BrowserDefaults

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⇤ ← Revision 3 as of 2005-10-03 14:33:36 →
Size: 1745
Editor: 200-171-140-32
Comment: correct Opera default page
← Revision 16 as of 2005-11-05 14:04:52 → ⇥
Size: 5160
Editor: cp413115-a
Comment: comment
Deletions are marked like this. Additions are marked like this.
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## page was renamed from DefaultHomePage
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 * Created: [[Date(2005-09-07T20:54:03Z)]] by MatthewPaulThomas
 * Priority: NeedsPriority
 * People: NeedsLead, NeedsSecond
 * Contributors: MatthewPaulThomas
 * Interested:
 * Status: UbzSpecification, BrainDump, DistroSpecification
 * Branch:
 * Malone bug:
 * Packages affected:
 * Depends:
 * Dependents:
 [[FullSearch()]]
 * BoF sessions: none yet 		 * '''Launchpad entry:''' https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/browser-defaults
 * '''Created:''' [[Date(2005-09-07T20:54:03Z)]] by MatthewPaulThomas
 * '''Contributors:''' MatthewPaulThomas
 * '''Packages affected:''' `epiphany-browser`, `firefox`, `ubuntu-artwork`
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Ubuntu's default home page for Firefox and Epiphany will be changed to `http://start.ubuntu.com/`, and the default bookmarks will be altered to include information accurate for Ubuntu.
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When you install Firefox or Epiphany for Ubuntu, its default home page is [file:///usr/share/ubuntu-artwork/home/index.html a local file full of boring text]. Epiphany's default bookmarks are confusing, and Firefox's default bookmarks don't link to plugins that don't actually work in Ubuntu. We can do better.

== Use cases ==

 * Sally, an ex-windows user, is greeted by a giant page of text upon opening her browser. She doesn't understand this.

 * Corey wants let more people know about help.ubuntu.com and get more docteam members.

 * Jeff wants more people to know about the cool things happening in Ubuntu.

== Scope ==

 * Home page
 * Bookmarks menu
 * Bookmarks Bar

Out of scope:
 * CA certificates
 * default browser chrome

== Design ==

=== Home page ===

==== Comparisons ====
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But when you install Firefox or Epiphany for Ubuntu, its default home page is [file:///usr/share/ubuntu-artwork/home/index.html a local file full of boring text]. We can do better. === Ubuntu ===
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 ||<style="border: none; background-color: #eee; color: #000;">My only other cosmetic gripe would be the default web browser home page. It is pretty ugly and scary as well since its a solid page of small text text text. In fact more than a single screen of text. You've got to scroll to read all the fine print. Confusing and techinical and fairly ugly text.||
 ||<) style="border: none; background-color: #eee; color: #000;">-- [http://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2005-September/010499.html Pete Shinners]||		 The default home page for Firefox and Epiphany will be `http://start.ubuntu.com/`. It ''may'' be possible to use this to count new Ubuntu users, and if we decide to change the effective default later on we can do that by setting up a redirect.
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== Use cases == What is presented on this site is yet to be decided, but it should:
 * be useful
 * not steal focus from the URL field
 * provide links to local (GeoIP-detected) Ubuntu resources
 * not slow people down by discouraging them from the browser's/OS's toolbar Web search.
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== Scope == Specific items, from top to bottom are:
 * A feed from the fridge
 * A link to help
 * A link to participate
 * A link to About Ubuntu
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== Design == === Bookmarks ===

The default bookmarks should also be (a) useful, and (b) a subtle hint to how to use bookmark folders (Firefox) or topics (Epiphany).

==== Comparisions ====

Vanilla Firefox has "Quick Searches" and "Firefox & Mozilla Links" folders in its Bookmarks menu, including links to pages of plugins that don't work in Ubuntu. In its Bookmarks Toolbar it has a "Getting Started" bookmark (again linking to non-working plugins), in the Bookmarks Toolbar and "Latest"

Vanilla Epiphany defaults to six empty folders in its Bookmarks menu, which looks broken, and a search field in its Bookmarks Bar, which is confusing:

==== Ubuntu ====

Place the following items on the quicklaunch bar
 * Ubuntu.com (http://ubuntu.com/)
  - possibly remove this if space isn't there
 * Ubuntu Help Online (http://help.ubuntu.com/)
 * Ubuntu Forums
 * Fridge
 * Participate in Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com/community/participate/)
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Do these things early in the cycle to get good feedback

=== Bookmarks ===

 * Remove any the existing FF bookmarks
 * On the FF quick launch bar, remove the current buttons and add the above

=== Start.ubuntu.com ===

 * Look to community to get a good layout, possibly including a design contest
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 * None
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== BoF agenda and discussion ==  * Can the bookmarks be localized?

== Comments ==

 ||<style="border: none; background-color: #ddd; color: #000;">My only other cosmetic gripe would be the default web browser home page. It is pretty ugly and scary as well since its a solid page of small text text text. In fact more than a single screen of text. You've got to scroll to read all the fine print. Confusing and techinical and fairly ugly text.||
 ||<) style="border: none; background-color: #ddd; color: #000;">''-- [http://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2005-September/010499.html Pete Shinners]''||

 ||<style="border: none; background-color: #ddd; color: #000;">The epiphany "bookmarks bar" shows no bookmarks, only a "Search the web" entry box. What can I do with it? Is there similar functionality to the firefox bookmarks toolbar where I can define my own bookmark buttons and menus?||
 ||<) style="border: none; background-color: #ddd; color: #000;">''-- [http://mail.gnome.org/archives/epiphany-list/2005-October/msg00118.html Raul Acevedo]''||

 ||<style="border: none; background-color: #ddd; color: #000;">We shouldn't use this to count Ubuntu users, unless they explicitly say they want that! No spying, please||
 ||<) style="border: none; background-color: #ddd; color: #000;">''-- Jeroen van Splunder''||

Summary

Ubuntu's default home page for Firefox and Epiphany will be changed to http://start.ubuntu.com/, and the default bookmarks will be altered to include information accurate for Ubuntu.

Rationale

When you install Firefox or Epiphany for Ubuntu, its default home page is [file:///usr/share/ubuntu-artwork/home/index.html a local file full of boring text]. Epiphany's default bookmarks are confusing, and Firefox's default bookmarks don't link to plugins that don't actually work in Ubuntu. We can do better.

Use cases

  • Sally, an ex-windows user, is greeted by a giant page of text upon opening her browser. She doesn't understand this.
  • Corey wants let more people know about help.ubuntu.com and get more docteam members.
  • Jeff wants more people to know about the cool things happening in Ubuntu.

Scope

  • Home page
  • Bookmarks menu
  • Bookmarks Bar

Out of scope:

  • CA certificates
  • default browser chrome

Design

Home page

Comparisons

Modern dedicated Web browsers have useful default home pages that let you search the Web.

Ubuntu

The default home page for Firefox and Epiphany will be http://start.ubuntu.com/. It may be possible to use this to count new Ubuntu users, and if we decide to change the effective default later on we can do that by setting up a redirect.

What is presented on this site is yet to be decided, but it should:

  • be useful
  • not steal focus from the URL field
  • provide links to local (GeoIP-detected) Ubuntu resources
  • not slow people down by discouraging them from the browser's/OS's toolbar Web search.

Specific items, from top to bottom are:

  • A feed from the fridge
  • A link to help
  • A link to participate
  • A link to About Ubuntu

Bookmarks

The default bookmarks should also be (a) useful, and (b) a subtle hint to how to use bookmark folders (Firefox) or topics (Epiphany).

Comparisions

Vanilla Firefox has "Quick Searches" and "Firefox & Mozilla Links" folders in its Bookmarks menu, including links to pages of plugins that don't work in Ubuntu. In its Bookmarks Toolbar it has a "Getting Started" bookmark (again linking to non-working plugins), in the Bookmarks Toolbar and "Latest"

Vanilla Epiphany defaults to six empty folders in its Bookmarks menu, which looks broken, and a search field in its Bookmarks Bar, which is confusing:

Ubuntu

Place the following items on the quicklaunch bar

Implementation

Do these things early in the cycle to get good feedback

Bookmarks

  • Remove any the existing FF bookmarks
  • On the FF quick launch bar, remove the current buttons and add the above

Start.ubuntu.com

  • Look to community to get a good layout, possibly including a design contest

Code

Data preservation and migration

  • None

Outstanding issues

  • Can the bookmarks be localized?

Comments

  • My only other cosmetic gripe would be the default web browser home page. It is pretty ugly and scary as well since its a solid page of small text text text. In fact more than a single screen of text. You've got to scroll to read all the fine print. Confusing and techinical and fairly ugly text.

    -- [http://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2005-September/010499.html Pete Shinners]

    The epiphany "bookmarks bar" shows no bookmarks, only a "Search the web" entry box. What can I do with it? Is there similar functionality to the firefox bookmarks toolbar where I can define my own bookmark buttons and menus?

    -- [http://mail.gnome.org/archives/epiphany-list/2005-October/msg00118.html Raul Acevedo]

    We shouldn't use this to count Ubuntu users, unless they explicitly say they want that! No spying, please

    -- Jeroen van Splunder

BrowserDefaults (last edited 2008-08-06 16:29:14 by localhost)