First off, an update on the new Massassi, as some of you are probably curious:

A. Completed forum/site integration (users shared across both).
B. Completed view models.
C. Fixed various VB integration bugs with someone's plugin. (Took forever >.>)
D. Began the database setup, working slowly on this to ensure I get optimum performance out of the layout.
E. Extended the vb integration to allow various future user functions

Overall, I'd say I'm about 15% done with the backend of the site. However, we're in need of a front end, namely XHTML/CSS. I was intending to do the front end myself, however with such a work load, I'd love to pawn this off if I can, as it's the less difficult but more frustrating aspect of the process.

Right now, mb is working on his own designs. He's coming up with some interesting ideas, but I want to open this up to all of Massassi, as I think this is something many of you will be able to participate in.

For anyone interested, this will be the requirements for the design:

A. Must be an open design. This means it must allow for added features and pages later on.
B. The design must incorporate 5 specific sections: a header, a menu, a user area, the body, and the footer. You can organize these as you like, but they must be separable as such.
C. The color scheme, while open, should preferably make use of black on white, and incorporate green into the theme. I recommend using and abusing Kuler. See http://dev.massassi.net for an example.
D. Your design (notably CSS) must cover various HTML that may be used on the page. Paragraphs, lists, bold and italic text, tables of data, small print/captions, etc. I can provide more information on request.
E. The design must be compatible with IE7, Firefox 3, and Webkit browsers. The design must be /functional/, but not pixel perfect with IE6 and Firefox 2.
F. You must make use of a proper XHTML 1.0 Strict layout, and make use of an external CSS stylesheet. The design should not use tables as a primary layout device.
G. The site must fit on a 1024 pixel wide monitor without horizontal scrolling. You can go lower, to 800 pixels wide if you like, but it is not necessary.
H. Your layout will eventually need to cover the various sections of the site, not including the forums. User profiles, project pages, the main page, content pages, etc. The design will need to be consistent throughout, while easily being distinguishable from other parts.
I. You will NOT need any PHP experience to do this design. I will handle all PHP areas (of which there will be little).

This is the basics, I expect anyone who wishes to be serious about designing a layout to be in contact with me on a regular basis. I can be found on AIM throughout most of the day at: mattatrr

For anyone looking to take this up, please submit some front page layout sketches (either paper or illustrator/photoshop designs). The more, the better your chances of making something I like. I'll ask the best to do a more indepth design, covering the various other pages. You may work as a team with others on this, but I must be made aware of all who are on the team.

Remember that, although I use a similar look to moddb on my dev page, you do NOT need to match this. You can be very creative in the layout.

I hope to provide some sort of reward for this, although money may not be possible. You will most assuredly be given credit on the site, and probably avatars

If you are at all interested, please say so here, and possibly IM me.

If I can find some free time I may try and put something together

I'll sit down and see if any designs come to me, but I'd rather help out if needed.

Can we make everything curved, reflective, and spelt wrong? That would be hot.

You know, I'm not sure of the idea of black on white.

I know it's only a preliminary design, if that, but there was too much contrast between the background and the boxes. But maybe I'm just used to Massassi's generally dark colouration.

I'd offer my help, but frankly the last website I made broke about eighty percent of your criteria.

So long as its not like the new facebook, I'm ok.

That color scheme is an abomination. There was way too much contrast. You can't have black on white AND retain the old green colors. A very light, pale mint green is far more appropriate than white.

I want to move away from black background, to get a more professional feel.

What actually needs to be on the page? Your dev page is just full of latin filler crap which isn't useful in the slightest.

How is white on black more "professional" than black on white?

Black on white makes me think of paper, which is boring. White on black makes me think of console interfaces, which are :awesome:.

White on black makes me think of geocities.

i demand that massassi be reliant on flash

This shouldn't be a major concern. You will need areas that will hold:

A. The "body". This can be just about anything and everything.
B. The "menu". This will hold the various sections like Main / Forums / Projects / Content / Search
C. The "user area". I have this as a bar, but this can be placed anywhere and any way you think works best. It will have the login form, and when logged in, it will have all the user information. Unread comments, followed subscriptions (For projects/users, think RSS), "My Content", "My Projects", Settings, etc. All links which will refer to a new page where the body will hold said info.
D. Preferably an area for "featured items" or "popular downloads" or a list of numerous other things, that should lead the body. If you have a better idea, then show me.
E. Footer, which will hold various unimportant but necessary links, as well as credits and copyright.
F. The header, containing the logo, and "mottos".

You can mix and match various things if it would fit your layout better, I am trying to be as open with this to allow the creative process as I can. The code for the backend is abstracted enough that I don't have any problems doing this if you guys have crazy ideas.



Black on white gives it a more "underground" feel that isn't fitting with the new direction, IMO.

And:





Flash will be used (for a file uploader so that status can be kept track of. HTTP POST will be the alternative if flash is unavailable).

Not to mention that you can not select more than one file at a time without using Flash, Java, Silverlight, etc. You can upload multiple files, but it is fully impossible to select more than one file from the selection box using just JavaScript.

Stupid ****ing web standards

On another site, I just instructed the user to zip the files, and the server would unzip it after transfer. Still, it was fairly annoying.

Wait what

Why can't you just write a PHP module that dynamically adds file input fields and update it via AJAX?

like

Then write addField() to submit via POST w/ AJAX and set the contents of the 'fields' div to the output.

(Basically, the same functionality as what Gmail does to add more attachment boxes although I'm sure theres isn't so simple)

Or am I missing something?


On the topic of this thread, this is something that I would have jumped on years ago but nowadays I'm doing this daily for job and sick of it =_=


[Edit: Wait do you mean select more than one file in the 'Browse' dialog box? If so never mind bah. =_=]

I'd be willing to construct a file uploader in Silverlight. We did one @ work recently.

That's exactly what he meant.

JG: if you want to tackle that, that'd be cool, although I'm not sure how I feel about choosing silverlight over flash (since flash has a far larger install base).

That's the only thing I know, though. :/ If you can find someone that has a decent knowledge of Flash, that'd probably be better. I'll need a Win box with .NET 3.0 or higher. I prefer .NET 3.5 but I won't be picky.

How does GMail do file attachments? I don't think it uses Flash or anything?

The functionality is the way I described, although their implementation is probably more complicated than what I had (which would be an okay work-around in lieu of multiple-select in the Browse... dialog I think ...)

Silverlight isn't OS independent? It requires a freaking Windows server?

make a cool glowing logo for massassi

uh



no?

Why wouldn't it be? I assumed it was a competitor to Flash, and Flash doesn't care whatsoever what software the server is running...

Again. Never listen to me drunk. Silverlight is executed client side. However, Silverlight can't talk to databases on its own. We had to construct a web service to ensure our Silverlight app updates our database. Those don't have to be .NET, though.

How DOES it talk to the server? Can it talk to a PHP script, maybe just keep track of an HTTP POST with FILE? That's all I need in that regard, although I can certainly set up the server-side to do something different, I just need to know what and how.

The *only* thing Flash or Silverlight are needed for is multi file-selection per file-window popup, everything (including tracking progress) can be done without them. I'd question heavily whether Flash or Silverlight need to be considered at all at this point.

Ok you do it.

Yes, which would require that the AJAX script on the client side continuously ping the server for the bytes transferred. Hardly the most efficient method, don't you think?

So? People who prematurely optimise never get things finished. Why waste time with fancy file-upload stuff until it becomes a necessity? It's not like you're going to have so many people uploading files on day 1 that you actually notice the overhead of AJAX polling.

It's not premature optimization, if anything it'd take more work to throw in an AJAX system than it would to have a typical flash/silverlight app that can just POST without any server requirements otherwise.

In short: the server-side would be far less complex in the end, and that means less work for my area, which means getting things done.

I agree with CM on this. Favoring a Flash/Silverlight solution isn't really premature optimization... the AJAX polling is a hack that I would avoid regardless. Flash/Silverlight is a hack but not as bad.

It's also important from a usability perspective. Having a progress UI is important. If you consider that uploading files is or will be an important part of the new site, it's probably worth the hour or two it takes to do it right. Especially when you consider that there are several prebuilt solutions already available.

Ok.

But Silverlight wouldn't be a good choice.

I'd offer to help, but my web design skills are dated to the late 1990s at best. Even my graphic design skills are lacking these days (last attempt at photoshop usage was miserable)

Anyway, I am however learning a lot in the Source SDK, so perhaps by the time the site is live, I can help with the Source pages/content/forums. Just offering.

Marquee tags or I'm gone.

No probably not. I would use Flash.

That would fall under just using the site

Man what's wrong with <html><head><title>TEH MASSASSI</title></head><body><a href="http://www.netscape.com>MASSASSI EXPERIENCE</a></body></html>

About as much as all of your other posts?