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nudone:
The one thing that attracted and held me to the site way before I discovered the awesome forums  :-* was the Coding Snacks section.
This was something NOBODY else was offering at the time and NOBODY has matched since; therefore I think the Coding Snacks should be a highlight and gateway/introduction to the many other things DC has to offer.

While the blog has taken center stage since the last revamp, I don't think it needs to go away, because it too is very different from most site's idea of a blog.
Most blogs (like, ~99%) are just a posting of news links or short opinion pieces that folks join in and comment on, but DC's is more like an open invitation to eavesdrop on and even join in with a private conversation amongst a gathering of friends, which is another thing NOBODY else does.

So, IMHO, I think Coding Snacks and the Blog (as it is) are two things that should stay on the front page, but definitely MUCH more love needs to be shown to the Coding Snacks and Software sections.
I say keep the software update section, put Coding Snacks front and center, and downsize but don't eliminate the blog.

Double helping on the Humble part of that opinion... :-[
-Edvard (February 13, 2011, 05:50 PM)
--- End quote ---

If that's how DC is perceived, and it sounds right to me, then Coding Snacks and Friendly forum sound like the things to focus on. If it's not obvious what DC is all about, or its main purpose, then you won't have improved anything.

mouser:
Ok so another option instead of having the front page show dynamic content like latest coding snacks and blog entries and news, would be for it to be simple more minimalist front page.

And then in recognition of the fact that our #1 "problem" is that we have a lot of different eclectic things going on, the front page could be more like a very friendly and non-overwhelming start page that would have links like:

"I am interested in seeing the latest new small utilities (Coding Snacks).."
"I am interested in participating in your online discussion forum.."
"I am interested in getting a license for one of your larger applications.."
"I am interested in learning more about the site.."
"I am a programmer interested in sharing my software.."

etc.

mouser:
Ok as so often happens with such things, my view is shifting dramatically from the idea of a front page with lots of dynamic content, tables of recent blog posts, software updates, etc., to the opposite side of the spectrum suggested by some people on this thread of having it be a simple clear starting point.

So it got me thinking, perhaps the first thing to really decide is, WHO is the home page for?

Is it for first time new visitors? Or is it for regular readers trying to find out what's new.

It seems to me one of the current problems with the home page is it's trying to be both.


* I suggest that we make a decision that the home page is for NEW visitors.
* And say that the forum is for regular visitors.
* And maybe have a dedicated "what's new" page that people can monitor who dont read the forum but want to keep occasional tabs on what's new
Ok so *if* we decide to go with that idea, that front page is for new visitors, and if we accept that DC is hard to explain because we do a bunch of things, what if we make the home page sort of like a gentle place we can teach people what DC is?

This is kind of unusual, and just an idea, but follow me here...

What about a super minimalist clean page, with like a big question on it: "What is DonationCoder.com?"

And then have it act kind of like a slide show where it shows one statement with maybe a quote and some links, and then a button for "another" slide.  So it would always be showing one random "item" of information like..


* "What is DonationCoder.com?  A place where people come to talk about software" (and then a link to forum section on general software)
* "What is DonationCoder.com? A place where people can request new freeware software utilities coded while you wait" (and then a link to coding snacks list)
* etc.
The problem I see with this is that it would be hard to tell "at a glance" all the things we do.. you'd have to "step through" the "slide show" one item at a time.

So maybe that's a non-starter.

mouser:
Ok as an alternative, what if the homepage was more like a really clean simple white page which was like a FAQ list, or maybe like an interactive "wizard" with just the questions listed in big text -- and when you click on one it expands to show the "answer" for that item.

And maybe present the list from the standpoint of the visitor.

So the list might be things like:


* "I came here looking for info on a specific DonationCoder.com program -- can you help me locate it?"
* "I came here to get a license key for a DonationCoder.com application"
* "I want to browse,search, or participate in your discussion forum"
* "I want to learn about how to request new freeware applications"
* "I want to browse the newest freeware utilities released by coders on the site"
* "I want to read about what kind of special events happen on DonationCoder.com"
* "I want to add an RSS feed from this site"
* "I want to sign up for the monthly mailing list"
* "I want to learn how to make a donation"
* "I want to read some software reviews"
* "I want to see the latest updates on the site"
* "I want to learn more about the history of the site"
* "I heard you have a daily blog -- I'd like to read that"
* "I want to make a suggestion/complaint about the site"
* etc.
Each choice would expand dynamically on the page with a paragraph or two answer, and then links to appropriate areas on the site/forum.

The downside would be that it would have to be a fairly long list -- the upside would be that there would be very little else on the page to distract you, so it shouldn't be too overwhelming to look through the list of questions.  There would only ever be one answer visible at any given time -- the answer to the item you select to expand.

Maybe the items could be grouped into sections that would make it a little less overwhelming.

Paul Keith:
I don't know mouser. Personally I feel your on the right track but the whole quiz forms wouldn't really jive with me if this were my first time here.

Not only does it make me feel like an idiot but slideshows while cool can often defeat the point of a single idea and the way you're describing it - it feels like I need way more thinking compared to the current page.

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