Draft: QGIS first open experience

[timlinux]

Please note this issue is in draft still

📒 Note: I will turn this into a PR once I figure out the workflow for doing that.

🚩 Problem: When I open QGIS the layout is not great

Currently (based on my use case) I find the layout sub-optimal when I open QGIS:

My focus here is in particular on this 'landing page' area:

The problems I have are:

1. Templates is a low / never used component in my workflows yet it consumes a quarter of the 'landing page' experience of QGIS.
2. News items require double clicking to trigger the link.
3. News items often get pushed under the templates, hiding important notices e.g. the maintenance notice I posted when we did the updates to the plugins web site.
4. The landing page in QGIS is not harmonious with the branding of our web site - I wish it conveyed the same 'feel' as QGIS.org some how.
5. The landing page does not provide any outbound link to QGIS.org
6. The landing page does not provide any incentive to donate / fund QGIS
7. The landing page does not provide any acknowledgement of our sustaining members

⚠️ I am aware that panels can be resized etc. but most users just use what we give them.

I know some of the items in my problems list may not be desireable to all but hear me out and we can discard ideas that are not palatable.

🌿 Ecosystem: What other projects do

Inkscape

Blender

Libre office

Straight to business...

🍏 Solution: Brand align and improve the UX

It would be better if we could either simply support links in the new item or have a button that takes you to the URL associated with the story.

[timlinux]

My Draw.io diagram above in case you want to propose a tweak.

QGISLandingExperience.zip

[ptitjano]

@timlinux Thanks for raising this issue.

FYI, LibreOffice does have a landing page:

[lbartoletti]

I love using beautiful tools, but, like many “ core ” devs, I suck when it comes to making interfaces. So I won't be able to help you.
However, I really appreciate this initiative and support you in making QGIS more beautiful!

[ptitjano]

Here is a screenshot from the Godot project:

An ongoing discussion in the GIMP project: https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/GIMP/Design/gimp-ux/-/issues/144
It includes some mockups