2/10/2005 09:11:00 PM - The Friendly Side of Mozilla.org
If you've visited the mozilla.org websites lately, you've noticed how friendly they've tried to make it. Simplifying site design and pretty colors go a long ways.
Until you visit bugzilla.mozilla.org. This site is pretty vanilla. Black text on a white background is the norm. I'm sure all the hackers out there don't really care since they just want to get to the bugs. But what if you're Grandma and you wanted to report a problem?
Let me skip straight to the bugzilla helper. I think that BMO could take lessons from some of the many other bug reporting systems out there. I suggest that it use a series of dropdowns to guide people.
- FAQs
I don't see my problem. I want to submit a bug...
[login] [create account]
And so on. Take a look at Symantec's Consumer Support.
Update: Thanks to byron for pointing out http://www.mozilla.org/support/. Too bad this isn't in the Help menu in Firefox. I still think a stepped guide utilizing these resources would be better. Part of the problem is that a lot of it is community supplied, so it is scattered. Both mozilla.org and mozillazine.org have wikis. There's just so much documentation.
perhaps bmo's front page should link to http://www.mozilla.org/support/ and http://webtools.mozilla.org/hendrix/ with a click through to the current fron page.
oh, and regarding bugzilla's look, i've just checked in a few minor css changes to make it look prettier. they haven't made it to BMO yet, but it's on its way. you can see it at http://landfill.bugzilla.org/bugzilla-tip/.
-byron jones
Gerv
Looking at other bugzilla installations it could also improve the usability of the whole. Sure there must be some way of telling that it isn't for the normal users (i.e. no support system) But that could be worked out.
So mozilla organization one thing: "update bugzilla.mozilla.org to be better than it is already".
I say, don´t use Frontpage, as I´ve seen the horrible code produced by Frontpage leading to a lot of Tech Evangelism Bugs in Bugzilla ;-)
