Proposal: Modernizing the OpenJDK.org Website Design & User Experience

[Wojtek]

On 28/04/2025 12:13, Magnus Ihse Bursie wrote:
> On 2025-04-24 23:25, Wojtek wrote:
> 
>> I once again ended up on JEP page on my mobile phone and after a acouple of seconds decided it 
>> makes absolutely no sense.
>>
>> Here is what I saw: https://i.ibb.co/chGWvn0g/Screenshot-20250424-231051-Firefox.png
> 
> That does not look pretty. :-(

It's not even about "pretty". In this particular case usability/readability suffers (*could* be done 
but I usually just wave my hand and go to different page or send it to the desktop for later…)

>> Every couple of weeks I end up on JEP site and repeat usual cycle: I would like to make the 
>> website better/contribute some changes... search for the sources/how the website is build to 
>> tinker and tweak it a bit... realise there is none availalbe, give up... this time I went further 
>> and actually decided to sign up for the list and figured a way how to replay to older thread…
>>
>> At any rate - my idea would not be to do complete revolution of the website, structure could/ 
>> should stay as is but make it a bit friendlier - adjust fonths here and there and make it usable 
>> on mobile (dynamically hide menu?). But in order to do that it would be nice to be able to tinker 
>> with it/it's build so one wouldn't dab with the stored html file just to realise that any 
>> suggestion would be "incompatible" with the upstream…
>>
>> tl,dr;
>> are the sources of the website and build information public?
>> would there be openness for improving it and if yes - what would be the steps?
>>
> Unfortunately, the source code for the web page is not public. :-( And on top of that, the web site 
> has not been a top priority for the handful of people who have access to changing it.

Yeah, I would imagine the priority thing looking that the current state of things :) Though as the 
website intention is for the more internal-use and "ItWorksFine(enough)" in this case then it's 
kinda understandable. It's always juggling the priorities.

> I think the ideal way forward would be to migrate the web site source code to GitHub, and allow 
> anyone to make PRs (which can then be accepted or not), just like on the regular source code. 

That would be ideal, yes.

> However, getting there is likely to be a long process, and I not sure even how to get started.

Considering this is probably handled on a quite "corporate level" which involves pushing a lot of 
levers that could be indeed problematic. On the one hand - finding the one responsible. Then getting 
the attention and putting things in motion. Then probably evaluating if it can be published on 
github (some proprietary stuff or whatnot), assessing build/publish pipeline, etc. Though the last 
bit could be maybe skipped with github only serving as repository view / handling PR.
Though I think the biggest obstacle would still be the first one - putting the things in motion. 
Then actually execution, while maybe slow, would be already a move in the right direction.

> Community feedback such as this that indicates that the current solution is no good and needs to be 
> changed is putting weight behind the argument that we need to update the web site, and that the 
> community at large can assist in doing that, since Oracle JDK developers tend to neither have the 
> time nor expertise needed. So I appreciate if, even if I understand how frustrating it must seem 
> that nothing happens, and that offers of help are not accepted.
> 
> /Magnus
> 

Thank you :)

w.