[Zope] Re: Python.Org Redesign Contest

Patrick Phalen python-list@teleo.net
Sun, 12 Dec 1999 23:47:46 -0800


[Python.Org Webmaster, on Fri, 10 Dec 1999]
:: Hello Zopistas,
:: 
:: Wouldn't you love the Python.Org site to use Zope?

Of course! :-)
...

:: The design of the Python.Org web site <www.python.org> is nearly two
:: years old now, and while functionally it works very well, we're
:: getting bored with it.  We've decided that we're hackers, not web site
:: designers so we thought we'd conduct a little contest: here's your
:: chance to design the new Python.Org web site!

Cool!

:: Our requirements are:
:: 
:: - Use the Zope 2.x platform.  We're looking for both a Web site design
::   and an application design.

OK

:: - We want the site to be at least as user friendly as the current site
::   is.  This means you should try to keep stuff like images to a
::   minimum in order to help download times for people around the
::   world.

Yes

:: - The look should be consistent throughout the whole site.

Zope makes this easy.

:: - We want it to be easy to delegate content management of parts of the
::   site to "champions" selected from the Python community.  A big goal
::   of this whole effort is to make it easier for the rest of the
::   community to share in the upkeep of the site.  For that reason, it
::   should be easy for these champions to make changes, upload new
::   pages, etc.

Tailor-made for Zope

:: - It should be easy to import as much of the existing Python.Org
::   content as possible.

You should perhaps tell us about any special Python scripts you now
have running to automate site updates, or whatever, that will need
to be implemented.

 :: - Bonus points if your solution allows us to include a redesigned
::   JPython.Org site as a virtual domain.

OK. This may determine whether to use a straight ZServer approach or
ZServer with Apache. An Apache-free, 200 Proof Zope site (straight
ZServer) would win more coolness points (and be slightly simpler to set
up), but ZServer (Medusa) doesn't grok virtual hosts. OTOH, you could
maintain two discrete Linux or FreeBSD servers rather simply, if you
have the budget for separate boxen. Or you can do Apache + FastCGI +
Zserver, to allow virtual hosting. You should probably mull this
over and decide this early on, since it will affect the initial design
planning.