The add-ons page navigation

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tenseys

The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by tenseys » 2018-03-04, 19:30

I think the add-ons page navigation could be improved a little.

I'm of course talking about this page:

https://addons.palemoon.org/#

I know in the past when I first ran into it and even now when I very occasionally visit it, I'm initially a little confused as to where the main add-ons (extensions and themes) are and where they are linked. Of course, extensions and themes, as well as language packs etc are linked in a menu that goes across the top of the page. But it takes me a while to get that even revisiting it later knowing that is where they were and that I was able to find it.

Perhaps it is just me but I think when you visit the page, your eye or perhaps I should say my eye is not really drawn to that top menu right away. It is drawn to the text and the first few sentences describing add-ons. And so you have extensions and themes described, and then plug-ins like adobe flash player (which is linked) but no links to the actual extensions or themes pages where they can be found (which I imagine is what most people are visiting the page for).

So then maybe your eye continue downwards and you read about search engine plugins and you see a here link which will take you to that page (this of course is also linked in the top menu).

Continuing downwards, there is language packs and this also has a here link (as well as top menu link).

Finally there are three more little sections and each has a link to the page that has the content it is describing. (these are also all found under the More link in the top menu).

I think it might be helpful if there were links to extension and themes in the first section that talks about add-ons. Perhaps Extensions and Themes could be linked to go to the respective pages (the plug-ins already has a linked example there) or maybe another sentence that reads something like.. to check out the extensions Pale moon has to offer see here and for themes, here could be added. In this way your eye will flow to it right away in context and also it is somewhat consistent with the the rest of the page in that everything is linked in the descriptions and also found in the top menu.

Anyway, just a suggestion.
Last edited by tenseys on 2018-03-04, 20:02, edited 5 times in total.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-03-04, 20:04

I think it is VERY intuitive.. Like an Application's menu bar..

File, Edit, View, History, Bookmarks, Tools, Help

Main, Extensions, Themes, Language Packs, Search Engines, More...

I don't see the problem.. I mean the Menu Bar on the site is colored blue, have hover states, and is the second element you see after the banner.. This is standard convention on the web for some 20 years and stems from programs before them..
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-03-04, 20:08, edited 2 times in total.

RexyDallas

Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by RexyDallas » 2018-03-04, 20:22

Extensions is literally the second link in the header, and themes is literally the 3rd link in the header. It's right at the top of the page, too.

JustOff

Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by JustOff » 2018-03-04, 20:29

I deliberately waited until Tobin answered on this topic, probably hoping for a miracle, but I still have to disagree with him and completely support the above proposal. I believe that it's very useful and deserves to be implemented for the benefit of all Pale Moon users.

It would be good to hear what members of the Pale Moon Add-ons Team think about this.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-03-04, 20:38

There are ideas floating around for what to do about the front page but most would have to wait for Phoebus 2.0 but for crying out loud it isn't like the site has some massive navigational issue.

If people have trouble working with standard UI and layout conventions. I can't help you.

Also, JustOff, so what.. Did you wait for me to post so you could disagree with me no matter how I responded.. Cause sure seems to be the implication here.. Hmm...
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-03-04, 20:42, edited 2 times in total.

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ron_1
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Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by ron_1 » 2018-03-04, 20:52

I'm just throwing this out there . . . I'm fine with it the way it is. But, maybe people's eyes will be more drawn to it if the menu looked more like buttons. See my crude mockup below. Anyway it's just a thought. ;)
Untitled.jpg

JustOff

Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by JustOff » 2018-03-04, 20:53

Off-topic:
New Tobin Paradigm wrote:Also, JustOff, so what.. Did you wait for me to post so you could disagree with me no matter how I responded.. Cause sure seems to be the implication here.. Hmm...
Not at all, I was waiting so that my support of this idea not to set you against it. It's just that it happens quite often, and I have to take this into account, no offense.

tenseys

Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by tenseys » 2018-03-04, 21:09

Like I said I always do end up finding it on the top menu after looking through the content that oddly links in context to every page offered from that page except the two arguably most important pages - themes and extensions.

Why link to anything (or nearly everything) at all in the content. I mean after all you have the menu on the top?

Was it done to make it easier or clearer for someone to access the page from the content? Why not do it for themes and extensions like everything else?

Doing so would be more be consistent and make more sense.

Anyway, this has been my experience with this page. I get sucked into the content and don't see links for extensions/themes only everything else and then I'm clicking on search plugins. The inconsistent apparent content based navigation slows me down from finding what I need and using the page efficiently.
Last edited by tenseys on 2018-03-04, 23:39, edited 16 times in total.

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adesh
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Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by adesh » 2018-03-05, 15:51

I do not have any trouble using the site but I also feel that the navigation can be improved a bit. Put the links on the left, or make them look like tabs/buttons, as helloimustbegoing suggested.

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Lootyhoof
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Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by Lootyhoof » 2018-03-05, 18:49

I do agree with the initial comment (links are inconsistent on the frontpage) and have correctly dealt with this.

I don't however agree that the overall design should change. The navbar is at the top, in a deep blue (different to the rest of the page), and clearly changes state when hovered. This is enough (for me, at least) to show this is a menu, and has all the navigation buttons you'd need for the site.

tenseys

Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by tenseys » 2018-03-05, 21:21

Lootyhoof wrote:I do agree with the initial comment (links are inconsistent on the frontpage) and have correctly dealt with this.
Thank you Lootyhoof. Appreciate it.

JustOff

Re: The add-ons page navigation

Unread post by JustOff » 2018-03-06, 13:55

Lootyhoof wrote:I do agree with the initial comment (links are inconsistent on the frontpage) and have correctly dealt with this.
Thanks, that's much better already! I hope that you will have time to make this page even more beautiful and convenient.

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