[tor-bugs] #3590 [Website]: torproject.org/download is very confusing

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#3590: torproject.org/download is very confusing
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 Reporter:  cypherpunks  |          Owner:  phobos  
     Type:  defect       |         Status:  accepted
 Priority:  normal       |      Milestone:          
Component:  Website      |        Version:          
 Keywords:               |         Parent:          
   Points:               |   Actualpoints:          
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Comment(by jmtodaro):

 Replying to [comment:23 cypherpunks]:


 > Since download-easy addresses the need for a short and simple primary
 page, the question is whether sectioning by platform on the full page is
 necessary or helpful. Almost all packages will be available on the top
 three platforms, so repeating them in three sections complicates
 maintainence and greatly lengthens the expanded page. The language
 pulldown menu is great. Why not handle platform selection with a nearby
 pulldown also?

 I agree that since the 'all downloads' page is no longer the default, then
 we should not try to detect the os on it. I also agree that sectioning by
 package rather than os probably makes more sense in this case. I was not
 aware that we were going to switch to the 'download-easy' page by default.
 Had I known I would have built the 'all downloads' page with this in mind.

 I would love to use a pulldown for platform selection, but the problem is
 that this functionality will not work for users without javascript
 enabled. If we do not care about supporting users without javascript, then
 it should be quite doable. Alternatively, I can look into a server side
 solution, but I don't think the page would be any easier to maintain or
 translate if it is generated with python or whatnot.


 > Also, if an accordion remains, many users would appreciate an "Expand
 All" button, which needn't consume much space.

 If we agree to re-sort and get rid of os detection on the 'all downloads'
 page, I don't think the accordion would really be necessary anymore. This
 really only made sense when it was the default download page.

 > A similar issue applies to the download-easy page (#3926). There should
 be no need to have an expanded page with three packages that are identical
 except for platform. Just a single download button with platform and
 language pulldowns. Once you have a vertically short layout like that,
 there's no need for the other visual duplication: the colored warning bar
 on top.

 You would only see the expanded version if you do not have javascript
 enabled. If javascript is enabled then os detection will ensure you see
 only the one for the detected os. (per the 'javascript-enabled' image). We
 can do a single section with pulldowns only if a.) we do not care about
 supporting users without javascript or b.) are willing to implement &
 maintain a potentially complicated server-side solution.

 I'm pretty sure we probably want to keep the colored warning bar on both
 pages, but I would like to move the full list of warnings to it's own page
 so it can be linked to from both 'download-easy' & 'all downloads'. No
 need to duplicate it in both places. We could then maybe use the freed up
 space on 'download-easy' for a small section linking to alpha and
 experimental versions?

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/3590#comment:24>
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