[cjakeman]

Hi Guys,

What do you think of our project's venerable website?




It dates from 2014 and I'm very grateful to everyone who contributed all those banner images, but perhaps it's time for an update?

I think there's a lot that could be done better but, rather than go on about its shortcomings, let's hear what you think?

[Aldarion]

I like the site.
I usually dont like change just for the sake of change.
I prefer the familiarity of where things are...
Change should be made to get things better in any way, and in that matter I dont have anything to point out.

[Weter]

I agree.
The site's design appears to be a part of ORTS brand, so, it's better when it's recognizable and well-known for many years.
And is's a good question, do it needed to radically change it?
Are any screenshots needed?

[markus_GE]

Personally, I have been delighted to find he site was still the same when I first re-visited it after my absence. For me, it's been almost as "tried and true" as ET on that occassion.

Then, however, I'm definitely not over-using it, so I might not be the one to "ask" when it comes to shortcomings of the site - there too rarely, used to it too much.

Cheers, Markus

[R H Steele]

Like it here...I think some of the drop menu choices could be enhanced...also I think last time I checked there was some broken links in there, check them for accuracy, update where needed.
Three suggestions:
1.) Under "Learning" -- some of the lessor known manuals and older whitepapers on different aspects of OR could listed...how about Joe Realmuto paper ( it's attached in one of the threads at ET) on OR brake parameters...this should be the "one stop" learning center/library for everything written about OR.

2.) How about a new menu item: Open Rails around the World or World of OR --- emphasis on the global cooperative aspect of the project with photos.

3.) Maybe solicit some new banner images, there's some quality OR routes...Ruel, Mullan, old venerable ones Blue Comet ( that's being currently revised ... get some current screenshots from that project ) and of course the European routes, with their magnificent architecture and complexity. Some screenshots of the cream of the India Rails routes with models ( some are wonderfully detailed ) would also be good...there's so much to choose from....that abundance of routes and rolling stock around the world should be emphasized -- ties in with suggestion #2.

I also like the familiarity of the web site, the overall design does not need to be changes, imo. It is an attractive, well laid out website. Cheers, Gerry [doing well on our little "virually enhanced blue ball in the cosmos")

[cjakeman]

 R H Steele, on 09 August 2020 - 01:01 PM, said:

Three suggestions:
1.) Under "Learning" -- some of the lessor known manuals and older whitepapers on different aspects of OR could listed...how about Joe Realmuto paper ( it's attached in one of the threads at ET) on OR brake parameters...this should be the "one stop" learning center/library for everything written about OR.

2.) How about a new menu item: Open Rails around the World or World of OR --- emphasis on the global cooperative aspect of the project with photos.

3.) Maybe solicit some new banner images, there's some quality OR routes...Ruel, Mullan, old venerable ones Blue Comet ( that's being currently revised ... get some current screenshots from that project ) and of course the European routes, with their magnificent architecture and complexity. Some screenshots of the cream of the India Rails routes with models ( some are wonderfully detailed ) would also be good...there's so much to choose from....that abundance of routes and rolling stock around the world should be emphasized -- ties in with suggestion #2.

I also like the familiarity of the web site, the overall design does not need to be changes, imo. It is an attractive, well laid out website.

Thanks for the suggestions, Gerry.

There are some technical issues (e.g. HTTPS) but let's focus on the structure and content for now.

I'm pleased that the structure (menus and options) has stood the test of time.

Yes, the images are showing their age. Even worse, there are no videos showing off the best features of OR. Rail around the world is a good idea too.

Your first point is really good. There is so much information carefully garnered over the years and difficult to access . . .

[R H Steele]

Thanks Chris ... Steam4Me was my go to site for any information on MSTS --- the abundance and breadth of information was ( and is ) excellent. The Open Rails web site should emulate that approach - under the "Learning" menu item or some other appropriately named new item...it will be a missed opportunity if we don't begin to collect and preserve in one accessible site all the useful technical and informational OR papers. --- A troubleshooting page also might be helpful for new users...sad to say not everyone reads the manual first.

[cjakeman]

 cjakeman, on 10 August 2020 - 09:56 AM, said:

There are some technical issues (e.g. HTTPS) but let's focus on the structure and content for now.

Yes, the images are showing their age. Even worse, there are no videos showing off the best features of OR. Rail around the world is a good idea too.

Your first point is really good. There is so much information carefully garnered over the years and difficult to access . . .

Is anyone interested in working on this?

If so, please send me a PM.

[Weter]

Here's Russian translation
for http://openrails.org/download/program/ page:
 OR_FAQ.txt (4.03K)
Number of downloads: 451
for http://www.openrails...wnload/content/ page:
 OR_Cont2.txt (2.79K)
Number of downloads: 308
for http://www.openrails...-and-tutorials/ page:
 OR_Manual.txt (1.56K)
Number of downloads: 317
for http://openrails.org...re/multiplayer/ page:
 OR_Mult.txt (1.61K)
Number of downloads: 417
for http://www.openrails...reporting-bugs/ page:
 OR_Bugs.txt (1.73K)
Number of downloads: 300
for http://openrails.org/contact/ page:
 OR_contact.txt (404bytes)
Number of downloads: 323
for http://openrails.org/share/community/ page:
 OR_Sharing.txt (2.51K)
Number of downloads: 302
for http://openrails.org...r/project-team/ page:
 OR_Meeting.txt (1.71K)
Number of downloads: 416
for http://openrails.org...ining-the-team/ page:
 OR_Team.txt (1.03K)
Number of downloads: 316
for http://openrails.org...uilding-models/ page:
 OR_Modeling.txt (2.43K)
Number of downloads: 324
for http://openrails.org...code/#compiling page:
 OR_dev.txt (4.87K)
Number of downloads: 324
for http://openrails.org/learn/activities/ page:
 OR_Activ.txt (2.01K)
Number of downloads: 321
for http://openrails.org/share/gallery/ page:
 OR_Gallery.txt (483bytes)
Number of downloads: 312
for http://www.openrails...ver/open-rails/ page:
 OR_OR.txt (2.56K)
Number of downloads: 340
for http://www.openrails...er/our-mission/ page:
 OR_Mission.txt (3.13K)
Number of downloads: 310
for http://www.openrails...over/our-plans/ page:
 OR_Plans.txt (1.02K)
Number of downloads: 324
for http://www.openrails.../learn/physics/ page:
 OR_Physics.txt (5.93K)
Number of downloads: 373
for http://openrails.org/trade/ page:
 OR_Trade.txt (2.03K)
Number of downloads: 319

[cjakeman]

 Weter, on 23 August 2020 - 02:14 PM, said:

Share > Commmunity
Sharing In Open Rails

Wow! someone mentioned trainsim.ru...
and why triple "m"? :)
What about adding thetrain.de and mstshungary.hu links?

Thanks for these points.

I'll sort it.