Phoronix Relaunch!

[Michael]

After discussing it over with David and the other editors, we have determined that a relaunch of Phoronix.com is in store for later this year! Most notably, to accompany PHXCMS-6 (our next in-house content management system), we will be redoing the site theme/layout from scratch. In addition, we are looking at expanding into some additional news sections, blogs, and other areas of content after picking up a few more writers. Eventually we may even branch into FreeBSD and Solaris hardware reviews! We're also working on ways to improve the forums and drive new areas of interest.

However, before we get too far into the design stages, we want to hear from the community as to what you would like to see in our next site layout/theme as well as other types of content you would like to see. Thanks and we look forward to evaluating your responses!

[1c3d0g]

Yes, switch to PunBB or some other Open Source forum, .png images only and more hardware reviews! ;)

[Michael]

Yes, switch to PunBB or some other Open Source forum, .png images only and more hardware reviews! ;)

Actually, I am working on writing a new forum package -- some very basic and preliminary information: http://www.michaellarabel.com/index.php?k=blog&i=77

With the new imaging system, ALL (including past) image reviews should be PNG actually :D

More suggestions welcome.

[Moustacha]

a handy hints section? Trivial things like how to get extra mouse buttons working etc. Macro keys on G15, that kinda of stuff.

[Michael]

a handy hints section? Trivial things like how to get extra mouse buttons working etc. Macro keys on G15, that kinda of stuff.


Great idea! We'll definitely consider this for the new site (and likely carry it out).

[niniendowarrior]

I think it would be nice if the hardware compatibility section got a more 'official' bump. Like your hardware reviews would be linked to relevant hardware in the compatibility section as well as workarounds and solutions known.

[halfmanhalfamazing]

I like the site, I'm here almost daily. The only thing that gets me after a while is white text on top of a dark back ground. My eyes aren't what they used to be, there's easier things to look at.

[Michael]

I like the site, I'm here almost daily. The only thing that gets me after a while is white text on top of a dark back ground. My eyes aren't what they used to be, there's easier things to look at.

The new revision will feature a white (or light gray) background with black text :D

[1c3d0g]

Oh noes! :eek: Time for me to watch this site with my sunglasses on, I guess! :(

[Michael]

Oh noes! :eek: Time for me to watch this site with my sunglasses on, I guess! :(

Who says we won't allow multiple CSS styles ;)

[1c3d0g]

OK...you win. :p

[joshuapurcell]

The only thing I can think of right now is to have more hardware reviews and benchmarks, along with any special configurations used to get a certain standard Linux version (of your choice) running on the hardware. Most of the special configurations would only be needed for video cards and motherboards of course, but included anywhere it makes sense would help. This is mostly how it is now, but the only thing I would like to see is more of it. If there is a way for the community to help in making this happen other than posting on these forums, then let us know. I would even be ok with sending emails to hardware vendors in support of getting more reviews here, but it would be nice for such things to be more centrally coordinated by the Phoronix team somehow (like getting a list of emails together, giving updates on what specific hardware you are trying to obtain in order for review, etc.)

EDIT: Also, more reviews shouldn't be limited to just hardware, although that's all I talked about. Much like it is now, you could include even more reviews of new software and technology, along with benchmarks. Knowing the format as well as the content to expect in each review (whether it's hardware, software, or a new technology) would also be a good bonus.

[Michael]

I would even be ok with sending emails to hardware vendors in support of getting more reviews here, but it would be nice for such things to be more centrally coordinated by the Phoronix team somehow (like getting a list of emails together, giving updates on what specific hardware you are trying to obtain in order for review, etc.)


We'll see what we can construct to help out the community contact these manufacturers.

[Michael]

In the road to PHXCMS-6, some of the code and features will be sanity tested here on my blog prior to its integration with Phoronix and any other websites. Today I am able to deliver the news that PHXCMS-6 will deliver a "Archive/Print This Page" feature for blog entires, news items, reviews, and any other content. This will link to a much simpler site layout that features no advertisements and less colors, but it should work better if you wish to print the page or bookmark it for archival reasons. Right now with PHXCMS-5 such an option does not exist. This afternoon I have merged this change with the michaellarabel.com PHXCMS code-base to see how well it operates.

http://www.michaellarabel.com/index.php?k=blog&i=100

[Michael]

Bump for ideas :)

[Moustacha]

More gaming on linux, than just RTCW:ET? Might be a bit hard...but you could include WINE maybe, and the performance or user submitted tutorials on how to get popular games working. Or a link to the game/application's page on the wine appdb.

[Michael]

More gaming on linux, than just RTCW:ET?


We frequently use Enemy Territory, Doom 3, and Quake 4. We also use Unreal Tournament 2004 on occasion. Once ET: Quake Wars and Unreal Tournament 3 is out, we will adopt that as well.

[Michael]

We hope to make an announcement in early May, but still will be accepting new input.

[b15hop]

I like the idea of a few things:

Article section:
Where articles can be written about certain types of categories, much like http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/smartsection/
Have pointers in such articles to off site information to back up reviews about certain topics, much like referencing.
Hardware reviews, Video cards, Sound cards, Network cards, etc...
Software Reviews: Game reviews, Office packages, Distributions, Window managers etc...
Tweaking sections, for kernel performance, overall system performance for gaming, etc...
A recommended hardware/software section?I believe that the phoronix home page should point strait to the news section:
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=home
Instead of going strait to the forums page.

I like the idea of a stylesheet selection. Or even custom Style sheets ala myspace? LoL

Unless I missed it, but is there an about page for phoronix?

[Michael]

I like the idea of a few things:

Article section:
Where articles can be written about certain types of categories, much like http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/smartsection/
Have pointers in such articles to off site information to back up reviews about certain topics, much like referencing.
Hardware reviews, Video cards, Sound cards, Network cards, etc...
Software Reviews: Game reviews, Office packages, Distributions, Window managers etc...
Tweaking sections, for kernel performance, overall system performance for gaming, etc...
A recommended hardware/software section?I believe that the phoronix home page should point strait to the news section:
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=home
Instead of going strait to the forums page.

I like the idea of a stylesheet selection. Or even custom Style sheets ala myspace? LoL

Unless I missed it, but is there an about page for phoronix?

Thank you for your feedback, it's always much appreciated.

Only if you go to Phoronix.net are you directed to the forums. If you go to Phoronix.com you land at the Phoronix homepage.

There is currently no about page for Phoronix, though there is a Wikipedia entry -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoronix (it could use some improvements)

[joshuapurcell]

I'm interested in the possibility of having both phoronix.net and phoronix.com point to the same location as well. In my case, and most likely many others, I hardly even realize there is new content on the home page because I'm always coming directly to the forum (phoronix.net). If it seems like this wouldn't work for the best, then maybe there could be a subforum where a thread is created for each new article posted on the home page, so that it would be easy to know when new content is added. Having every person who visits Phoronix see the same thing on the first page that is loaded may not be a bad idea though, since it's not obvious that to domains exist and give different views into the community.

[Michael]

I'm interested in the possibility of having both phoronix.net and phoronix.com point to the same location as well. In my case, and most likely many others, I hardly even realize there is new content on the home page because I'm always coming directly to the forum (phoronix.net). If it seems like this wouldn't work for the best, then maybe there could be a subforum where a thread is created for each new article posted on the home page, so that it would be easy to know when new content is added. Having every person who visits Phoronix see the same thing on the first page that is loaded may not be a bad idea though, since it's not obvious that to domains exist and give different views into the community.

A sub-forum could be an easy possibility... Heck maybe I'll implement one this afternoon through RSS.

With the new site, when going to any Phoronix.com page there will also be an area that will list recent posts and threads on the Phoronix Forums -- to result in greater interaction between the two locations.

[Michael]

I'm interested in the possibility of having both phoronix.net and phoronix.com point to the same location as well. In my case, and most likely many others, I hardly even realize there is new content on the home page because I'm always coming directly to the forum (phoronix.net). If it seems like this wouldn't work for the best, then maybe there could be a subforum where a thread is created for each new article posted on the home page, so that it would be easy to know when new content is added. Having every person who visits Phoronix see the same thing on the first page that is loaded may not be a bad idea though, since it's not obvious that to domains exist and give different views into the community.

http://www.phoronix.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=41

Is this what you were thinking?

[Michael]

Also, next year we are looking at launching audio and/or video Linux podcasts at Phoronix.

[Malikith]

Also, next year we are looking at launching audio and/or video Linux podcasts at Phoronix.

Now that'll be sweet. I love podcasts ;).

[joshuapurcell]

http://www.phoronix.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=41

Is this what you were thinking?
Exactly what I was thinking. Now it's easy to tell when new stories come in to the front page even if your first entry into Phoronix is the forums... good job.

[[Knuckles]]

I think it would be nice if there were more feature and benchmark comparisons on graphics hardware reviews.

For example, how does a 965G do versus a 7200TC or 7300TC (hardware that is very common on laptops too)? And are they slower or faster running on
windows than on linux? What about battery usage?

With current reviews I can't really get an idea of the features and performance of different chips.

But, anyway, thanks for the great work so far.

[Michael]

;6281']I think it would be nice if there were more feature and benchmark comparisons on graphics hardware reviews.

For example, how does a 965G do versus a 7200TC or 7300TC (hardware that is very common on laptops too)? And are they slower or faster running on
windows than on linux? What about battery usage?

With current reviews I can't really get an idea of the features and performance of different chips.

But, anyway, thanks for the great work so far.


That is one of the things we will be working on is expanding the test selection.

[Michael]

First screenshot of the current development build of the new Phoronix site is @ http://www.michaellarabel.com/index.php?k=blog&i=162

[Michael]

One of the areas that hasn't yet been addressed is how Phoronix LCH will fall into play with everything else. To see LCH become more beneficial it needs to be integrated more with Phoronix and the forums. All of the LCH entries are stored in a PHXCMS XML format, so I can easily write a shim for vBulletin so that it is capable of interfacing with Phoronix LCH so ultimately you could use your Phoronix Forums account to add LCH entries and then comment on its support using the vBulletin system, etc... So essentially it looks like we could be marrying vBulletin with PHXCMS-6 with Phoronix LCH.

I'll be trying out some things on the forums shortly with this vBulletin + PHXCMS integration. Comments welcome.

EDIT: Some very basic integration @ http://www.phoronix.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=8

[Michael]

Color Pallet: http://www.michaellarabel.com/index.php?k=blog&i=171