Hey Linda
Lovely site - really like the features like the ajax search filter - very intuitive. Great design, friendly URLs, not too much gratuitous web2(!).
On these really rich sites I always want a bit more guiding - knowing how and what to search for is an area where I think most non-museum/gallery users could do with some hand-holding. There's a bit of this here, but personally I always like to see more..
Picky usability points: I'd personally move the search box up so it is on the "search the collection" tab so that the search box is associated with the filter. Also I think "inline glossary" needs a bit more explanation - just a better ALT or a little info-window when you hover over it, maybe.. I'm also always going to ask: "where is the API?" just as a matter of course from here on up :-)
Re. people without the Silverlight plugin: I'm guessing that the zoom view degrades in some graceful way for those who don't have it...?
Silverlight is apparently at around 20% penetration (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/652717/silverlight-penetration-rate/652756) (although this seems a pretty high estimation to me?) wheras Flash is now at about 97% (Flash 7) to 87% (Flash 10) (see http://www.adobe.com/products/player_census/flashplayer/version_penetration.html).
"Deep Zoom" (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc645050(VS.95).aspx) is (I'm guessing) the reason why Silverlight was chosen over Flash...
cheers
Mike
Mike Ellis
Professional Services Group
Eduserv
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tel: 01225 470522
mob: 07017 031522
fax: 01225 474301
www.eduserv.org.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jenny Walklate
Sent: 26 June 2009 09:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Launch of Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery's Pre-Rapahelite website
Yes, I wondered about silverlight too - is there anything with Linux/
Firefox compatibility?
Cheers!
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