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From: Jason Dillon <jason@planet57.com>
To: dev@geronimo.apache.org
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Subject: Re: Download link on the main page
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 23:46:06 +0700
References: <5294C098-630D-4652-AE3C-47A0D0D0952B@planet57.com>
 <4938066B.5080907@earthlink.net>
Sender: Jason Dillon <jason.dillon@gmail.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
>