[tor-bugs] #17413 [Website]: Usability of MacOS installation process

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#17413: Usability of MacOS installation process
-------------------------+-------------------------------------------------
     Reporter:           |      Owner:  Sebastian
  cypherpunks            |     Status:  new
         Type:           |  Milestone:
  enhancement            |    Version:
     Priority:  Medium   |   Keywords:  ux, usability, documentation,
    Component:  Website  |  install
     Severity:  Normal   |  Parent ID:
Actual Points:           |    Sponsor:
       Points:           |
-------------------------+-------------------------------------------------
 Usability of MacOS installation process

 Consequence: User is unable to verify package signature

 Steps to reproduce:

  1. Download Tor browser

  2. Go to https://www.torproject.org/docs/verifying-signatures.html.en for
 instructions.

  3. Read the block of text for MacOS and Linux.

  4. Follow the link at the bottom of that section to:

 https://www.gnupg.org/documentation/

  5. Struggle with the information on that page.

  6. Try to go to the SourceForge link there for GPG Mac download.

 uBlock Origin blockade: uBlock Origin has prevented the following page
 from loading:http://macgpg.sourceforge.net/

 Because of the following filter

 || sourceforge.net^$other^ ||

 Found in: uBlock filters – Badware risks

  7. Give up.

 ----
 What should have happened:

 Follow the GPGTools link at the top of the Tor page's Mac/Linux
 instruction block.
 https://www.torproject.org/docs/verifying-signatures.html.en

 ----
 Suggested fixes:

  * Divide the MacOS instructions from the Linux instructions.

  * Add numbers to the procedures... something like this, for the MacOS:

  1. Download Tor Browser and save the signature.asc to your Desktop.
  1. Download and install GPGTools.
  1. Open a Terminal window  (Terminal is in /Applications/Utilities or
 find it with search)
  1. Paste the following into the terminal: [... ...]

   ...adding links appropriately in the procedure

  * Use link colors to help people visually scan through the pages. Take
 advantage of the human tendency to skim over text and just read the bold,
 colored stuff:

   -Use a color with better contrast against black (the green is wonderful
 but too dark for good contrast)
   -Include more keywords in links

  * Related installation issue that probably belongs somewhere else:

   Opening the DMG and installing the Tor Browser: The application file
 shows a file modification date of Dec 31, 1999, so it's difficult to know
 whether the downloaded one is newer than one I have already.
   No version number is in the file name.
   Get Info (cmd-I) (which not every Mac user knows about) does show a
 version number, and it also shows the file has a creation date of Dec 31,
 2000, which is before the mod date. The weird dates might cause version
 control issues but are also likely to worry people who see them.

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/17413>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
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