Ubuntu Wiki

• 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

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

• 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:

• 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 (www.ubuntu.com/community/participate/)

Implementation

Code

Data preservation and migration

Outstanding issues

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]