[Python-Dev] Playing with a new theme for the docs (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido at python.org
Wed Mar 21 20:39:18 CET 2012

On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 12:12 PM, Ned Batchelder <ned at nedbatchelder.com> wrote:

On 3/21/2012 2:46 PM, Guido van Rossum wrote:

On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 11:40 AM, Ned Batchelder<ned at nedbatchelder.com>  wrote:

You can use Ctrl-+ to increase the size of the text, and modern browsers remember that for the next time you visit the site. That doesn't mean the web designer shouldn't think at least twice before specifying a smaller font than the browser default. Yes, sorry, that was exactly my point earlier in this thread.  I was being a bit snarky with Serhiy.  Seems the standard here is for people to request their personal favorite tweaks, and then tell others that they can use browser customizations to get what they want. Guido, you encouraged us to use science, but only after describing my science-based maximum line-length suggestion as "coddling," then said we should let Georg get on with it, but only after reiterating your personal favorite tweak (which I happen to agree with).

I have a fair number of strong usability gripes about current (and past :-) design trends, but I know I can't design a decent looking website myself if my life depended on it.

There's no way a committee (which this thread effectively is) will come up with a good design.  Everyone will dislike something about it.  I think it would be interesting to use the power of the web to provide docs whose style could be adjusted a few ways to make people happy, but that is probably more than anyone is willing to volunteer for, I know I can't step up to do it.

I think it's fine to have a bunch of folks submit their pet peeves (and argue them to the death :-) to the design czar and then let the czar (i.e. Georg) decide.

Personally, I think two Python projects that have focused on docs and done a good job of it are Django and readthedocs.org.  Perhaps we could follow their lead?

I think they are actually more trend-followers,and they seem to make a bunch of the mistakes I've fulminated against here. But again, I'll leave it to Georg.

-- --Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)

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