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Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:55:31 +0200
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To: Thomas Hruska <thruska@cubiclesoft.com>
Cc: PHP Development <internals@lists.php.net>
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Subject: Re: [PHP-DEV] Confusing Windows Users 101...the download page is UNUSABLE.
From: pierre.php@gmail.com (Pierre Joye)

hi,

On Sat, Mar 31, 2012 at 6:14 PM, Thomas Hruska <thruska@cubiclesoft.com> wr=
ote:

> Fixing the Windows binary download page so that it is USABLE by the avera=
ge
> user should be priority #1.


> Here are the specific issues with the Windows binary download page:
>
> * The "Which version do I choose?" box is confusing, out of date, doesn't
> actually address all the real questions users will have, and most users w=
ill
> just give up before getting to that box. =A0Even if they do get to the bo=
x,
> the end result will be an even more confused/confounded user. =A0The box
> should, at the very least, explain in clear English the difference betwee=
n
> the Non-Thread Safe and Thread Safe builds. =A0Also, assume that most use=
rs
> won't even know what Visual Studio even is. =A0Hold the user's hand here =
and
> you'll have less cruft on the mailing lists later.

Right VC6 could be removed. However I kept it so that users still
downloading older PHP 5.2 or 5.3 still needs this notice, it has been
proven to be useful.

> * The ordering of the downloads seems backwards. =A0But until you get the
> "Which version do I choose?" box fixed, I won't be able to determine this=
.
>
> * The "Select an option to direct access..." dropdown is completely usele=
ss.

Right, now that we have only two kind of binaries, NTS (fastcgi) or TS
(apache SAPIs and co). But in a few months, that wil change again with
the re introduciton of the x64 binaries.

> * The previous page says "Windows binaries and installers". =A0In that
> context, the user mentally asks: =A0"Why is there source code on the next
> page? =A0And why is source code listed first if I'm after binaries?"

The box, clearly visible, contains the binary. We can indeed move the
src link down the box.

> And, last, but HARDLY least. =A0Listed last because this item requires
> rethinking and redesigning the entire Windows binary download page:

Feel free to provide a patch for a wizard.

btw, I, for one, am not BLIND. Thanks.


Cheers,
--=20
Pierre

@pierrejoye | http://blog.thepimp.net | http://www.libgd.org