Emphasize preferred package formats on platform download options

[MMachado05]

Under each of the operating system options, all the download files are sequentially listed seemingly arbitrarily. To less technically-savvy users, this may be a bit intimidating.

One way to alleviate this could be by having one, no more than two, immediately-visible "preferred" download methods, and a hidden drop-down menu for "other download options." If I knew how to use design software, I'd provide a prototype of what I'm thinking about, but I could always provide a pencil-and-paper drawing if need be!

[samuelwarang]

Can you elaborate on the design with some visuals ?

[MMachado05]

Not the prettiest, but as I mentioned, I'm no formal designer! The main points that I think can be improved upon are:

• Replacing the Downloads section with an obvious link to the developer's preferred format. We already know what downloads we're seeing based on the highlighted option a few pixels above.
• Using visuals and logos wherever possible. I take to using the conventional buttons that exist for some package managers, like the App Store one the current website already uses. Relatedly, some information where relevant for binary packages.
• Equally subdividing the "alternative downloads" sections per download category, such as binaries, package managers, and app stores. The extra whitespace on iOS is kind of distracting.

If anyone knows their way around a prototyping tool (i.e. PenPot), I'm sure a mockup would look much better than my sketch!

(The ellipsis just means "another download view, but I didn't want to bother drawing the whole thing again." I'm not suggesting we combine all the downloads onto one screen!)

[Michael-Obele]

As I mentioned in #37, this could easily be handled with dynamic routes, and it would open up opportunities like sharing specific links for devices. I don't even mind implementing it.

[MMachado05]

As I mentioned in #37, this could easily be handled with dynamic routes, and it would open up opportunities like sharing specific links for devices. I don't even mind implementing it.

Not knowing anything about @Tienisto's development workflow, I figure it wouldn't hurt to make a PR for it! I'm by no means a web dev, so I'd love to see what this looked like implemented!

[Michael-Obele]

However, for the time being, collapsing all other options into a simple dropdown will suffice. I will make a PR for this soon.

[MMachado05]

@Michael-Obele Not to pester, but any updates on the progress for that PR? I'm curious to see what this might look like in deployment!

[Michael-Obele]

@Michael-Obele Not to pester, but any updates on the progress for that PR? I'm curious to see what this might look like in deployment!

Hey, thanks for the ping, I totally forgot. I'll have something by tomorrow, and I'll have you take a look.

[Michael-Obele]

So hey, @MMachado05 When I checked out the website in it's current state, it covered most of your pain points. I believe what would be left is the whitespace on the iOS page and on the Android page. Is that right, and is there anything else I should be looking out for before I make the PR? Or is it okay just the way it is?

[MMachado05]

@Michael-Obele It seems like the website is the same as when I first made this Issue; my suggestions were specifically:

• Add a clear, obvious link to a single, or maybe two, preferred download formats for each platform, as shown in my mock-up (currently, this is not the case. For example, the Linux download instructions are kind of all over the place:) What this was needing, I thought, was a single clickable button to send you straight to the preferred download source. You can look at my original mock-up for my idea.)
• Organize all other download sources under the preferred download format as being "alternative downloads," ordered in equally subdivided columns for each category of download (i.e., native package managers, other app stores, executable binaries...)

As it stands, the current website, having been unchanged from when I made this issue, does not effectively accomplish these goals.

[Michael-Obele]

Okay @MMachado05 I think I understand what you mean; we're going to have to work closely so I can get what you envision. That being said, I don't know if this will get merged, but let's go ahead and do it.
Would you say this is a good start?
Do well to tell me other things we need to do.

[MMachado05]

Almost, but that doesn't quite solve the root problem I have with the current implementation; I think there should be a clear, obvious, favored installation method for each platform, and listing them horizontally (i.e. "on the same level") doesn't effectively accomplish this. As in my original mockup, this means reserving the top of the download options for one, maybe two, favored download options.

I've gone ahead and sketched out what I envision each platform precisely looking like (On windows, one of the two buttons should say "ZIP"; that was an error on my part!):

[Michael-Obele]

@MMachado05 I have been busy with work for a while now. I will be giving this attention by the weekend and will send you some screenshots so you can tell me if it's what you have in mind.