pouët.net

While I understand the reasoning behind holding the beta closed for a little while longer, the problem with Google Buzz was _NOT_ that it was in open beta (like almost all Google products are/were), but rather that the idea and execution was FUCKED UP from the planning stage and onwards :)

The beta is in no way closed. We have yet to turn anyone away.

Then again, bittin hasn't showed up yet.

Maybe you can add a text input on the temp homepage asking visitors to leave a mail, and then send them a generic email the same way you do in IRC?

It can remove some frustration :).

menace: not to get into semantics, but a closed beta is by definition when only select people (as in: people who contact you to get access) are allowed. An open beta is when you need not do anything to gain access to the service other than simply sign up and start using it. :)

Sounds very promising from all the descriptions - looking forward to the launch!

gloom: OK, fair enough :)

So, to clear this all up - we are going to focus our resources on building Demozoo, and not on building an elaborate webpage so that people who do not want to get on irc can get access. Sorry. :) We currently have a good amount of active beta testers anyway, so there may not be a need for that many more.

radiantx: Glad to hear you are excited :)

"Launching late 2013", as of the website, would be pretty soon. Can you give more details?

You all know how deadlines work on the demoscene, right...?

That's all I'm saying :-)

according to experience, changing a single line of php can take up to six years =)

Gasman, yes. We usually present stuff at parties, even in un-finished state, just to be part of the show :-) Anyway, thanks for the quick update and merry christmas.

Aha. So it's going live on 1:00 UTC, 2014-01-01. Got it. ;)

Sorry.. We're all drunk from the Waffle.

\o/

and for a full, not-out-of-context understanding of that comment, go here:
http://demozoo.org/forums/4/ :)

context? there's no context... this is pouet!

(and for a full understanding of that reference, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSQVvjiXxJU)

This is SO great !!

This is ZOO great

Amazing work guys, gratz!

Great just doesnt cover it! WHOAA!

It still needs a lot of tuning. It declares itself to be a database of demoscene productions, but when you visit the site, it appears to be a newspage for demoscene parties. You dont see a single demoscene related production (be it a demo, music or graphic) on the first page and no clue where and how to find one (or the most interesting, if you are a first visitor of the page).

The home page of a website should immediatly reflect, in a self explainable way, what a website is about and make it very easy for a visitor to find (the most) interesting content in an easy and transparent way. It should also reflect the most current content and offer an easy and quick access to it. This is all still completly missing.

I hope it comes with the next steps.

Pouet may not have the nicest, most modern design, but boy it offers you everything at your fingertips when you visit it: The latest productions, the current discussions (onliner, forums, comments), access to the best productions of the month and of all times, the latest news - all one click away. In this regard, Pouet does it all in a perfect way. I hope, Demozoo picks up some of this to make their site more transparent and relevant to visit.

I'm not so sure, Salinga.

It seems to me that while Pouet's front page is fine, it's a general mishmash of things that lends itself more to arbitrarily browsing.

Demozoo's homepage is kind of a bit more like Google. There's not a lot on it, navigation buttons for larger categories of things (like Google's GMail, images, maps ...), and a search box. You don't go to Google to arbitrarily browse random websites on the internet. You go there to ask it to help you find something.

Lastly, I think the two sites have slightly different aims. Demozoo's launch-readiness goal wasn't "replace Pouet". :)

Think something is missing? Go forth and add.
I added my party for 2014 and a Slengpung link for Mekka 1996 and some recent north american parties.

Oddly I cannot seem to add the @party minidemo montreal series, which was no smaller than Recursion.

(vis a vis Recursion, it sounds like Mr Khan may take it over).