FCT
New FCT site

About the new FCT site

The last great upgrade of the FCT site goes back to April 2002. This new version aims to be a transition version that, besides supporting the objectives stated at that time,

  • Ease of use for the most common types of users.
  • Fast content access.
  • Adequate content structure.
  • Reading and navigation ease.
  • Modern and clear design.

also clears the path for a new paradigm incorporating the additional requirements felt since then:

  • Standard compliant HTML and CSS code allowing easy support of the new generation of web browsers without complicated workarounds.
  • Strengthening but also simplifying the FCT procedures for content update to prevent the existence of content isles of difficult maintenance.
  • Bilingual support (portuguese and english) in a systematic fashion with option setting in a transparent way.
  • Introduction of additional graphical elements, made possible thanks to the availability of considerably higher internet access speeds, to obtain a livelier site and simultaneously present a visual record of Portuguese Science in recent years.
  • Separation of the web infrastructure dealing with public calls and online evaluations.
  • Overhaul of accessibility requirements.

Transition period

During a transition period, starting in November 2007 and expected to end in 2008, parts of the new site will redirect to the old site and vice versa allowing for a gradual and safe transition period. This way there will a minimum of information unavailable and only for brief periods.

Recommended browsers

We suggest the use of Firefox 2.0 (or later) or Internet Explorer 7.0 (or later) although we expect that current versions, or not so current but still popular, of Firefox, Mozilla, Internet Explorer, Opera or Safari should mostly work in a correct manner. We should stress that ancient versions such as Internet Explorer 5.5 (or previous) or Netscape 6.0 (or previous) are not supported (meaning you will notice anomalies but will not be stopped from browsing the site and that we will not fix such anomalies). The site home page detects the browser being used and issues relevant recommendations.

Bilingual support

The FCT site now provides translations into English of most of its pages. To switch between Portuguese and English use the PT | EN link in the top right hand corner of the page.

The site refrains from presenting translations of Portuguese legal documents at the Law or Decree-Law level. Nevertheless some regulations and norms are translated for the convenience for our international users. Legal value rests solely with the Portuguese version.

Technical Standards

HTML and CSS

Pages with the new look and feel usually satisfy XHTML 1.0 and CSS 2.1.

Accessibility

The FCT site, in what pertains to the pages of the version introduced on November 27, 2007 (available from alfa.fct.mctes.pt and with a design similar to this page), should satisfy without particular effort Priority 1 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 from W3C as required by Resolução de Conselho de Ministros 155/2007. Conversion of all the web pages inherited from the old site should solve most remaining accessibility problems. More details about this process are available in the acessibility page.

RSS

On an experimental basis the site has started to provide information using RSS 2.0 with such links identified by the symbol.

Photographs

The site is illustrated by photo sets whose common theme is Science and Technology in Portugal, or by Portuguese, through the eyes of the researchers. The default set, which is also systematically used in some inner pages, comes from the MCTES collection and its author is Luísa Ferreira. In the home page the four randomly chosen photos are used to illustrate some scientific community activity FCT considers of special importance. Details about this collection are available through the Focus on... page. The first of these collections to be deployed concerns the International Polar Year.

FCT is looking for other photo collections to use for the same purpose. Interested parties should contact webmaster@fct.mctes.pt.

Quotations on Science

There are scientific areas which can be illustrated with a photograph but that is not always the case. In part to compensate this shortcoming, a random quote on science appears on the site web pages. The initial selection (minus 2) was made by Jorge Buescu.