[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):

 >For javascript users, the full page would indeed be better with pulldowns
 for both language and platform, so there would be no need to duplicate the
 listings per platform. For non-javascript users, the pulldowns can be
 suppressed and a table of text links for the platform X language matrix
 displayed instead. Not pretty, but it would be only backup functionality
 for those users and would still avoid the need to maintain and list
 distinct packages by platform that don't provide any different
 functionality.

 This sounds like a reasonable solution to me. I particularly like
 rransom's suggestion: "The packages could be listed in a table, with
 platforms as columns and languages as rows."

 However, this would not avoid the need to maintain the full list, as even
 though it isn't always displayed, it will still exist within the page and
 be displayed under certain circumstances. We would actually need to
 maintain both the table layout and the javascript code controlling the
 dropdown menus. I think I can minimize this maintenance with efficient
 usage of the wml 'define-tag' and/or includes. But addition/removal of
 packages, etc. will need to be manually done in both areas.

 If we want to keep maintenance the simplest, we should consider just a
 straight table based layout for the full page. Seeing as how it isn't the
 primary download page any longer, the need to make it pretty is less
 important in my opinion. Also, the scary, million package, table-based
 listing could be a good thing in a way, as it will encourage the less
 knowledgeable folks to just use TBB.

 As for the proposed primary download page (download-easy), I still think
 that the way my current draft is intended to function will be the way to
 go. If javascript is disabled, we can simply display an 'Other Languages'
 link that goes to the relevant section on the proposed full page (with
 packages organized into tables) instead of the dropdown.

 >I appreciate the fact that the warnings are long and duplicated but
 remain uncomfortable requiring users to click to see them. It's almost
 certain that they aren't “interested” in them. Unfortunately some
 inconvenient education is a requirement. For me this is a secondary issue
 on these pages; to others it might be more critical.

 I stand by my opinion on this matter. However, I agree to go with whatever
 the general consensus may be.

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/3590#comment:29>
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