GNU bug report logs - #22546
Download-Page is "hiding" what the options actually are

Previous Next

Full log

Message #16 received at 22546 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Mathieu Lirzin <mthl <at> gnu.org>
To: Robin Vobruba <mls.robin.vobruba <at> gmail.com>
Cc: ludo <at> gnu.org, 22546 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#22546: Download-Page is "hiding" what the options actually are
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2016 10:10:35 +0100

Robin Vobruba <mls.robin.vobruba <at> gmail.com> writes:

> Being new to Guix, i went to the Download page:
> https://www.gnu.org/software/guix/download/
>
> immediately saw the 3 big options
> read their title/names
> was confused what the difference might be between "GuixSD" and "Guix
> Binary"
> could not find anything inside these 3 option's boxes that would help
> me
> read the text below them
> read the text above them
> finally understood that the first option is the OS, and the second is
> only the packag-manager
>
> i think that the first option should have a title saying "Operating
> System install medium" or the like, and the second "Package-Manager
> for arbitrary Linux".
> nobody is going to read a small, regular text formatted, two lines
> long paragraph on a download page, but this is very crucial
> information for everyone that gets there.

I would not say that the options are hidden, however I agree that there
is room for improving the clarity of the different possible choices.
For example, by having more distinctive graphics for the different
options.  OTOH, I don't think this is a priority giving the current
state of Guix development.  As Ludo said, Guix and GuixSD are relatively
involving in regards of users' attention and patience, by requiring
reading some documentation.

Maybe a small improvement could be to emphasize the terms “GNU/Linux
distribution” and/or “operating system” for GuixSD.

What about replacing these?

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
As of version 0.9.0, the Guix System Distribution can be installed...
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

  “As of version 0.9.0, the Guix System Distribution (GuixSD) is an
  incarnation of the GNU operating system which can be installed...”

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
USB installer of the Guix System Distribution.
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

  “USB installer of the GNU/Linux Guix System Distribution.”


Ludo: is the terminology correct?  are these changes acceptable?

--
Mathieu Lirzin

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.