Come together with the global Drupal community in Rotterdam, 28 Sept – 1 Oct 2026. Sessions, contribution, connection, and Early Bird savings until 8 June.Easily accessible, prominent, readable and one-click download link/download button is missing.
Long time users of drupal.org, newer users who have come to drupal.org to test Drupal 7x are used to the Download link as shown in the attached picture. There has been no issues in the community against this or issues seeking to hide this or make it less prominent.
New users who are coming here for the first time or will come here for the first time have normal user expectancy to find the download button in the first page well displayed. Users coming from other cms background like joomla or wordpress expect it somewhere at least as prominently - see attached picture.
In the iterations that took place outside the drupal.org community the same issue was raised long time ago and there was no visible or measurable consensus that we should shift from what is not broken or from what is normal user expectancy for the current and future new users.
| Comment | File | Size | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| #9 | acquia-download.GIF | 7.3 KB | kaakuu |
| #8 | co-existing.gif | 39.23 KB | kaakuu |
| #5 | download-drupal.gif | 22.71 KB | kaakuu |
| download.gif | 40.66 KB | kaakuu |
Comments
Comment #1
gdemetOne of the strong findings of the user testing that informed the redesign process was that the new site should *not* have a "Download" link on the home page, as new users who come to the site and download Drupal without any context for what it is that they're getting often go away confused and frustrated thinking that Drupal sucks.
Unlike WordPress and Joomla, which are largely standalone products, Drupal's real power is in its contributed modules like Views and CCK. If people try to download core and build a site without that knowledge or context, they will run into problems very quickly.
We need to educate users about what Drupal is (and is not) before they download it, which is why we have a big "Get Started With Drupal" button on the home page.
Comment #2
kaakuu commentedSorry it was never agreed during the 11 iterations that the download link should be removed.
- Drupal has worked fantastically for 6 versions with the download link in position
- New users in forum or chat or anywhere wants to know where the download button is
- the user tests were done by some who had no experience of things as complex as drupal
- ""Drupal's real power is in its contributed modules like Views and CCK. If people try to download core and build a site without that knowledge or context, they will run into problems very quickly.""
*CCK is in core*, and are you serious that a newbie user should be able to grasp complexity of Views before he starts 'playing' with Drupal?
- ""If people try to download core and build a site without that knowledge or context, they will run into problems very quickly"" - How do you substantiate this? A nice working CMS site can be made out-of-the-box from the down-loadable Drupal zip or tar. How do you disagree?
The Download link can lead to a page of downloads that has BOTH links to download core and knowledge about the contributed mods.
If you want to educate users give option to the people to choose :between "Get started" and "Download" . It is very one sided assumption that people will read through all that get started text when all they are wanting is to quickly download and test it themselves. If they want to know, surely they are not fools that they cannot click "About Drupal" or "Doc" or"Demo" links. If they are foolish indeed, no point in teaching them about "Views" at the onset?
And if you feel that Download link should not be there, it should be completely removed, It is there in small print on top right and people are having difficulty in finding that and wondering why it is so less prominent and small - and by people, I mean real people not "test users" or pseduo-geeks who thinks for the users.
Comment #3
lisarex commentedLet's come back to this after the launch. I would love to test this further but it's low priority right now.
Comment #4
kaakuu commentedIt will be nice to know why it is low priority. It is also something that can be fixed by a less than 2 minute work. It is important information to note that not only plone, wordpress, joomla have Download links prominently in the first page but also Drupal Acquia has it in the first page. See attachment please.
Why this double standard?
Do people visiting Acquia are less of newbie and more professional? If so they should have been given to download core only, so that they can (being not newbie or less newbie and more of professionals) add contrib modules, according to their needs. But Acquia packs several contribs.
Do people visiting drupal.org are more of newbie and less professional? Surely then they need more of a working distro that works just out of the box and they are not "confused and frustrated thinking that Drupal sucks." (quoting gdemet from above) Just like newbies like us download ubuntu rather than linux kernel.
Please note that during and from beginning of the iterations, the community asked that the Download button be kept in prominence. If people has been confused by it in the first page, surely Drupal would not have gained so much usage and popularity during its 6 versions. There are also numerous feedback like "here they get a button saying 'Get started with xyz' which is ambiguous and doesn't necessarily mean they will be able to download drupal if they follow this link, it could be a link to documentation. " [ltwinner - http://drupal.org/node/908744]
Since this is the single unique link that is clicked most it needs more and urgent thought than closing or postponing it.
Comment #5
kaakuu commentedThe Acquia frontpage screenshot is attached here.
Comment #6
ltwinner commentedThe user testing must have been seriously flawed if it came back with a finding like that goes against every single website out there. Having a Download link or tab is standard procedure and has been for the last 10 years. It is now taken for granted that you will have a download link on the homepage for a piece of software, users expect it, why would you go against standard UI principles and remove the download link? Here's what I posted on this issue in the forums -
Why is there no Download Drupal link on the homepage? People don't look for 'Get started with xyz', they look for 'Download xyz'. Every other piece of software offers a 'Download XYZ' link or a Download tab on the homepage, why is the redesign going against convention again and instead offering an obtuse link 'Get started with drupal'? Not to mind that a very large % of people looking to download drupal will already have experience with it so they are not looking to 'get started' with it so that link text is plain wrong. I realise there is also a 'Download Drupal' link under the 'Develop with Drupal' section but as I have already pointed out, that section is completely out of place on the front page anyway, the Download Drupal link is almost 'invisible' among the million other links on the page, and also when people land on a front page they expect a big button saying 'Download xyz'...here they get a button saying 'Get started with xyz' which is ambiguous and doesn't necessarily mean they will be able to download drupal if they follow this link, it could be a link to documentation.
I find that very patronizing towards new users. Do you take them for complete morons? Why would any user expect to be able to just download a non-trivial piece of software and expect to be able to use it fully? The thing is they don't. People know that when they download a piece of software they will need to go and read some documentation on how to use it. There is no need to patronize them with a 'Get Started with XYZ' link. I actually thought when I first saw that link that it leads to introduction guide to drupal and I was left wondering where the Download link was. It makes zero sense to go against 10+ years of convention and remove the Download link - I find it incredible that this redesign was planning to go live on drupal.org without a Download link for the drupal software...a piece of web design software that doesn't have a download link or tab on its front page...this is just another issue that highlights how flawed this redesign has been and how it needs to be scrapped and restarted.
Comment #7
kaakuu commentedMore info given and according to #4, #5 and #6 above marking it active.
Comment #8
kaakuu commentedIf "Get started" has to stay despite the feedbacks from the beginning against it, I will like to add that "Download" and "Get started" can co-exist side by side giving the choice to the users
and not restricting the choice to drupal.org redesigners.
Please see the picture, an actual example from modx site, in the attachment.
Comment #9
kaakuu commentedThe wordings "Get started" and "Download" can also co-exist as in the Drupal site Acquia - see attachment please.
Comment #10
coltraneIt's not clear to me what is being proposed here. If you click on the download link of modxcms.com or wordpress.org you are not sent a zip/tgz file for download, you are sent to a page which then has a file download link. Except for the text, this is the exact same situation as the redesign. The user follows a link on the front page to another page with a bunch of text and an actual download link.
So, are you against the fact that the link text doesn't say "download" or are you against that you can't receive a tgz file from the redesign front page?
Comment #11
kaakuu commentedYou have not read through this issue it seems. See #2 above which says -
The Download link can lead to a page of downloads that has BOTH links to download core and knowledge about the contributed mods.
From the very beginning of the 11 iterations, throughout the iterations, presently in the forum and issue feedbacks and as many users I have talked to or listened to the "download" text is most important so that they do not have to grope in the dark. Thus the situation is not same here as normally happens elsewhere or the user expects. Unless the link or button is worded properly people keep guessing or has broken user experience.
To answer your question more briefly : Yes, I am primarily against the fact that the link text doesn't say "download".
Comment #12
damien tournoud commentedThe "Get Started with Drupal" big button is featured where you would except it to be on the frontpage. Yes, it doesn't say "Download". Big deal, live with it.
Comment #13
kaakuu commentedThe community feedback from the beginning as well those feedback presently have been in favor of the "Download" button. Normal user expectancy is also to find a Download labeled button.
Sorry that such a logical and such an easy fix should get "won't fix".
Comment #14
damien tournoud commentedNothing needs fixing here. The "Get Started with Drupal" button is featured prominently on the frontpage and convey the meaning that Drupal is a welcoming and friendly community, that you are not on your own, that people are ready to help you get started. Nothing in the cold "Download" convey this meaning.
Your opinion is not necessarily the only correct one. After all, it's only an opinion. Claiming that everyone agrees with you feels completely baseless.
Comment #15
kaakuu commentedIts not just my opinion. It is completely wrong to say its just an 'opinion' Its not an issue of not accepting anything that doesn't match my opinion.
- Many users have given this opinion
- This is how drupal.org has actually functioned without any confusion and got its success too.
- Webs listed with D in packtpub prizes have prominent download button/link, Acquia Drupal too
- Normal users expect it - that is why similar normal websites have such button
- The wordings "Get started" and "Download" can co-exist. Ex: Acquia or non-drupal sites like Modx.
Can you say why it is not a correct one?
It badly and urgently needs fixing. And its a very easy fix.
Comment #16
damien tournoud commentedYou are not listening.
I'm happy to see that you went from "all users have this opinion" to "most users have this opinion". Next time you write, we will have "some users have this opinion", and it will be closer from the truth.
This said, it doesn't matter. There have been an intense community-driven design process, and of course, not everybody agrees with everything.
In that case, you disagree (and others do) with the wording. Deal with it. I said it in another thread you opened, and I will say it again with all the kindness in the word: help the redesigned site launch or shut up. Your random rants don't help.
Comment #17
kaakuu commentedSorry that you consider that is rant. I apologize.
I do not find where I said "all users have this opinion" in this page.
And 'all' and 'most' are loosely used sometimes.
I am actually helping to the goal that the redesign site is really good. I am sorry to say there has been no logical response to this issue and to all the concrete, logical suggestions I am making you are finding these as "rant" ? !!
"There have been an intense community-driven design process, and of course, not everybody agrees with everything."
Most of the community did not know about this as this did not take place initially in the community.
That is still okay. But when majority does not agree why carry forward with that?
Majority did not agree during the redesign process that "Download" should be missing, and majority do not agree to that now also.There are no good reasons at all to why Download should be missing or there is no such evidence that Download button can be confusing to the users
Please stick to the points raised in the issue rather than vaguely saying it is rant.
In any case, I will not respond to you further in this issue. Hope that helps.
Comment #18
damien tournoud commentedThat's because you are not accepting anything that doesn't match your opinion. Re-read #12 and #14 and understand what I'm saying. There is nothing to fix here:
Comment #19
Wolfflow commentedQuick chip in, not for criticize or getting party for any one's position.
IMHO - "Get started with Drupal" suggest me to "use Drupal", so where I find Drupal? the http://redesign.drupal.org/start bring me on the Download page.
OK! I did not get confused
as just for the minimal irritation of the green download color that contrast very badly with all the other main design colors - cyan? light-blue?
I will have to live with it!!