[web] Separation of developers and users

["Jean T. Anderson" <jt...@bristowhill.com>]

Recent release policy updates to the derby web site [1] were motivated
by discussions on the infrastructure list, which later continued on the
site-dev list (committers can subscribe to these lists). Some committers
on those lists stated strong preferences for separating users from
developers on web sites.

Users and developers are quite firmly intertwined on the derby web site,
for example:

- The "Download" tab at http://db.apache.org/derby/derby_downloads.html
includes information on downloading the derby release as well as how to
check out and build the derby code.

- The "Quick Start" tab at http://db.apache.org/derby/quick_start.html
targets users and developers (though with obvious separation between the
two).

- The "Resources" tab at http://db.apache.org/derby/integrate/index.html
has content for users and developers, with no separation.

- The "Documentation" tab at
http://db.apache.org/derby/manuals/index.html includes links to the
Alpha docs (i.e., unreleased development documentation) aas well as
information on how to build and edit the DITA docs.

- The "Community" tab is mostly developer-oriented, with a few tidbits
that also apply to end users.


I don't have energy right now to tackle a big site overhaul, and I'm not
convinced that one is really required. I think an incremental approach
would be more useful, and welcome anyone else to jump in who sees
something that would be beneficial to change.

What I would like to do initially is just modify the "Download" page
because people have complained about it:

 - Move the information on how to check out and build Derby source from
the "Download" page into a new "Source Code" page linked from the
"Community" tab.

Any objections? suggestions?

thanks,

 -jean


[1]
http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/db-derby-dev/200611.mbox/%3c455CC2F6.1020209@apache.org%3e

Re: [web] Separation of developers and users

[Michelle Caisse <Mi...@Sun.COM>]

Jean T. Anderson wrote:
> What I would like to do initially is just modify the "Download" page
> because people have complained about it:
>
>  - Move the information on how to check out and build Derby source from
> the "Download" page into a new "Source Code" page linked from the
> "Community" tab.
>
> Any objections? suggestions?
>
>   
Good idea.

The users and developers sections on the Quick Start tab are nice.  I 
think they accomplish separation of user and developer issues well.

-- Michelle