Author Topic: [WEBSITE v2] MusicBee website and forum redesign  (Read 551530 times)


AvikB

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That's a good observation.
That has been in my subconscious too.
Looking at the current forum with my EDGY fonts, the italic child boards are not really jumping off the screen.
A different font or some highlighting color would probably already do some wonders there.



the new forum will ditch those italic styles as well as bold. instead it will be inside those rounded boxes, as shown in the screenshots.

for the releases:

Trying to categorize and explain these three to users, AvikB, and myself, would below suggestions work and be factual correct?
The question marks at the bottom yet need to be filled in.

Quote
- there is a frequent patch zip file thats uploaded to the same location to fix bugs or sometimes introduce new features

name:
nightly patch

why:
to patch recently found issues

how:
download, extract files, copy and overwrite existing files in the existing installation folder

effects on present configuration and settings:
none

requisite:
a stable version must be installed


Quote
- when the beta cycle starts, i create an installer for the incremental (changed) files only ie. it assumes you have the last stable version already installed
name:
beta installer

why:
to install a new beta version of MusicBee over an existing stable version

how:
download, extract, execute the installer

effects on present configuration and settings:
none (CONFIRM?)

requisite:
a stable version must be installed

Quote
- at the end of the beta cycle, a release candidate installer is created that installs everything

name:
release candidate

why:
to do a clean install of a MusicBee release candidate

how:
download, extract, execute the installer

effects on present configuration and settings:
?

requisites:
?

One thing that concern me is the nightly patch, is these patch safe for the user? or should they wait till Steven releases the patch including the full installer?

i am not to keen on adding a patch section. This will require Steven to update that whenever a new patch is released, which is quite often.

and when a some patches are tested and stable enough they released as MusicBee x Update 1.
So there really may not be much of a point of including a download patch button.


hiccup

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Trying to categorize and explain these three to users, AvikB, and myself, would below suggestions work and be factual correct?
The question marks at the bottom yet need to be filled in.

Quote
- there is a frequent patch zip file thats uploaded to the same location to fix bugs or sometimes introduce new features

name:
nightly patch

why:
to patch recently found issues

how:
download, extract files, copy and overwrite existing files in the existing installation folder

effects on present configuration and settings:
none

requisite:
a stable version must be installed

etc.etc.


One thing that concern me is the nightly patch, is these patch safe for the user? or should they wait till Steven releases the patch including the full installer?

i am not to keen on adding a patch section. This will require Steven to update that whenever a new patch is released, which is quite often.

and when a some patches are tested and stable enough they released as MusicBee x Update 1.
So there really may not be much of a point of including a download patch button.

This posting of mine was only intended to try and help to get some explanatory overview of the kinds of MusicBee downloads there are or will be.
And trying to decide on some uniform naming, and explanatory texts on them. Not suggesting (at this moment) where they are to be located on forum/website.

I am only throwing this up for those reasons.
It is up to Steven if he feels like working with such a proposal, and up to you and him where and how to use that. But I am sensing (but I could be wrong) that Steven is a little bit reluctant to be fit in such a kind of harness.
I will stay out of this subject until it seems new input or ideas are welcomed.

Steven

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i think the downloads page should only be linking to the stable release and the latest beta which will both have an installer.
for the very latest version thats updated almost daily, it will never have an installer and is only really needed by people who have reported bugs or who follow the forum and want to try out the very latest feature.
I guess there could be something on the forum page to get the daily one as that will be useful rather than having to provide instructions to new users every time, but the wording shouldnt make any promises about it being daily/ nightly and make the install instructions clear that there is no installer.

V3 has been done differently to the usual case because it was such a major rewrite and i cant imagine ever doing that again.

Ansem

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This sites is really fantasic! I love it!
I found a little typo into download page: it say that the last versione is 2.5.5809, but even after that i download it, on musicbee it say that i have the 5804 version.
Also a question: what does it mean that is compatible with groove? O_o
Last Edit: December 10, 2015, 02:40:36 PM by Ansem

AvikB

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i think the downloads page should only be linking to the stable release and the latest beta which will both have an installer.
for the very latest version thats updated almost daily, it will never have an installer and is only really needed by people who have reported bugs or who follow the forum and want to try out the very latest feature.
I guess there could be something on the forum page to get the daily one as that will be useful rather than having to provide instructions to new users every time, but the wording shouldnt make any promises about it being daily/ nightly and make the install instructions clear that there is no installer.

V3 has been done differently to the usual case because it was such a major rewrite and i cant imagine ever doing that again.

I will add a new option for you to add/update beta forum link in the beta download section. Also you will be able to add and edit notes of being the need of full installer.

the only thing that is gonna be written there hard coded is a warning of BETA(as it is right now), you will be able to add extra notes. This will give you the flexibility of updating the warning note or maybe a short installation note, if in future something major changes.

Also DO YOU THINK the download page layout is pretty much final? Functionality may change but if the layout is final i will put it in Beta Phase and make final touches and Phred will be able to correct mistakes or change wording.

here is the latest download page screenshot:



I believe the page is fully done. Most functionality is in place, i will add the existing ones as i am updating how admin panel works. BUT THE LAYOUT IS PRETTY MUCH FINAL.

AvikB

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This sites is really fantasic! I love it!
I found a little typo into download page: it say that the last versione is 2.5.5809, but even after that i download it, on musicbee it say that i have the 5804 version.
Also a question: what does it mean that is compatible with groove? O_o

Thats not a typo, ;) i was just testing the new admin panel(mainly playing around) which can make those version and download link update dynamic, means steven would be able to do it without editing html file.

The site is not final so some information may look outdated, but they will get updated regularly once we release it.


The new MusicBee 3 support groove music market place. Go to Music Explorer and there you will be able to browser groove.
Last Edit: December 10, 2015, 03:19:21 PM by AvikB

Skoop

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I guess there could be something on the forum page to get the daily one as that will be useful rather than having to provide instructions to new users every time, but the wording shouldnt make any promises about it being daily/ nightly and make the install instructions clear that there is no installer.

Please do.  A brief description would be most welcome.

Ansem

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This sites is really fantasic! I love it!
I found a little typo into download page: it say that the last versione is 2.5.5809, but even after that i download it, on musicbee it say that i have the 5804 version.
Also a question: what does it mean that is compatible with groove? O_o

Thats not a typo, ;) i was just testing the new admin panel(mainly playing around) which can make those version and download link update dynamic, means steven would be able to do it without editing html file.

The site is not final so some information may look outdated, but they will get updated regularly once we release it.


The new MusicBee 3 support groove music market place. Go to Music Explorer and there you will be able to browser groove.
thanks you! I'm not following that much about the new MB3, so I didn't knew about it!

hiccup

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The download page is looking better and better!

But please allow me to spread some rain again ;-)

Under 'Download MusicBee' it currently says
"We hope you'll enjoy your music experience with MusicBee!"

That sounds slightly weak, maybe better:
"Start enjoying your music experience with MusicBee!"


Under 'Installer Edition'
There is some explanation about possible traces of leftovers. I would not put that text there. That will be taken by many as an alarming thing and might make people uncertain and starting asking lots of questions: "if it's safe?"

Under 'Portable edition' it mentions USB drives, but not that you can also install it on your desktop, on another partition, etc.

I would suggest to keep these two short and simple:

Installer Edition
This version will install MusicBee on your Windows system drive

Portable Edition
This version can be installed on other locations, such as another partition, or a USB drive.

It might be good to add a link such as: "which version to choose", explaining the differences between installer en portable in more detail.
That will also help to prevent the often recurring question on the forum about that.


The MusicBee Beta bar at the bottom is very prominent, and has a different layout and structure than the Installer and Portable edition which most new users will want to download.
And there is a large exclamation mark. Which is good, but adding that on the primary download page might add to possible alarming feelings with new users coming there.

Wouldn't it be better for the Beta version to have a similar large button as the Installer and Portable editions, with the text 'MusicBee Beta', and instead of 'start download', only say "go to the Beta page".

In that way the main download page will look a lot cleaner, and on the dedicated Beta page there will be more opportunity to explain Beta better.

hiccup

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blablabla

And, if I understand correctly, there are not going to be items as alpha, nightly, pre-release, etc.

So we keep having the already familiar 'latest patch'.
Shouldn't that be on the download page too then?

phred

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Under 'Download MusicBee' it currently says
"We hope you'll enjoy your music experience with MusicBee!"

That sounds slightly weak, maybe better:
"Start enjoying your music experience with MusicBee!"


Under 'Installer Edition'
There is some explanation about possible traces of leftovers. I would not put that text there. That will be taken by many as an alarming thing and might make people uncertain and starting asking lots of questions: "if it's safe?"

Under 'Portable edition' it mentions USB drives, but not that you can also install it on your desktop, on another partition, etc.

I would suggest to keep these two short and simple:

Installer Edition
This version will install MusicBee on your Windows system drive

Portable Edition
This version can be installed on other locations, such as another partition, or a USB drive.

It might be good to add a link such as: "which version to choose", explaining the differences between installer en portable in more detail.
That will also help to prevent the often recurring question on the forum about that.
Yes to all of the above!! Especially the "might be some leftovers..."  That line should go.
Download the latest MusicBee v3.5 or 3.6 patch from here.
Unzip into your MusicBee directory and overwrite existing files.

----------
The FAQ
The Wiki
Posting screenshots is here
Searching the forum with Google is  here

Steven

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So we keep having the already familiar 'latest patch'.
Shouldn't that be on the download page too then?
i would rather not have it on the downloads page because (a) there is no installer; (b) its really only intended to address specific bugs or introduce a new feature to people who follow the forum and might be interested and willing to report issues
However somewhere on the forum page will be helpful to save providing instructions every time


AvikB

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Under 'Download MusicBee' it currently says
"We hope you'll enjoy your music experience with MusicBee!"

That sounds slightly weak, maybe better:
"Start enjoying your music experience with MusicBee!"


Under 'Installer Edition'
There is some explanation about possible traces of leftovers. I would not put that text there. That will be taken by many as an alarming thing and might make people uncertain and starting asking lots of questions: "if it's safe?"

Under 'Portable edition' it mentions USB drives, but not that you can also install it on your desktop, on another partition, etc.

I would suggest to keep these two short and simple:

Installer Edition
This version will install MusicBee on your Windows system drive

Portable Edition
This version can be installed on other locations, such as another partition, or a USB drive.

Thanks. i will update that.

It might be good to add a link such as: "which version to choose", explaining the differences between installer en portable in more detail.
That will also help to prevent the often recurring question on the forum about that.

Good, idea. But instead of link, i will add a popup which will open on mouse hover. Here is what i did:


The MusicBee Beta bar at the bottom is very prominent, and has a different layout and structure than the Installer and Portable edition which most new users will want to download.
And there is a large exclamation mark. Which is good, but adding that on the primary download page might add to possible alarming feelings with new users coming there.
Well yes that section has different layout and color, but it matches the layout perfectly. As for new user there is one BIG warning sign and a text in BOLD warning users, even after that if they download it, well nothing can stop them :/


Wouldn't it be better for the Beta version to have a similar large button as the Installer and Portable editions, with the text 'MusicBee Beta', and instead of 'start download', only say "go to the Beta page".

In that way the main download page will look a lot cleaner, and on the dedicated Beta page there will be more opportunity to explain Beta better.
I am not keen on creating a page for beta, maintaining two page is a hassle. as for cleaner, the current download page looks already clean. also i am trying to keep both beta and stable in single page, so user don't have to guess or fiddling around to get both version.

As for explaining i HIGHLY doubt steven would wan't that for beta releases. that yellow box on the beta section can show message from Steven(controlled from the new admin panel), also steven will include forum link there. And the forum will contain explanation much more in depth.


at this point the download page is pretty much final, there won't be any major layout change. I also did change the headline and others you mentioned.