Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?

[artdutra04]

The 1990s called, they want their splash page back.

[Nawaid Ladak]

I'm not a big fan of the new splash page. I could see myself getting used to it...eventually. The page doesn't provide a lot of information unless you click on the FIRST logo in the lower left to advance to the "old" splash page. The page does indeed look unprofessional. Maybe they should get the website award winners to redesign it for them...

As for the whole Will.I.Am and Engineering argument. there are A LOT of kids who haven't even HEARD of FIRST. This is more than just your typical STEM program. It inspires students to chase their dreams. The lessons you learn from the program help you through life. Look at the non-engineering activities Chairmans Award winning teams do and then come back to me and tell me this is just a STEM program. Will.I.Am is just a way to get these kids knowing about FIRST, getting involved, and seeking the true benefits of the program. Whether that be the STEM end of the program, or the Inspiration, it's in the student's hands to decide.

It's great that Will.I.Am has decided to give FIRST some publicity. But i don't think FIRST is taking full advantage of this by putting out a poor quality webpage.

[Rich Kressly]

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

[basicxman]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

Indeed, when I give a [potential] sponsor the link to usfirst.org as an intention for them to find out more details - this is not a page I'd want them to see.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

You sure none of that got in their HTML?

I didn't realize FIRST was the new Myspace.

[basicxman]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

I didn't realize FIRST was the new Myspace.

Woah, woah, let's not get too carried away here. Remember that this is mostly not Akamai's fault - they were generous to have supplied services. Content was FIRST's choice.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by basicxman

Woah, woah, let's not get too carried away here. Remember that this is mostly not Akamai's fault - they were generous to have supplied services. Content was FIRST's choice.

Who blamed Akamai?

[Rich Kressly]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

I don't want to discount the assistance a celebrity can give FIRST for helping to raise awareness, but ... just so I have this straight .... will.i.am gets page 1 and the president of the United Stated talking to "our kids" about their work gets page 2 ... and will.i.am has two spots on page 2 as well ... hmmm..... seems like that's a shift in the wind ...

Since the folks I depend on for support in the multiple communities I serve the mission in might not be thoroughly thrilled here, I think I need to have some website links changed from usfirst.org to http://www.usfirst.org/default.aspx

[basicxman]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Who blamed Akamai?

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

You sure none of that got in their HTML?

I assume Akamai was responsible for HTML.

[Chris27]

Akamai acts as a CDN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akamai_Technologies

I'm pretty sure they had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of the splash page. They just deliver the content to your browser faster than FIRST's servers could.

[basicxman]

Originally Posted by Chris27

Akamai acts as a CDN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akamai_Technologies

I'm pretty sure they had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of the splash page. They just deliver the content to your browser faster than FIRST's servers could.

Ah, well that's definitely a requirement.

[JohnBoucher]

I do believe that they are way off message here, but being involved in it we forget how hard the message is to convey.

The video under the >Watch link is a great video, very much on message but way too long. Somehow they need to develop the "elevator version".

So lets write this for FIRST. Here are a few tag lines that work for me.

"The Super Bowl Of Smarts"
"Like the WWE, but for smart people"
"Hardest Fun Ever"

Add your own Lets see what we can come up with.

[mwtidd]

For all those who don't like video, its on youTube. youtube unlike facebook has a dislike button

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by GGCO

They really should have written some use cases before they threw this out.

My exact first response. You are unusually thoughtful and perceptive. This is why I don't like content-free splash pages -- the only user who appreciates it is one who had no particular reason for coming to a Website. (At least it's not a Flash site...)

[OZ_341]

Just a few thoughts:

1- From a functional point of view, I am not even sure what I am looking at when I open this splash page. I don't think I would send a potential sponsor to view this page.

2- Having unrelated celebrities like Will-i-am is OK in concept but FIRST needs to present a better case for the young people that may view this page. "Screaming" that FIRST is really cool will have a reverse effect and is a little embarrassing, as was previously mentioned. On the other hand, "Showing" that FIRST is cool is the way to do it. (See video link below)

3- Also its a bad idea to have your video end with an open page to Youtube. It is not properly embedded. This means that almost any type of video could pop up as the next video on that page. I really don't think that FIRST wants that potential disaster. They need to fix this ASAP.

4- And finally I think FIRST should be taking the high road in presenting how cool Science and Engineering can be. The video linked below does exactly that. I am not just saying this because we are in it. Listen to the words of Mykala Nelson, the Myth Busters, or the President himself in this video. This
video make science "cool" in the way that it should be presented. Just watch it and you will understand.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and...e-science-fair