Ubuntu Wiki

• Launchpad entry: https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/browser-defaults

• Created: 2005-09-07 by MatthewPaulThomas

• Contributors: MatthewPaulThomas

• Packages affected: epiphany-browser, firefox, ubuntu-docs, kubuntu-docs, edubuntu-artwork

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 a local file full of boring text:

• 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 technical and fairly ugly text.

  -- Pete Shinners

Epiphany's default bookmarks are confusing:

• 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?

  -- Raul Acevedo

And Firefox's default bookmarks 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 to 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.

• mozilla.org Firefox: Firefox Start

• gnome.org Epiphany: Google

• Internet Explorer: MSN

• Safari: Netscape.com (Apple edition)

• Opera: Opera Search

Ubuntu

The default home page for Firefox and Epiphany will be http://start.ubuntu.com/. 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.

Possible elements include:

• a feed from the fridge
• a link to help
• a link to participate.

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 "Firefox Help", "Firefox Support", and "Plug-in FAQ".

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

Ubuntu

The Bookmarks Bar should include these items:

• Ubuntu.com (http://ubuntu.com/)

  • - possibly remove this if space isn't there

• Ubuntu Help (http://help.ubuntu.com/)

• Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org/)

• The Fridge (http://fridge.ubuntu.com/)

• Participate (http://ubuntu.com/community/participate/)

Implementation

Do these things early in the cycle to get good feedback.

Bookmarks

• Remove 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.

Outstanding issues

• Can the bookmarks be localized?

  • If not, I'd suggest adding a link to support for all languages http://www.ubuntulinux.org/support/supportoptions/local/ (the page needs improving, as with all of the website, but it might be a start) -- mdke