New OASIS Left Nav

["Carol Geyer" <carol.geyer@oasis-open.org>]

OASIS chairs:
Thank you for your input on the new Committees by Category pages. Please be aware that a lot of thought and effort went into the
solution that we have implemented, and additional improvements are in the works.

--OASIS IT is investigating implementation options for a keyword search engine now.

--We did consider providing 'mouse-over' drop-down menus, but decided against it as Javascript-based navigation doesn't work
correctly across all browsers, and it doesn't work at all in text-based browsers. There are some CSS-based schemes that reduce the
need for Javascript for these sorts of things, but while CSS support is getting better in cutting-edge browsers, older browsers are
notoriously buggy with regards to CSS support (especially the CSS2+ properties required to do the above, and especially MSIE). While
a 'mouse-over' menu would certainly save clicks, we opted instead for simple, clean, text-based navigation because it *works*, and
it works *everywhere*.

--We are still investigating the option of a mouse-over capability that would provide a tool tip listing all TCs in a Category. The
TC names wouldn't be linked, so visitors would still have to go to the Category page for access, but it would allow 'peeking' to
confirm that the desired TC's link can be found on that Category page. Please let me know if you think this would be a useful
feature.

--While the current 'Committees by Name' and 'Committees by Category' may not be a perfect solution, it is a great improvement over
the previous left nav. Keep in mind we're trying to serve the needs of many types of visitors:

  * Visitors who are unfamiliar with OASIS: Now, they very quickly receive an impression of the kind of work we do. 

  * Visitors interested in a specific category of work: Now, they can immediately see the range of TCs that are involved in that
area. (Previously, a visitor interested in security standards, for instance, may have found 'Security Services' easily enough but
might never have discovered our work in access control or biometrics.) Now, it's much easier to get an idea of the breadth of OASIS
work and relationships between TCs. 

 * Visitors looking for a specific TC by name: They can use the 'Committees by Name' page that lists all TCs alphabetically. It
requires an extra click and perhaps some scrolling, but scrolling was also required for the previous left nav. There, one often had
to guess whether the TC was listed by its real name or subject matter ('Biometrics' not 'XCBF' for instance). The old nav may have
seemed superior to you in this regard, but I suspect that's because you were familiar with where and how your link appeared.

 * Visitors looking for a spec by acronym: If the spec acronym is difference from the TC name, unfortunately, they will continue to
find the site challenging. Giving these visitors the ability to search by keyword will address that need.


If you have specific requests on moving your TC to a different category, please let me know. I'd be happy to discuss those issues
with you individually.

If you would like to recommend re-classification of a TC which you do not chair, please send me your suggestions and cc that
committee's chair. Naturally, I do not want to move any TC without the approval of the chair.

If you have technical suggestions for improving the overall navigation, please send your ideas to rob.figenbaum@oasis-open.org and
me. 

I hope you agree this is a complex issue, and we are clearly making progress in improving navigation. Your feedback and suggestions
for solving specific challenges are key. Together, I am confident we can arrive at a final solution that meets everyone's needs.

Best regards,
Carol

______________________________
Carol Geyer
Director of Communications
OASIS
Voice: +1.978.667.5115 x209