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Posted to dev@geronimo.apache.org by Jason Dillon <ja...@planet57.com> on 2008/12/04 17:25:35 UTC
Download link on the main page
I think that the main G page ( http://geronimo.apache.org/ ) is
missing a rather large nice looking "Download" button. I think it
would fit really nicely under the big G logo.
IMO it would be good if this link took you directly to the latest
releases download page, that being here right now:
http://geronimo.apache.org/apache-geronimo-v213-release.html
And somewhat related the "Java EE 5 Certified" section for downloads
seems a bit crunched up the by text on the right. I've got a 30"
display and a*reasonable* size browser screen and it still is hard to
read.
I'd like to see that "Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 have passed..." text
below the table, above "Download Sample ..." which should really help:
* * *
Anyways, its not like its hard to find Downloads, then under Latest
Release -> Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 Release...
Its just that it seems like the *norm* for sites to include that big-
ass overpowering "Download" button on the first page that users see to
take them directly to the page where they get the good stuff.
Also, somewhat related... might confuse some users as to which
distribution they should download... TAR or ZIP? Jetty or Tomcat...
JavaEE or Little... wtf... which one... okay screw it I'll go look at...
I know a lot of us know how to find what we want... and IMO the site
is tailored to that (short of the icky formatting noted above, I had
to read the thing a few times to find the right dist). But is the
site really for you or me? ie.... non-average joes (and no plumber
comments here please)? I don't think it is... the main goal besides
providing a consistent navigable informative experience is to make it
fricken simple for anyone to quickly grab a copy of G and play with it.
IMO the site right now doesn't do that... but I'd like to see it. Say
I'm a virgin user, heard about this cool free G-thing... so I go hit
the website. I really don't care about *anything* short of how do I
download the *right* version, install it and start to play with it, so
I can then go to my boss and say hey look at this cool stuff we can use.
* * *
Basically, if we can make a Download button on the main page, which
takes the user to an uber simple page with the link to the dist they
want, it could help a lot. That page should have a link to the
suggested download, and then a page to the current release page in
case they want more options.
Can't decide if its jetty or tomcat? Well make it random them, cause
they both work the same... but IMO the added option just confuses
people. After they understand more by playing with it they will get
that the web stuff is pluggable or they won't care and keep using
whatever we suggested (randomly) for them.
* * *
Confluence driven site does present some issues here, but we can
create a custom usermacro to handle so Its definitely possible.
Okay... me shuts up now... hope y'all didn't tune out... I think this
is important, even though my ranting style might be hard for some to
grok.
:-\
--jason
Re: Download link on the main page
Posted by Jason Dillon <ja...@planet57.com>.
I've updated the site to show this better, cause the image I posted is
only on the confluence site (missing the skin):
http://cwiki.apache.org/GMOxSITE/apache-geronimo-v213-release.html
Its defs more readable...
--jason
On Dec 4, 2008, at 11:25 PM, Jason Dillon wrote:
> I think that the main G page ( http://geronimo.apache.org/ ) is
> missing a rather large nice looking "Download" button. I think it
> would fit really nicely under the big G logo.
>
> IMO it would be good if this link took you directly to the latest
> releases download page, that being here right now:
>
> http://geronimo.apache.org/apache-geronimo-v213-release.html
>
> And somewhat related the "Java EE 5 Certified" section for downloads
> seems a bit crunched up the by text on the right. I've got a 30"
> display and a*reasonable* size browser screen and it still is hard
> to read.
>
> I'd like to see that "Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 have passed..." text
> below the table, above "Download Sample ..." which should really help:
>
> <snip2.tiff>
>
> * * *
>
> Anyways, its not like its hard to find Downloads, then under Latest
> Release -> Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 Release...
>
> Its just that it seems like the *norm* for sites to include that big-
> ass overpowering "Download" button on the first page that users see
> to take them directly to the page where they get the good stuff.
>
> Also, somewhat related... might confuse some users as to which
> distribution they should download... TAR or ZIP? Jetty or Tomcat...
> JavaEE or Little... wtf... which one... okay screw it I'll go look
> at...
>
> I know a lot of us know how to find what we want... and IMO the site
> is tailored to that (short of the icky formatting noted above, I had
> to read the thing a few times to find the right dist). But is the
> site really for you or me? ie.... non-average joes (and no plumber
> comments here please)? I don't think it is... the main goal besides
> providing a consistent navigable informative experience is to make
> it fricken simple for anyone to quickly grab a copy of G and play
> with it.
>
> IMO the site right now doesn't do that... but I'd like to see it.
> Say I'm a virgin user, heard about this cool free G-thing... so I go
> hit the website. I really don't care about *anything* short of how
> do I download the *right* version, install it and start to play with
> it, so I can then go to my boss and say hey look at this cool stuff
> we can use.
>
> * * *
>
> Basically, if we can make a Download button on the main page, which
> takes the user to an uber simple page with the link to the dist they
> want, it could help a lot. That page should have a link to the
> suggested download, and then a page to the current release page in
> case they want more options.
>
> Can't decide if its jetty or tomcat? Well make it random them,
> cause they both work the same... but IMO the added option just
> confuses people. After they understand more by playing with it they
> will get that the web stuff is pluggable or they won't care and keep
> using whatever we suggested (randomly) for them.
>
> * * *
>
> Confluence driven site does present some issues here, but we can
> create a custom usermacro to handle so Its definitely possible.
>
> Okay... me shuts up now... hope y'all didn't tune out... I think
> this is important, even though my ranting style might be hard for
> some to grok.
>
> :-\
>
> --jason
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Re: Download link on the main page
Posted by Jason Dillon <ja...@planet57.com>.
Based on the current site, I'd suggest a nice big fancy rounded/
shadowed "Download" button under the G logo, in say green (make it
stand out but not ugly). The box would work, but we''d have to
replace the G logo, as the combination would be unaesthetic... er ugly.
I don't quite understand to the "Tooling" and "Docs" comment from
looking that the link... but I do like the directory projects "green"
for our "Download" link ;-)
But I think we are on the same page... make the site much, much, much
easier for casual folks to actually find the bits they are interested
in and download them, while still providing the indepth information
that you and I expect to find on a project webpage.
--jason
On Dec 5, 2008, at 12:05 AM, Donald Woods wrote:
> Agree that we need a more prominent "Download" graphic/button on the
> home page. Maybe using the Box logo and adding "Download Now" text
> under the existing "Apache Geronimo" text would suffice.
>
> Also, I've been thinking that we need similar "Tooling" and "Docs"
> graphics. Sort of like the Apache DS project has -
> http://directory.apache.org/
>
>
> -Donald
>
>
> Jason Dillon wrote:
>> I think that the current download link is fine for more savvy
>> folks. So defs leave that there.
>> However I think that we should add a new big-ass download button
>> under the big-ass G logo saying "Download" which takes you to a
>> page that *picks* the latest distribution for you to download (with
>> not much else on the page), sans some links to how to use it, and a
>> link to the current download page for more download options.
>> The current link in the side-nav is not predominate, so it may
>> cause some users some searching to find it, smart ones finding it
>> sooner than others... but even I was like where is the download
>> link earlier today when I needed the latest G dist to test with. I
>> found it shortly, but thats me... from looking at other sites,
>> javaee and really other tools, a lot of them have a big-ass simple
>> to find "Download" or "Download Me Now" button, so the brain
>> doesn't have to work... just click.
>> I wrote this email because we are lacking that "feature"... it
>> should be simple to add it and its to the groups benefit...
>> I'm trying to think like someone who hasn't been in open-source for
>> years and years, dug the net for rpms, recompiled kernels with
>> patches I've found on nntp... more like if I told my mom about G,
>> could she figure it out with out an hour long skype conference?
>> Okay, probably not... but right now I'd probably still need to have
>> a 30m chat to explain the download link and the difference between
>> javaee/little-g/frame+jetty/tomcat... er shit, okay bad example
>> cause that would still take me a long as time to explain to my
>> mom... but you get my drift?
>> --jason
>> On Dec 4, 2008, at 11:33 PM, Joe Bohn wrote:
>>> Are you proposing this "in addition to" or "instead of" the
>>> current Downloads link under Overview on the left?
>>>
>>> If we do add or replace the link I think it should continue to
>>> point to the overall download page: http://geronimo.apache.org/downloads.html
>>>
>>> Joe
>>>
>>> Jason Dillon wrote:
>>>> I think that the main G page ( http://geronimo.apache.org/ ) is
>>>> missing a rather large nice looking "Download" button. I think
>>>> it would fit really nicely under the big G logo.
>>>> IMO it would be good if this link took you directly to the latest
>>>> releases download page, that being here right now:
>>>> http://geronimo.apache.org/apache-geronimo-v213-release.html
>>>> And somewhat related the "Java EE 5 Certified" section for
>>>> downloads seems a bit crunched up the by text on the right. I've
>>>> got a 30" display and a*reasonable* size browser screen and it
>>>> still is hard to read.
>>>> I'd like to see that "Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 have passed..." text
>>>> below the table, above "Download Sample ..." which should really
>>>> help:
>>>> * * *
>>>> Anyways, its not like its hard to find Downloads, then under
>>>> Latest Release -> Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 Release...
>>>> Its just that it seems like the *norm* for sites to include that
>>>> big-ass overpowering "Download" button on the first page that
>>>> users see to take them directly to the page where they get the
>>>> good stuff.
>>>> Also, somewhat related... might confuse some users as to which
>>>> distribution they should download... TAR or ZIP? Jetty or
>>>> Tomcat... JavaEE or Little... wtf... which one... okay screw it
>>>> I'll go look at...
>>>> I know a lot of us know how to find what we want... and IMO the
>>>> site is tailored to that (short of the icky formatting noted
>>>> above, I had to read the thing a few times to find the right
>>>> dist). But is the site really for you or me? ie.... non-
>>>> average joes (and no plumber comments here please)? I don't
>>>> think it is... the main goal besides providing a consistent
>>>> navigable informative experience is to make it fricken simple for
>>>> anyone to quickly grab a copy of G and play with it.
>>>> IMO the site right now doesn't do that... but I'd like to see
>>>> it. Say I'm a virgin user, heard about this cool free G-thing...
>>>> so I go hit the website. I really don't care about *anything*
>>>> short of how do I download the *right* version, install it and
>>>> start to play with it, so I can then go to my boss and say hey
>>>> look at this cool stuff we can use.
>>>> * * *
>>>> Basically, if we can make a Download button on the main page,
>>>> which takes the user to an uber simple page with the link to the
>>>> dist they want, it could help a lot. That page should have a
>>>> link to the suggested download, and then a page to the current
>>>> release page in case they want more options.
>>>> Can't decide if its jetty or tomcat? Well make it random them,
>>>> cause they both work the same... but IMO the added option just
>>>> confuses people. After they understand more by playing with it
>>>> they will get that the web stuff is pluggable or they won't care
>>>> and keep using whatever we suggested (randomly) for them.
>>>> * * *
>>>> Confluence driven site does present some issues here, but we can
>>>> create a custom usermacro to handle so Its definitely possible.
>>>> Okay... me shuts up now... hope y'all didn't tune out... I think
>>>> this is important, even though my ranting style might be hard for
>>>> some to grok.
>>>> :-\
>>>> --jason
>>>
Re: Download link on the main page
Posted by Donald Woods <dw...@apache.org>.
Agree that we need a more prominent "Download" graphic/button on the
home page. Maybe using the Box logo and adding "Download Now" text
under the existing "Apache Geronimo" text would suffice.
Also, I've been thinking that we need similar "Tooling" and "Docs"
graphics. Sort of like the Apache DS project has -
http://directory.apache.org/
-Donald
Jason Dillon wrote:
> I think that the current download link is fine for more savvy folks. So
> defs leave that there.
>
> However I think that we should add a new big-ass download button under
> the big-ass G logo saying "Download" which takes you to a page that
> *picks* the latest distribution for you to download (with not much else
> on the page), sans some links to how to use it, and a link to the
> current download page for more download options.
>
> The current link in the side-nav is not predominate, so it may cause
> some users some searching to find it, smart ones finding it sooner than
> others... but even I was like where is the download link earlier today
> when I needed the latest G dist to test with. I found it shortly, but
> thats me... from looking at other sites, javaee and really other tools,
> a lot of them have a big-ass simple to find "Download" or "Download Me
> Now" button, so the brain doesn't have to work... just click.
>
> I wrote this email because we are lacking that "feature"... it should be
> simple to add it and its to the groups benefit...
>
> I'm trying to think like someone who hasn't been in open-source for
> years and years, dug the net for rpms, recompiled kernels with patches
> I've found on nntp... more like if I told my mom about G, could she
> figure it out with out an hour long skype conference? Okay, probably
> not... but right now I'd probably still need to have a 30m chat to
> explain the download link and the difference between
> javaee/little-g/frame+jetty/tomcat... er shit, okay bad example cause
> that would still take me a long as time to explain to my mom... but you
> get my drift?
>
> --jason
>
>
> On Dec 4, 2008, at 11:33 PM, Joe Bohn wrote:
>
>> Are you proposing this "in addition to" or "instead of" the current
>> Downloads link under Overview on the left?
>>
>> If we do add or replace the link I think it should continue to point
>> to the overall download page: http://geronimo.apache.org/downloads.html
>>
>> Joe
>>
>> Jason Dillon wrote:
>>> I think that the main G page ( http://geronimo.apache.org/ ) is
>>> missing a rather large nice looking "Download" button. I think it
>>> would fit really nicely under the big G logo.
>>> IMO it would be good if this link took you directly to the latest
>>> releases download page, that being here right now:
>>> http://geronimo.apache.org/apache-geronimo-v213-release.html
>>> And somewhat related the "Java EE 5 Certified" section for downloads
>>> seems a bit crunched up the by text on the right. I've got a 30"
>>> display and a*reasonable* size browser screen and it still is hard to
>>> read.
>>> I'd like to see that "Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 have passed..." text
>>> below the table, above "Download Sample ..." which should really help:
>>> * * *
>>> Anyways, its not like its hard to find Downloads, then under Latest
>>> Release -> Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 Release...
>>> Its just that it seems like the *norm* for sites to include that
>>> big-ass overpowering "Download" button on the first page that users
>>> see to take them directly to the page where they get the good stuff.
>>> Also, somewhat related... might confuse some users as to which
>>> distribution they should download... TAR or ZIP? Jetty or Tomcat...
>>> JavaEE or Little... wtf... which one... okay screw it I'll go look at...
>>> I know a lot of us know how to find what we want... and IMO the site
>>> is tailored to that (short of the icky formatting noted above, I had
>>> to read the thing a few times to find the right dist). But is the
>>> site really for you or me? ie.... non-average joes (and no plumber
>>> comments here please)? I don't think it is... the main goal besides
>>> providing a consistent navigable informative experience is to make it
>>> fricken simple for anyone to quickly grab a copy of G and play with it.
>>> IMO the site right now doesn't do that... but I'd like to see it.
>>> Say I'm a virgin user, heard about this cool free G-thing... so I go
>>> hit the website. I really don't care about *anything* short of how
>>> do I download the *right* version, install it and start to play with
>>> it, so I can then go to my boss and say hey look at this cool stuff
>>> we can use.
>>> * * *
>>> Basically, if we can make a Download button on the main page, which
>>> takes the user to an uber simple page with the link to the dist they
>>> want, it could help a lot. That page should have a link to the
>>> suggested download, and then a page to the current release page in
>>> case they want more options.
>>> Can't decide if its jetty or tomcat? Well make it random them, cause
>>> they both work the same... but IMO the added option just confuses
>>> people. After they understand more by playing with it they will get
>>> that the web stuff is pluggable or they won't care and keep using
>>> whatever we suggested (randomly) for them.
>>> * * *
>>> Confluence driven site does present some issues here, but we can
>>> create a custom usermacro to handle so Its definitely possible.
>>> Okay... me shuts up now... hope y'all didn't tune out... I think this
>>> is important, even though my ranting style might be hard for some to
>>> grok.
>>> :-\
>>> --jason
>>
>
>
Re: Download link on the main page
Posted by Jason Dillon <ja...@planet57.com>.
I think that the current download link is fine for more savvy folks.
So defs leave that there.
However I think that we should add a new big-ass download button under
the big-ass G logo saying "Download" which takes you to a page that
*picks* the latest distribution for you to download (with not much
else on the page), sans some links to how to use it, and a link to the
current download page for more download options.
The current link in the side-nav is not predominate, so it may cause
some users some searching to find it, smart ones finding it sooner
than others... but even I was like where is the download link earlier
today when I needed the latest G dist to test with. I found it
shortly, but thats me... from looking at other sites, javaee and
really other tools, a lot of them have a big-ass simple to find
"Download" or "Download Me Now" button, so the brain doesn't have to
work... just click.
I wrote this email because we are lacking that "feature"... it should
be simple to add it and its to the groups benefit...
I'm trying to think like someone who hasn't been in open-source for
years and years, dug the net for rpms, recompiled kernels with patches
I've found on nntp... more like if I told my mom about G, could she
figure it out with out an hour long skype conference? Okay, probably
not... but right now I'd probably still need to have a 30m chat to
explain the download link and the difference between javaee/little-g/
frame+jetty/tomcat... er shit, okay bad example cause that would still
take me a long as time to explain to my mom... but you get my drift?
--jason
On Dec 4, 2008, at 11:33 PM, Joe Bohn wrote:
> Are you proposing this "in addition to" or "instead of" the current
> Downloads link under Overview on the left?
>
> If we do add or replace the link I think it should continue to point
> to the overall download page: http://geronimo.apache.org/downloads.html
>
> Joe
>
> Jason Dillon wrote:
>> I think that the main G page ( http://geronimo.apache.org/ ) is
>> missing a rather large nice looking "Download" button. I think it
>> would fit really nicely under the big G logo.
>> IMO it would be good if this link took you directly to the latest
>> releases download page, that being here right now:
>> http://geronimo.apache.org/apache-geronimo-v213-release.html
>> And somewhat related the "Java EE 5 Certified" section for
>> downloads seems a bit crunched up the by text on the right. I've
>> got a 30" display and a*reasonable* size browser screen and it
>> still is hard to read.
>> I'd like to see that "Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 have passed..." text
>> below the table, above "Download Sample ..." which should really
>> help:
>> * * *
>> Anyways, its not like its hard to find Downloads, then under Latest
>> Release -> Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 Release...
>> Its just that it seems like the *norm* for sites to include that
>> big-ass overpowering "Download" button on the first page that users
>> see to take them directly to the page where they get the good stuff.
>> Also, somewhat related... might confuse some users as to which
>> distribution they should download... TAR or ZIP? Jetty or
>> Tomcat... JavaEE or Little... wtf... which one... okay screw it
>> I'll go look at...
>> I know a lot of us know how to find what we want... and IMO the
>> site is tailored to that (short of the icky formatting noted above,
>> I had to read the thing a few times to find the right dist). But
>> is the site really for you or me? ie.... non-average joes (and no
>> plumber comments here please)? I don't think it is... the main
>> goal besides providing a consistent navigable informative
>> experience is to make it fricken simple for anyone to quickly grab
>> a copy of G and play with it.
>> IMO the site right now doesn't do that... but I'd like to see it.
>> Say I'm a virgin user, heard about this cool free G-thing... so I
>> go hit the website. I really don't care about *anything* short of
>> how do I download the *right* version, install it and start to play
>> with it, so I can then go to my boss and say hey look at this cool
>> stuff we can use.
>> * * *
>> Basically, if we can make a Download button on the main page, which
>> takes the user to an uber simple page with the link to the dist
>> they want, it could help a lot. That page should have a link to
>> the suggested download, and then a page to the current release page
>> in case they want more options.
>> Can't decide if its jetty or tomcat? Well make it random them,
>> cause they both work the same... but IMO the added option just
>> confuses people. After they understand more by playing with it
>> they will get that the web stuff is pluggable or they won't care
>> and keep using whatever we suggested (randomly) for them.
>> * * *
>> Confluence driven site does present some issues here, but we can
>> create a custom usermacro to handle so Its definitely possible.
>> Okay... me shuts up now... hope y'all didn't tune out... I think
>> this is important, even though my ranting style might be hard for
>> some to grok.
>> :-\
>> --jason
>
Re: Download link on the main page
Posted by Joe Bohn <jo...@earthlink.net>.
Are you proposing this "in addition to" or "instead of" the current
Downloads link under Overview on the left?
If we do add or replace the link I think it should continue to point to
the overall download page: http://geronimo.apache.org/downloads.html
Joe
Jason Dillon wrote:
> I think that the main G page ( http://geronimo.apache.org/ ) is missing
> a rather large nice looking "Download" button. I think it would fit
> really nicely under the big G logo.
>
> IMO it would be good if this link took you directly to the latest
> releases download page, that being here right now:
>
> http://geronimo.apache.org/apache-geronimo-v213-release.html
>
> And somewhat related the "Java EE 5 Certified" section for downloads
> seems a bit crunched up the by text on the right. I've got a 30"
> display and a*reasonable* size browser screen and it still is hard to read.
>
> I'd like to see that "Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 have passed..." text below
> the table, above "Download Sample ..." which should really help:
>
>
> * * *
>
> Anyways, its not like its hard to find Downloads, then under Latest
> Release -> Apache Geronimo v2.1.3 Release...
>
> Its just that it seems like the *norm* for sites to include that big-ass
> overpowering "Download" button on the first page that users see to take
> them directly to the page where they get the good stuff.
>
> Also, somewhat related... might confuse some users as to which
> distribution they should download... TAR or ZIP? Jetty or Tomcat...
> JavaEE or Little... wtf... which one... okay screw it I'll go look at...
>
> I know a lot of us know how to find what we want... and IMO the site is
> tailored to that (short of the icky formatting noted above, I had to
> read the thing a few times to find the right dist). But is the site
> really for you or me? ie.... non-average joes (and no plumber comments
> here please)? I don't think it is... the main goal besides providing a
> consistent navigable informative experience is to make it fricken simple
> for anyone to quickly grab a copy of G and play with it.
>
> IMO the site right now doesn't do that... but I'd like to see it. Say
> I'm a virgin user, heard about this cool free G-thing... so I go hit the
> website. I really don't care about *anything* short of how do I
> download the *right* version, install it and start to play with it, so I
> can then go to my boss and say hey look at this cool stuff we can use.
>
> * * *
>
> Basically, if we can make a Download button on the main page, which
> takes the user to an uber simple page with the link to the dist they
> want, it could help a lot. That page should have a link to the
> suggested download, and then a page to the current release page in case
> they want more options.
>
> Can't decide if its jetty or tomcat? Well make it random them, cause
> they both work the same... but IMO the added option just confuses
> people. After they understand more by playing with it they will get
> that the web stuff is pluggable or they won't care and keep using
> whatever we suggested (randomly) for them.
>
> * * *
>
> Confluence driven site does present some issues here, but we can create
> a custom usermacro to handle so Its definitely possible.
>
> Okay... me shuts up now... hope y'all didn't tune out... I think this is
> important, even though my ranting style might be hard for some to grok.
>
> :-\
>
> --jason
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>