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OD Garden Design Theme Contest

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  1. Sean
    Founding Member

    Hey fellow admins and moderators... a little help on explaining what an 'OD Garden design theme' would be, then I can update this post with official contest rules, etc and we can get this thing finally rolling. Now that voting is over on the contest theme, lets work out the details on what is an OD Garden Design and how long people have for submissions, etc. As for general guide lines, I think the contest entries should follow the rules on normal OD designs (validate, no tables, no javascript, etc.). Thoughts?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  2. Gnome
    Moderator

    EDIT: sean, I was halfway through this when you posted and closed that conv, and vanilla told me that "YOu do not have enough priviliges to do that" :P Does this sound sane?
    • All designs must use the same HTML source, with own link in the bottom, and their own stylesheet calls
    • The use of CSS frameworks is discouraged (it is extra baggage)
    • Design must meet the submission guidelines set for all submissions here
    • Judging will be based on several broad categories: cross-browser/cross-platform consistency, visual appearance/asthetics, readability/usability, uniqueness/creativity, quality of code, general efficicency (both net file size and number of CSS properties changed)
    If not, then we'll need to work that out, as this is just a rough suggestion.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  3. Christopher
    Moderator

    I like all of gnomes' suggestions except the one about CSS frameworks, I think people should be given the freedom of choice to decide whether they want to use one or not. Main point though, who does the HTML for this contest?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  4. can we allow js execptions for IE only and transparency hacks? I know a lot of templates on here have already gotten away with that
    Posted 3 years ago #
  5. Sean: I agree on following the standard OD submission rules. I think that just a style sheet should be submitted, and a link can be added to the footer after the contest, that way it's super easy to see that the proper XHTML was used. I edited a version of the css Zen Garden html file. Feel free to modify it, butcher it, etc. I just thought that starting there would be a good idea, because they've already been doing this for a while.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  6. icyone
    Member

    brilliant...
    Posted 3 years ago #
  7. NickyD
    Moderator

    Posted By: SeanAs for general guide lines, I think the contest entries should follow the rules on normal OD designs (validate, no tables, no javascript, etc.).
    I agree with this. If you need help judging, I am available.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  8. i like that template. It will give us a good amount of room to work with and be really creative
    Posted 3 years ago #
  9. null
    Member

    Don't let this post distract from this discussion but I doubt I (and other newbies) will be able to make a contribution to the contest as my css skills just aren't up to coding from scratch I work by pulling apart other designs and making them into my own. Any chance in also having a basic css sheet go along with the html to start me off? Or would someone like to donate one to me that I can hack around with... Thanks. Pete
    Posted 3 years ago #
  10. kirby145
    Member

    According to the rules, they consider allowing use of css frameworks. Which are great, but to help in learning css i would not use them.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  11. null
    Member

    Thanks for the "if I were you", but... ya not me and I wanna compete in the contest, so.... Does anyone know where can get hold of one of these css framework thingies?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  12. wfiedler
    Member

    Pete - have a look here: 960 Grid System Once you have understood how it works, it's really simple...
    Posted 3 years ago #
  13. null
    Member

    Thanks for that - i'll try to work it out
    Posted 3 years ago #
  14. James
    Member

    We could perhaps take one step further and include all style tags as well, eg blockquote, tables, forms etc to produce a more detailed project?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  15. greg
    Member

    Posted By: JamesWe could perhaps take one step further and include all style tags as well, eg blockquote, tables, forms etc to produce a more detailed project?
    all that should be up to the individual designers imho.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  16. Tjobbe
    Member

    Look guys, we just need to KISS (keep it simple, stupid) on this one, as we are at a danger of having only a few entries. I'm really happy that we are having this particular theme, it does allow for greater scope with regards to being tested, as Open Source Web design is not *just* about design, it is also about the markup and style, using this as a competition theme, we will still be able to see the best in design, but #innovation and clever use of markup will come up trumps too, plus the chance to really test your skills. I like the idea of using a modified ZEN garden template, but the one simplified above needs to be simplified some more - far more if we are to get the intermediate coders to take note and join in. We do want to have a challenge, but it should be based on skill and not on university degrees - what I'm saying is we should really have a fair balance of design and skill. I believe that the template should have the following:
    • Uneditable HTML file - the only thing you can change is a CSS file which you have complete control over.
    • The HTML could consist of various divs, in a certain source order, so that anyone can choose to have columns or whatever
    • Table, headings, blockquote, images, lists, and a form should all be in there somewhere
    My sugegstion is that the source code of the html file should have standard named divs in a certain order, such as this: #parentContainer #top #header #nav #content #news #subContent #contact #footer #bottom that way, the coder does have complete choice using margins, absolute positioning or whatever to create the layout of their choice. The HTML markup in my opinion MUST not only be valid HTML, but be engineered properly, using appropriate source order for the named divs. Keeping in mind HTML5 will actually have pre-named divs I really think this is the best idea. I would be happy to knock something together - or alongside someone if needed?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  17. Rob
    Member

    How can it be up to the individual designer if we can't edit the html page? blockquote, tables, forms etc should be included in order to make a proper flexible, useful template, rather than just a design which looks nice but doesn't cater for users needs. After all i'm presuming that these templates will end up being available for download on OD?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  18. Tjobbe
    Member

    Posted By: RobHow can it be up to the individual designer if we can't edit the html page?
    That is the whole point of a "Garden" type contest. Are you familiar with http://www.csszengarden.com/? Designers submit a design based on a pre-made HTML file - all that they are allowed to change is the CSS. One way of adding credit to the design is through the CSS - adding an image in the #footer for example - or crediting them on a specific contest submissions page. with a non-editablle HTML file - there would be no cheaters!
    Posted 3 years ago #
  19. Tjobbe
    Member

    Should we limit the use of the display:none property in CSS? Someone *could* still cheat by using that - choosing to hide tables for example - using this property so that they do not have to style tables!
    Posted 3 years ago #
  20. null
    Member

    If it gets too/slightly hard there's no way I can compete. that's why i voted for colours.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  21. Jeremy
    Member

    perth, if you get stuck or anything feel free contact me (toxicityj@gmail.com). I'm home all day tomorrow and I'd be more than willing to give you a hand. And I don't know why people keep referring to tables. tables fall under things outlawed in the template submission guidelines, and it looks like it will double as the guideline for this contest. If anyone needs any practice with making designs using nothing but the CSS, csszengarden (NOWdesign's post above has a link) provides the base HTML/CSS for their site. So that's probably a good place to start figuring this stuff out. That's what I'm doing in preparation, anyway.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  22. Gnome
    Moderator

    NOWdesign: If an element appears in the HTML, it must appear in the final design I think that this HTML gets a bit closer to what we want, eh? I'll put together a style sheet too, and anyone is welcome to modify this, or start from scratch in order to get the base style for the contest.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  23. Jeremy
    Member

    Looks good to me, Jason.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  24. null
    Member

    Thanks Jeremy and Jason
    Posted 3 years ago #
  25. Rob
    Member

    Posted By: NOWdesign
    Posted By: Rob How can it be up to the individual designer if we can't edit the html page?
    That is the whole point of a "Garden" type contest. Are you familiar with http://www.csszengarden.com/ ? Designers submit a design based on a pre-made HTML file - all that they are allowed to change is the CSS. One way of adding credit to the design is through the CSS - adding an image in the #footer for example - or crediting them on a specific contest submissions page. with a non-editablle HTML file - there would be no cheaters!
    Yeah I am aware of the CSS Zen Garden, I was replying to greg's post "all that should be up to the individual designers imho.", concerning blockquotes, tables etc, I was saying they need to be present in the HTML file, as there's no way to make it up to the individual designer, unless they simply choose to ignore those tags.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  26. fernbap
    Member

    Just a question (i think it wasn't asked before): Can you submit more than one design?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  27. kirby145
    Member

    How about we start contest by May 25?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  28. fernbap
    Member

    Did everyone forget about this?
    Posted 3 years ago #
  29. Sean
    Founding Member

    As I type this, I just finished talking with Joe via mobile phone. He's away from the internet for 1 maybe 2 more days, then he can get caught up on all of this. I filled him in best I could over the phone. About the contest, he will be sending me the backend code so I can get the contest upload/preview going for all of us. More to come from Joe in a couple days. Hang in everyone.
    Posted 3 years ago #
  30. kirby145
    Member

    ?
    Posted 3 years ago #

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