More descriptive "Profile" area

[feathertail]

Title:
More descriptive "Profile" area

Area:
profile

Summary:
I don't mean the "User Info" page. I mean the "Profile" section of your journal, which (right now) is surprisingly sparse.

Description:
Okay ... take a look at any Twitter page. In the upper-right hand corner you've got a name, a location, a website link (which is actually labeled as such) and a 140-character bio, plus icons for people he/she is following. They don't call this section a profile, but it gives you a good idea of who you're dealing with.

Here on Dreamwidth, pretty much every journal has a section that's labeled "Profile," but all it is is your name and userpic. On hover, your userpic displays a link called "Profile" which actually takes you to (your journal).dreamwidth.org/profile, so apparently you've got to click on a link in your profile in order to see your profile!

Besides that is a personal link, which is not labeled as such and which may or may not actually look like a link depending on your journal's style. Finally, we have a few buttons for watching and things, which are nice but aren't informative or profile-y.

I think if we're going to have a "Profile" sidebar widget, it ought to be informative, instead of leaving our readers thinking we just left it blank. (And in my case, wondering why I'm named "Tachyon Feathertail Become Your Fursona.")

Specific ideas:
* A quick blurb with a "Read more ... " link that takes you to the bio section of your User Info page
* A note like "Web:" to indicate the personal link's nature
* A custom field -- see what DW'ers come up with!

Poll #3458 More descriptive "Profile" area

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 42

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
11 (26.2%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
3 (7.1%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
21 (50.0%)

(I have no opinion)
6 (14.3%)

(Other: please comment)
1 (2.4%)

Comments

[saekhwa]

The suggestion confuses me, because under 'Customize Journal Style,' there is a module that can be added called 'Custom Text.' I'm not sure how many characters are permitted, but to me, it sounds like this is what's being requested? Or perhaps I'm misunderstanding.

[ratcreature]

Yes that's what I thought too. You already have a custom text field of decent size that you can title whatever you want if you need it, and your website is already linked too. I like that the text it is freeform now and not the 140 character length of a "tweet".