Ever since Project Petaling Street had revamped, few have actually commented on the new layout or outlook. The new face was launched on 31st August 2005. Why did it pick such a specific date? I have no idea. But I do wonder if a change on such a significant date might confuse some bloggers of PPS real anniversary. So let’s do a little history.
Do you know when is PPS actual birthday? Was it..
- ..9 June 2003 ?
- ..11 June 2003 ?
- ..30 June 2003 ?
- ..30 June 2004 ?
If you think about the recent PPS birthday, that was celebrated on 23 June 2005. If the birthday bash was celebrated on 30th June, it would be convincing to say that 30th June is the PPS official birthday. True or False are answers that the founders of it need to answer.
So why does Project Petaling Street need you?
I’ve kinda made a promise to Aizuddin that I’d help out to redesign or at least provide a cleaner layout for PPS. I intend to make the redesign happen not by myself, or I should say NOT for myself but for the thousands of PPS members. Therefore, before making a successful face for PPS, I need questions to be answered not only by the founders but the members as well. We need to work towards the design.
I can understand that everyone hates questions but if you’re really a true PPS supporter, please take the time and do this for the sake of PPS and not me. I need as many personal views on this as possible.
1. What is PPS main priority or goal for you?
2. What do you do on PPS?
3. What is the purpose of the Wiki for you?
4. If all services (Wiki, Blog, Pings, RSS, Directory) were placed on the homepage, will you visit them? If yes or no, please state Why?
5. Do you think all the services should have a consistent design and colour?
These questions are to help me figure out PPS current weakness and also aid me with some skeletons that I already have in mind. Your answers will be a crucial piece in making PPS look and maybe work better.
I’ve been worrying about the members of PPS because ever since the face got lifted entirely, only few have blogged about it. I’m sure some of you have valid reasons like you don’t want to follow the crowd but I think the worst of the lot are the ones that downright don’t care about PPS.
Although PPS offers free services (now living on funds from T-Shirts), you lot who don’t care of its growth are parasites. All you do is signup, ping PPS, and selfishly imagine the number of people who will be visiting your blog.
So what if you aren’t a web designer, developer, geek, nerd or n00b even? You’re still a person who is tech-savvy enough to know how to ping PPS. If you’re able to involve yourself as a member by pinging PPS, why not be a little more responsible as a member and help PPS become better.
All you need to do is answer those few questions and Aizuddin won’t have to worry about anymore complaints on the restructure that doesn’t really have a face at this moment.
That is why PPS needs you right now and PPS won’t be able to grow further if you just lay dormant.
Being a fellow web designer myself, I’d gladly offer my services to help you with the re-design, if you so require it that is.
Anyway, answers:
1. What is PPS main priority or goal for you?
The aggregation of blogs with content that is Malaysian in nature. You know, things that matter to us. Durians, the malaysian lifestyle, roti canai, bad drivers, traffics, politics, social commentaries.
2. What do you do on PPS?
As I’m not in Malaysia, I love to browse through PPS and read the writings there to keep in touch with my inner Malaysian self.
A lot of the stuff there is crap (mine included, heh), but I’ve stumbled upon many gems though. However, you have to play with probability: clicking more, and reading more will allow you a greater chance of finding a good blog that you’ll come back to read again and again.
3. What is the purpose of the Wiki for you?
Not much purpose, actually.
Here’s a suggestion: It would be nice if someone actually wrote down the history of the PPS itself; like when it started, what’s been happening, who’s who, The Great Crashes (like if the PPS ever came down), the prominent figures of the more popular blogs (like Kenny Sia, Minishorts, Suanie, Jeff Ooi, et cetera), the Blog Wars (you know, something like Xiaxue’s recent blog posting about KL that triggered a massive war between Malaysian and Singaporean bloggers).
I hope that that’s sufficient?
4. If all services (Wiki, Blog, Pings, RSS, Directory) were placed on the homepage, will you visit them? If yes or no, please state Why?
I am all for usable websites. Acessibility and usability is really good, but still, appearance plays a key role in web design.
So my answer to your question is Yes, but only if the layout were usable.
5. Do you think all the services should have a consistent design and colour?
Yes. A standardized design, and a standardized colour scheme would be best. And make sure to stick with it – you know, the issues with branding, et cetera. People tend to associate better when there is a certain “brand” to an object or thing.
I hope that my comment was constructive enough.
First of all, i think you had your tongue in your cheek when you said that PPSers are “parasites”! :) Just because they don’t speak up, doesn’t mean they don’t care, or perhaps it means they are comfortable with the way things have been done? The silent majority can be a very powerful voice.
PPS isn’t exactly a democracy, but it isn’t really a dictatorship either. And even if it were a democracy, its still highly likely that there would be some people who would get upset with how things were done. In this world, you just can’t please everyone, and on the ‘Net even more so.
Having said that, i’m all ears (and eyes) for anything Danny proposes, however, i’m quite adamant that a quick loading, simple front page (doorway) format/layout is preserved. I’lll be the first to admit that the design of all the interior pages isn’t sparkling, and that a certain sense of uniformity would be very much needed in order to preserve the branding of PPS.
First and foremost, i want PPS to be functional. Like any proud “daddy”, i would also like her to be beautiful, alas, my skills fall short in that department. I sincerely look forward to all comers and design proposals. Just because i can’t make her beautiful doesn’t mean i’m too proud to accept someone’s help who can! :)
since i’m in semi-lurker mode, here’s my two cents…
1. PPS is my one-stop Malaysian blogs centre. A place where you get to look up on blogs regarding all things Malaysian.
2. Go blog-hopping via the pings… bloggers can be so amusing…
3. er… the Wiki doesn’t really rock my world, right at the moment…
4. most definitely. they’re more accesible that way.
5. YES!!! like wanzafran said, branding and all that jazz. gives it a sense of identity. I really liked the simple layout previously. It was pretty easy to navigate, even for a ‘blur sotong’ like me.
Well, that’s that. Done!
Refering some PPSers as parasites might have been a little too strong but it hails true for me since some people refuse to speak up and just go with the flow. I’m sure everyone has a preference or a view they might have bugging them but just doesn’t want to come out.
Well, the research isn’t coming along very well I must say. Probably because there’s no reward for the people who answers them. Oh well..
But you have your answer Aizuddin, regarding the simple front page layout. Since people find that having all the services placed up front is good so I’ll maintain that feel.
But I’ve got a few questions for you Aizuddin. Issit possible, to put excerpts of new PPS Blog posts in the front page?
And if I proposed the consistent designs to all the services, can it be done?
Cheers.
http://www.blogtimore.com … now that’s a blog aggregator with a really good design… i will be truly satisfied if PPS can be that simple but beautiful… and oh.. for the time being, can someone change the center-aligned list on the main page of PPS to left-aligned?? It will be easier to read the latest pings list that way…
Will you be posting samples of your work-in-progress, as you do them, Danny?
…Err, may I have a sneak peak? Heh.
Danny: Yes, on both your questions.
But the PPS RSS and WIKI are powered 100% by PHP — even their templates are built on the fly using PHP templates — so we’ll need someone who is familiar with writing HTML in a PHP environment.
A plug for your efforts, bro:
http://www.petalingstreet.org/wiki/Readme?v=su5#h27-3
Just wondering, I tried sending a trackback, but it doesn’t seems to have shown up here…. anyway, my answer at http://www.mossism.net/wp/index.php/archives/297
hope that helps…
[brought it here for you]
1. PPS main priority should and always be the simple blog-tal which I can always surf by knowing that it helps me get in touch with my Malaysian side for being well, somewhere else other than my very own tanahair.
2. Not sure if this is the right question to ask, to answer even IMO, since it is based on the previous PPS which was just aggregating pings. In the old days, not all that old, to PPS was to ping and read pings. Of course, at times, you get to shout at your computer screen for having people bolding and spamming PPS. So I guess that’s what I always did on PPS.
Right now? I think it’s about the same, for even with the directory being in place, by the size and rate it’s going, I bet it will be impossible for me to go to each and every directory to check out each and every blog listed. Of course, those top blogs are getting special attention, but how about the others? A random blog list of N blogs perhaps?
3. Wikikikikie? Sincerely, it does feels like the bible/manual for PPS, nuff said!
4. Can I say not sure? The very fact that PPS now feels like a “blogs search engineâ€, it doesn’t help much. But then again, back to Q1, PPS major attraction would be the pings and the pongs!
5. Design yeah! Colors? Depends. It would be nicer for each service to be identified with a color I guess, but then again, if the design ain’t suitable for such stuffs, why bother? Anyway, I wish to stress on uniformity no matter what. DF said it nicely before about the fact that it feels like surfing five different websites.
Can I help in the design process?
ok then i had better speak up in case i’m look to as a parasite. :)
actually i feel it is too strong to label them as parasite or whatever name. to me, what’s wrong with that, if they just sign up, ping then wait for traffic to their blog via PPS. hey, isn’t that what PPS is for? isn’t that what MOST people want… get to ping enough already… don’t care anything else. we have thousands (right?) people pinging to PPS, surely we don’t even expect 10% of all who signed up for PPS to speak up. anyway, that is MY opinion.
ok now on to the Qs. i’ll be as honest as i am. don’t hate me for that. :)
1. What is PPS main priority or goal for you?
PPS help to make known unknown blogs! PPS serve as an avenue for bloggers to publicise their blogs, and for non bloggers, it serve as a one-stop centre for them to drop in, browse around and look out for good articles to read. (or that they are interested in – it may not be good!)
2. What do you do on PPS?
check out for some good read. i also like to check out the blog directory on hot blogs and top-rated blogs (specifically looking out for my blog. haha). i don’t visit PPS regularly.
3. What is the purpose of the Wiki for you?
er… sorry. i’m not into this wiki thingy, so no comment.
4. If all services (Wiki, Blog, Pings, RSS, Directory) were placed on the homepage, will you visit them? If yes or no, please state Why?
most certainly if all of them are place on the homepage, it will make it easier to visit them. i can just bookmark the homepage and i can have easy access to the other services.
5. Do you think all the services should have a consistent design and colour?
yep, they should. consistency is always my cup of tea. :)
other comments:
like a few others, i prefer the old design, mostly because it is black and white! not that i don’t like blue, the new design (heck! i love blue. blue is my blog theme colour). you see, black and white is good for me when browsing in the office as it won’t attract colleagues and boss!
well, whatever design/colour PPS is, it should be very simple, not too gaudy or bright that it will attract attention at once (even the heading text should be smaller). and i also feel the layout, to give more contents.
@Hafiz
Nice reference for the PPS Ping services. :)
@Wan Zafran
Yup, I’ll be posting the process as I go along to have others feedback on it.
@Aizuddin
Didn’t really have to plug it. Besides, the one who care will come by after visiting the ReadMe I think. ;) Oh yeah, about the RSS and Wiki, if I could look at the code, I might be able to see if I could do it on my own. If not, we’ll just have to find a PHP blogger. :P
@Mossie
Copied your answers over. Thanks dude.
@CheeAun
Your view and feedback on the ideas later will be helpful. It could be a collaborative process even of me, Zafran and you. :)
@lucia
Thanks for taking the time in answering the questions. And I too have to be honest that the new PPS design might not be black and white and be less attractive for the sake of workers ‘stealing’ time from their working hours just to view PPS.
I feel the whole reason Aizuddin even changed the layout because it’s main goal is to not only focus on the pings but to also get visitors to notice the other services. Before this, those services were highlighted by the bloggers. Once the news got out then only people noticed the new features on the side.
What I’ll be trying to do is make the pings still priority and create a better awareness of the other services at the same time. Therefore, I hate to say it but the old subtle PPS might not happen.
I’m going to make PPS fresh again but maintain its goals with a more usable layout and interface.
1. What is PPS main priority or goal for you?
The list of latest pings, so that I can see what’s happening on other Malaysian blogs. Also, it would really help to be able to access all the pings received in the same day (no need to archive several days’ worth; just those on the same day). Coz so many people are pinging, the older pings move off the page really fast.
2. What do you do on PPS?
Ping to PPS and visit to see the list of latest pings.
3. What is the purpose of the Wiki for you?
No purpose whatsoever unless there are events (like how it was used during the PPS bash to update us and keep tabs on who was going and all that).
4. If all services (Wiki, Blog, Pings, RSS, Directory) were placed on the homepage, will you visit them? If yes or no, please state Why?
No coz I bookmark the ping list page. I want to go straight to the thing I want to see. The irritating thing is, now if I’m away from my own comp (ie. no bookmarks) I can’t just type ‘petalingstreet.org’ into the browser window anymore; I gotta remember the actual ping list URL, or go through two steps to get to where I wanna go. This is resulting in less frequent visits to the site.
The rationale of having everything on the homepage is actually only for first-time visitors, to show them what’s available and help them navigate around the site. But the thing is, the “action” is all on the ping list and the PPS blog. That’s what’s going to draw repeat visitors. Yet you inconvenience your repeat visitors by hiding both the ping list & the blog away behind the homepage. Those links aren’t even highlighted prominently. That’s why I said it doesn’t make sense to derive inspiration from Google’s interface, coz Google’s main service is its search engine and that is on its homepage. PPS’s main service is its ping list and that’s no longer on its homepage. The PPS blog is a secondary service (to me, at least) and that’s not on the homepage either.
The directory is a great idea — I miss the Great Malaysian Blog List — but with the ping list, it’s better, coz some blogs listed in the directory may be defunct or updated sporadically or the blogger on temporary hiatus, etc. Rather than scroll through the blog directory, I get to go through the ping list and find interesting blogs that way. So I still think the ping list ought to be the main feature of the site.
Btw, I know that several bloggers contribute to the PPS blog, but there’s no “posted by” line to indicate who has written what post. Why is this? I would like to know who I’m reading…
5. Do you think all the services should have a consistent design and colour?
Yes.
i’ma a parasite but i try to contribute whenever i can.
1. What is PPS main priority or goal for you?
the same as question 2.
2. What do you do on PPS?
check out some blogs, keep up to date about the latest news. amuse myself with malaysian antiques
3. What is the purpose of the Wiki for you?
serves no purpose
4. If all services (Wiki, Blog, Pings, RSS, Directory) were placed on the homepage, will you visit them? If yes or no, please state Why?
you mean frequently or occasionally? i don’t quite understand the question but if the need arises, why not?
5. Do you think all the services should have a consistent design and colour?
yes
other comments:
http://jeemee.blogspot.com/2005/09/project-petaling-what.html
1. What is PPS main priority or goal for you?
To be a source and portal where all Malaysian blogs would be exposed to all kinds of readers.
2. What do you do on PPS?
Blog hop!
3. What is the purpose of the Wiki for you?
Information one-stop site.
4. If all services (Wiki, Blog, Pings, RSS, Directory) were placed on the homepage, will you visit them? If yes or no, please state Why?
Nope. For PPS is already in its full glamour by offering its ping service, wiki and directory serve no purpose as is its secondary objective.
5. Do you think all the services should have a consistent design and colour?
Yes.