Re: Requirements for updated site

Hi!

Dave Page wrote:
> 1) Should be multilingual for static and non-static pages.

Looks like this part is working now. Although the l10n of the static (i.e. not
kept in the DB) content can be made in a better way: using gettext or something
similar. While the pages are mostly translated, the feedback messages in e.g.
system/handleform.php are not.

> 2) The entire site must be able to be built into static HTML pages that
> can be mirrored.

Looks like this part is working.

I only want to propose keeping English version in root, not in en/: most of the
mirror sites will be completely static and unable to redirect to en/ if the user
hits the root.

> 3) XHTML/CSS compliant.
> 4) The page width should be variable.

The problem with the current code is that HTML is embedded in PHP. It is thus
*extremely* difficult to edit it. Besides, files in system/layout contain not
only presentation, but business logic as well (database queries, this kind of
stuff).

I suggest either
a) Using a template engine
or
b) Creating HTML pages with *minimal* (presentation only) PHP embedded inside them.

Besides, can you give your opinion on sime other usability-related layout
changes I proposed?

> 5) All common code should be moved into global files as appropriate.

Already done, I suppose. Although some of these global files can benefit from a
bit of cleaning and commenting, I suppose. ;]

> 6) An interface must be implemented to allow easy translation of pages,
> preferably without the need for the translators to know HTML.

This can be done by using e.g. Wiki markup. But this will limit the layout
possibilities.

Although I don't see a big problem here: translators will not need to *write*
HTML, but just to translate the words between tags.

I'd also add another entry:
7) Robust admin interface. The current one does not offer any protection from
user errors.


> That's it in a nutshell. Specifically, with the exception of the width
> thing we do *not* want a new design yet - that can wait until the new
> framework is in place.
>
> Robert has outlined much of the todo stuff already so I won't go over
> that again, but *please* we must coordinate any effort rather than have
> various ppl working on their own on the same problems.
>
> Any questions, email the list, or I'll be on the #postgresql channel on
> irc.freenode.net for a bit tonight (nick: pgsnake) as well as Yahoo
> (pgsnake again).