GMNext: Hot or Not?
So GM wants to "spark a broader, global discussion" about the issues bedeviling The General. GMNext is their answer to the question how do we accept questions without [necessarily] providing answers? I'm no web designer (cough), but I like the look of the thing, and hey, it IS open source. Others in the biz aren't so sure. This from commentator filbrand on Slashdot: "The site is ugly. It looks like the marketing guys got into the buzz of Web 2.0 and told their Windows programmers that they wanted that for their site. The result? A .NET site with WordPress knee-jerked inside. The site (as most of .NET crap) doesn't even validate [w3.org]. Even the blog, based on WordPress, must have been so messed up that it doesn't validate [w3.org] either. And what an awful theme! Where do these guys get their webdesigners from? Although I think they still have a lot to learn about using open source, I have to applaud at least their try. Although it's one step back, it's two forward. :-)." TTAC's best and brightest, what say you?
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I must be getting old. I have trouble reading the print on GMNext. If they are going to make it difficult for me, I'll just find another way to spend my time.
I think it's great that the GM fanboys have a new place to hang out and stroke Maximum Bob. Seriously, let's start with the "Question of the Day:" "Do you think automakers need legislation that requires them to adhere to stricter fuel economy standards?" There's a question that's perfectly meaningless in yes/no form. I think it's a sad commentary that they appear to need it; I think oil dependence and environmental issues require immediate action. CAFE is the wrong way to go about it but that's all we've got in the short run. As for the site concept, it looks like yet another venue for showcasing cars they don't build, don't know how to build and probably aren't as good as cars currently available from other manufacturers. What's the problem they're trying to address here? That the millions they've spent on TV ads featuring the Volt aren't enough to firmly impress GM into the national consciousness as America's Hi-Tech Automaker? People see the Prius out on the street and come to the erroneous conclusion that Toyota's got the technical lead? When we get to "Stories" am I supposed to be happy they're developing lots of high-value jobs offshore? A while back Phil Ressler went on at length about high-value jobs we needed to keep. Phil, can you read the handwriting on the wall, here? GM doesn't need this web site but there's no point telling them that.
And, from a web design perspective, the site needs improvement. I click to "Stories," then click a picture to see a particular story and all I get are a couple of lines and... I have to click another link to read the rest? Lame. I already clicked to indicate I was interested; show me the story.
Katie: I saw this on a couple of Web pages (while looking for other info), here's one I found: http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSL2866542720070503 Hope this works! The other page that I read mentioned that the Next-Gen Astra would be built in three other European plants (I believe one in Sweeden), but not Antwerp.