[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:25 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?

 Currently I'm handling it by simply not displaying it for users without
 javascript. All of the translated packages are still available on the TBB
 project page.

 > 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.

 I'm certainly open to requiring javascript, as it would simplify my job
 tremendously. However I am under the impression that we want to retain
 some level of compatibility with javascript 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.

 A server-side solution certainly isn't my favorite option.

 > 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.

 I'm not sure if you are referring to language pulldowns or platform
 pulldowns here. We didn't link every language on the main download page
 before, they've always been available on the TBB project page. I added it
 as an extra feature because I thought it would be helpful, but it was not
 a requirement.

 > 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.

 By "sectioning by package" I mean instead of Windows, Linux, & Mac
 sections, we use TBB, Vidalia, & Expert sections (for instance), with the
 platform-specific versions listed within.

 I am in agreement about the accordion; it is only really useful if the
 'all downloads' page is the default download page, as I was led to believe
 it would be.

 > 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.

 I disagree, the full list is currently being linked elsewhere from the
 current semi-broken 'download-easy' page. What's the difference if it is
 linked to from both pages? Just having it on the page doesn't force the
 visitor to read it, it just adds to the confusion and clutters up the
 page. The bright yellow warning at the top of the page should emphasize
 the critical nature of this information. Those who are interested will
 click the link to read the full list of warnings. I agree that the full
 text could be cleaned up & made a bit friendlier, but my opinion is that
 enough information is there to warrant its own page.

 > 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.

 The 'Advanced Choices' currently on the page is a remnant from the last
 time that page was worked on. That page has existed for some time, but I
 was told it wasn't ready to go live, so it has not been updated. At all.
 It has actually been visually broken a bit by the updating of the 'all
 downloads' page.

 That's why I was a bit shocked that we switched to it right after I had
 just finished making the 'all downloads' page (which was the default
 download page at the time this ticket was opened) less confusing. This is
 also why I suggested we go back to the properly working 'all downloads'
 page as default until I can give 'download-easy' some attention. Please
 note that 'Advanced Choices' is not included in my mockup here (#3926).
 Any further discussion/suggestions specifically regarding the download-
 easy page belongs in that thread. I wish we would not have switched to
 'download-easy' at least until this ticket (#3590) was fully closed.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/3590#comment:26>
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