BrowserDefaults

Differences between revisions 6 and 9 (spanning 3 versions)
Revision 6 as of 2005-11-01 22:20:21
Size: 2038
Editor: 209
Comment: expand to include bookmarks
Revision 9 as of 2005-11-03 20:59:49
Size: 3579
Editor: 209
Comment: add use cases, move stuff to StartUbuntucom
Deletions are marked like this. Additions are marked like this.
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 * 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`
 * '''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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Modern dedicated Web browsers have useful default home pages that let you search the Web.
 * mozilla.org Firefox: [http://www.google.com/firefox Firefox Start]
 * gnome.org Epiphany: [http://www.google.com/ Google]
 * Internet Explorer: [http://www.msn.com/ MSN]
 * Safari: [http://apple.netscape.com/ Netscape.com (Apple edition)]
 * Opera: [http://portal.opera.com/ Opera Search]
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.
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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.  ||<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]''||
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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]''||
 ||<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]''||

== Use cases ==

 * Sally loads Ubuntu and wants to search the web. She doesn't see a search bar in amongst the giant page of text.
 * Corey wants let more people know about help.ubuntu.com and get more docteam members.

== Scope ==

 * Home page
 * Bookmarks menu
 * Bookmarks Bar

Out of scope:
 * CA certificates
 * default browser chrome

== Design ==

=== Home page ===

This has now been split into StartUbuntucom

=== Bookmarks ===
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== Use cases == ==== Comparisions ====
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== Scope == 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"
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== Design == 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:
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The default home page should, in approximate order of importance:
 * be useful
 * not steal focus from the URL field
 * not slow people down by discouraging them from the browser's/OS's toolbar Web search
 * be beautiful.
==== Ubuntu ====

Default bookmarks for ''Ubuntu'':
 * Ubuntu.com (http://ubuntu.com/)
 * Ubuntu Help Online (http://help.ubuntu.com/)
 * UserDocumentation on the wiki (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UserDocumentation)
  - perhaps UserDocumentation shouldn't exist once help.ubuntu.com is running
  - if a nice name is found for it
 * Ubuntu Forums
 * Loco teams wiki page
  - only link to Loco team if page is of high enough quality
 * Participate in Ubuntu

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 loads Ubuntu and wants to search the web. She doesn't see a search bar in amongst the giant page of text.
  • Corey wants let more people know about help.ubuntu.com and get more docteam members.

Scope

  • Home page
  • Bookmarks menu
  • Bookmarks Bar

Out of scope:

  • CA certificates
  • default browser chrome

Design

Home page

This has now been split into StartUbuntucom

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

Default bookmarks for Ubuntu:

Implementation

Code

Data preservation and migration

Outstanding issues

BoF agenda and discussion

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