What is the main page?

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VictorEijkhout
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What is the main page?

Post by VictorEijkhout »

It seems to me that there are two main pages: http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page and http://imslp.org/

As far as I can see, the second one, while duplicating some functionality of the first, does not even link to the first. And from the first I see no link to the second.

And the functionality that I find most important (browse by instrument) is only available on the second, which is the page that is not linked from anywhere.

On the other hand, there is a category walker, which (after spending a few hours on this site) I still don't know how to find other than by accident; it is certainly not in the "browse scores" panel of the left navigation menu. I think it really should be there.

Victor.
steltz
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Re: What is the main page?

Post by steltz »

The second links to the first via the Petrucci Music Library. It is useful to have because the URL with the /wiki stuff is harder to remember than "imslp.org". It is a general front page from which you go to the three main areas of IMSLP -- the wiki, the journal, and the forums.

The first doesn't really need to link to the second, since once you are on the first page, the Journal can be accessed from that page, as can the Forums.

The category walker can be accessed from the first via "Browse scores: work genre" and from the second via "Browse by instrumentation or genre".

Hope that helps.
bsteltz
VictorEijkhout
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Re: What is the main page?

Post by VictorEijkhout »

steltz wrote:The second links to the first via the Petrucci Music Library. It is useful to have because the URL with the /wiki stuff is harder to remember than "imslp.org".
Non-argument. HTML can just forward. And it's a one-line apache configuration to make imslp.org go to the wiki.
It is a general front page from which you go to the three main areas of IMSLP -- the wiki, the journal, and the forums.
But the wiki page calls itself the "main page". You don't see my problem that it's confusing to have two page with similar names and similar function?
The category walker can be accessed from the first via "Browse scores: work genre"
My main search mode is by instrument. To have to click on "by genre" to search by instrument is counterintuitive. Given that the imslp.org page has a link that says "by instrumentation", why not have a similar link on the other main page?

Victor.
KGill
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Re: What is the main page?

Post by KGill »

VictorEijkhout wrote:But the wiki page calls itself the "main page". You don't see my problem that it's confusing to have two page with similar names and similar function?
They do indeed have different functions. The portal page (imslp.org) is the portal page for every branch of the project - including the library, the forums, and the journal. The wiki Main Page (imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page) is the 'portal page' to the library, the main institution of IMSLP. They serve different purposes and should most likely be kept separate.
For another example, keep in mind that Wikipedia has a similar thing - they have a portal page (wikipedia.org) and then Main Pages for each language (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page, etc.). Is that confusing?
And the functionality that I find most important (browse by instrument) is only available on the second, which is the page that is not linked from anywhere.
On the other hand, there is a category walker, which (after spending a few hours on this site) I still don't know how to find other than by accident; it is certainly not in the "browse scores" panel of the left navigation menu. I think it really should be there.
There has been a link in the 'browse scores' section of the sidebar for years. I've now changed the caption of the link to read 'Instrumentation/Genre'; is that clearer?
VictorEijkhout
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Re: What is the main page?

Post by VictorEijkhout »

KGill wrote: There has been a link in the 'browse scores' section of the sidebar for years. I've now changed the caption of the link to read 'Instrumentation/Genre'; is that clearer?
Much better. Thanks.

Victor.
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