again to me, they don't seem all that different. And then again, I don't have a horse in this race anyway.

[karlchen]

Please, folks, to be fair and give credit to the right person:
It was Mick-Cork, who wrote the relevant post(s) in this thread and who shared the screenshots. I only said that I agreed with his point of view.
So, credits go to Mick-Cork.

[Mick-Cork]

Please, read what Mick-Cork wrote about the 4 sites, differences in design and possible (slight) modifications to streamline their look and feel.

Thanks for the reference there Karlchen, I was starting to wonder if I'm stuck in some alternative universe

I guess I'm thinking we've all got skin in the game (horses in the race) in that LM's ongoing success means we get to enjoy the OS far into the future. We know it's extremely popular now, and I like to think it will always be that way. Part of that means that it has to continuously attract new users, and that's where I'm coming from when I talk about improvements to its online presence.

Obviously there's no metrics to show how many potential Linux converts might visit the linuxmint.com website only to move on and settle on another Linux OS, but I suspect there's a number that do just that. It's down to first impressions and currently I think that's an opportunity missed.

We know the OS itself is great, and I think it deserves a website / consolidated identity that reflects that better.

Anyway, tx again for the nod, I'll stop questioning myself now

[karlchen]

I was starting to wonder if I'm stuck in some alternative universe

Stuck in the Dagobah System, uncountable light years away from the planet Earth and the Linux Mint forum.

[DAMIEN1307]

Stuck in the Dagobah System, uncountable light years away from the planet Earth and the Linux Mint forum.

In a galaxy far, far, away...lol...DAMIEN

[cliffcoggin]

It's a shame if the discussion has been derailed to a consideration of the forum's appearance, (though I am not convinced it has been by the regulars here,) and does not alter the fact that the OP mentioned the appearance of the Mint website, specifically "a Brazilian website criticizing Linux Mint website and saying it's a meme in the community due to its ugliness." The poll that followed later also specifically asks "Do you think Linux Mint website should change its appearance?" Note again the reference to its appearance, not its function, nor its ease of use. On that basis I believe the poll results to be rational and valid.

I would happily go along with Mick's suggestions regarding improvement of navigation and content, but the implication of the original post is that it needs to be made prettier, an altogether different kettle of fish which would achieve nothing to my mind and be merely a triumph of style over substance.

[majpooper]

Cliff's point is well taken - this started out as thread discussing appearance and evolved into website navigation and appearance with a little defensiveness sprinkled in regarding mint as an OS.

We need to stop conflating the three;

1.) Mint is a great OS with a strong following - (go on other linux forums to get a "feel" where Mint is in terms of following, helpfulness, noob friendly etc.). So leave the OS itself out of this particular discussion.

2.) Appearance although cosmetic and from a personal perspective trivial it obviously is important to a rather large segment of the Mint adherents. As to the importance a "modern" looking website for attracting new users . . . . OK, I guess that is a valid point - not something that influenced me, I try and test(ed) lots of linux OS with no consideration to the website but I acknowledge that is just me not what may or may not influence a new user. So submit sample suggestions on improvements and and maybe Clem will accept one.

3.) Navigation makes the most sense to explore. Certainly a navigation bar that links all the pages (forum, blog main page etc.) together as someone suggested I think is a good idea.

[Schultz]

As long as the websites don't cater to 'Chrome only' browsers (my biggest beef) and looks good and is easy to navigate on desktop computers, all would be well.

[Flemur]

I found an article critizing Linux Mint website appearance

I cancelled-out that article by liking the Mint website.

[Wiggler]

Please, read what Mick-Cork wrote about the 4 sites, differences in design and possible (slight) modifications to streamline their look and feel.

Thanks for the reference there Karlchen, I was starting to wonder if I'm stuck in some alternative universe

I guess I'm thinking we've all got skin in the game (horses in the race) in that LM's ongoing success means we get to enjoy the OS far into the future. We know it's extremely popular now, and I like to think it will always be that way. Part of that means that it has to continuously attract new users, and that's where I'm coming from when I talk about improvements to its online presence.

Obviously there's no metrics to show how many potential Linux converts might visit the linuxmint.com website only to move on and settle on another Linux OS, but I suspect there's a number that do just that. It's down to first impressions and currently I think that's an opportunity missed.

We know the OS itself is great, and I think it deserves a website / consolidated identity that reflects that better.

Anyway, tx again for the nod, I'll stop questioning myself now

There is a misconception in the internet that Linux Mint is only delivered to old people, so to please them, you need to use a more oldschool-like kind of approach and consequently, appearance and design, so this reflects the site design.
I don't agree with such "conception" and even though it was true, people should notice that there is a new generation coming, the old people will die one day and so what's gonna happen with Mint afterwards? I think it might sound rude for some saying it this way, but that is how things are. Mint should be focused for all and this misconception should be changed ASAP.
As some have stated above, it seems people consider the Linux Mint site as the forum and that's not the point the OP is talking about neither the article. However, not only me, but I agree with you Mick-Cork and Karlchen positions regarding the 4 sites design, they are completely different and it needs to be coherent.
I also voted in the poll from the OP to Yes and I agree with RickNS idea if well implemented, seems as a pretty smart touch that I would consider to applied in a redesign.

[Wiggler]

As happens often, I agree with Karlchen. The different sites look too different from each other, as I see it. It's hard to see them as parts of a whole.

Agreed, this is what happens when there is no unified design vision, and things get siloed. This criticism doesn't take anything away from operating system itself or the hard work all those involved have put into it, but there are people out there who would gladly volunteer time towards unifying Linux Mint's online presence

You meant the Cinnamon desktop environment as its the flagship edition? I can see some problems regarding the design of the new applications created by the team, but this would be another topic.

Linux Mint is very popular and beloved by lots of users and as we can see, some of them take their free time to create a redesign experience -- as the OP shown, others already said they could do a redesign for free to help the project. Linux Mint Team, especially Clem, should pay attention to it. When you like a project, you deserve the best for it, so criticism is welcome.

[cliffcoggin]

, the old people will die one day and so what's gonna happen with Mint afterwards?

True, but we are not dead yet, and until we are we still have opinions and you must wait your turn.

[t42]

There is a misconception in the internet that Linux Mint is only delivered to old people

Internet freedom allows for all type of misconceptions including your assertion unconfirmed by any opinion polls or observations.

[DAMIEN1307]

True, but we are not dead yet, and until we are we still have opinions and you must wait your turn.

Here, Here,...Bravo, Bravo...lol...DAMIEN

[Mick-Cork]

, the old people will die one day and so what's gonna happen with Mint afterwards?

True, but we are not dead yet, and until we are we still have opinions and you must wait your turn.

Ha, I must admit that when politicians started looking much younger than myself I did find it 'disconcerting'.
Young upstarts arf of 'em, pontificating all over the place!

Anyway, in the interests of disclosure I'm in my early 60s. Not sure where that fits in the grand scheme of things (LM wise), but one thing's for sure - no spring chicken!

[Portreve]

I was looking for Linux Mint related articles in Google, Bing, Duckduckgo to see if there's something interesting and I found an article, as it seems, from a Brazilian website criticizing Linux Mint website and saying it's a meme in the community due to its ugliness.

There you go, looking stuff up on the Internet again. Stop that!!!

C3PO: How would you know the Hyperdrive is deactivated?

R2D2: [beeps and bleeps]

C3PO: The [Bespin Cloud] 'City central computer told you?

R2D2: [more beeps and bleeps]

C3PO: Artoo Deetoo! You know better than to trust a strange computer!

Is it just me or I care more about the content rather the appearance? Ok, I agree Linux Mint website is not the most beautiful site, but to be honest, it's not something that annoy me.

What are you thoughts about the subject?

So, first off, this whole topic has been discussed before. In fact, it's been discussed at least twice in threads in which I have participated. In addition to Mick-Cork's comments up-thread here and links he posted, I would also suggest you look at the following two posts by dimspace, who over a year ago mooted some revised design concepts:

First Post: Re: When will this forum site get a new modern design?

Second Post: Re: When will this forum site get a new modern design?

I was thinking about your post, witzel, as I was driving home today from lunch (after work) and there's a couple observations I'd like to make.

I have certain biases, and likely some blind spots as well, regarding LM's web site design, and even the design of these forums, and I'm pretty certain many others here have them as well. They are that most of us aren't n00bs to technology, or to non-commercially-distributed OSs, or to how things are within the GNU+Linux world itself. This means that where things are not necessarily obvious, or make a lot of assumptions about prior knowledge, we don't see that because it doesn't apply to us. I don't need someone to tell me that there is such a thing as a distro, nor that LM is one such distro, to say nothing of not needing to be told what an OS is, why it's present on my computer, and so on. In other words, we don't need any hand-holding, and much of the commentary surrounding (or, at least in our various opinions, is surrounding) the topic of LM web site and/or LM Forums design probably smacks of "too much handholding". Now, I'm not going to sit here and suggest that everyone else on this forum who is now (or who has been in the past) against changing the design(s) falls in the exact identical camp that I might, but I think there may be equivalent blind spots and/or biases which effectively lead to the same point.

Personally, I think it might be a good idea for someone who really knows their way around the visual creative end of HTML 5 / CSS 2/3 to step in and offer up some designs, hopefully designs which are easy to implement and require the bare minimum of effort to maintain as the site is updated with new news articles, download links and explainer pages, etc.

[jlc]

Personally, I like the appearance.