[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 cypherpunks):

 From velope:

 Replying to [comment:24 jmtodaro]:

 My idea about handling platform selection was founded on handling language
 selection with a pulldown, as it currently appears on the full download
 page. Language selection is needed for TBB everywhere and for all packages
 containing Vidalia. How do you intend to handle language selection when
 javascript is disabled?

 I wish we could require that javascript be enabled, since the idea of
 torbutton is to make it reasonably safe. But of course new users come to
 the website without Tor, and the conservative ones could reasonably have
 it disabled.

 Server-side code would require coordination with the mirror sites, which,
 though underpublicized and underutilized, are an important tool, because
 the main website is censored.

 I wonder whether any further tricks with CSS are possible. Otherwise, if
 neither of the above requirements can be abandoned, it might be necessary
 to abandon pulldowns and go back to lots of text links, unfortunately.

 Not sure why you say "sectioning by package" for the full download page,
 since that sounds like one section per download button. I meant sectioning
 by development branch, i.e. stable, alpha, experimental (not sure of the
 exact count or terms). An accordion seems optional and perhaps handy for a
 long list, but it would have to be completely expanded by default, because
 we must avoid missing out on QA feedback from knowledgeable users because
 of not noticing the latest packages.

 The list of warnings is a critical element that shouldn't be on a separate
 linked page, I'm sad to say. That material represents the major
 misunderstandings and dangerous usages of Tor that we deal with every day.
 The text should be tightened, perhaps with more links to deeper details on
 other pages, but it probably can never be tiny.

 On the current download-easy page, the bottom text "Looking for something
 else? View All Downloads" seems just about perfect. I don't see any need
 for "Advanced Choices" to be detailed on this page.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/3590#comment:25>
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