[Haskell-community] Request for comment: New haskell.org download page

[Michael Snoyman]

On Thu, Sep 24, 2015 at 6:49 PM, Gershom B <gershomb at gmail.com> wrote:

> On September 24, 2015 at 11:45:51 AM, Michael Snoyman (
> michael at fpcomplete.com) wrote:
> > On Thu, Sep 24, 2015 at 6:38 PM, Gershom B wrote:
> >
> > > On September 24, 2015 at 11:37:08 AM, Christopher Allen (
> cma at bitemyapp.com)
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > To be clear, my priority is that Platform get _off_ the downloads
> page
> > > for
> > > > now.
> > >
> > > We can discuss the order of the downloads page, but I think it will
> not be
> > > acceptable to remove the platform.
> > >
> > >
> > I have to say Gershom, in a discussion that is otherwise full of logical
> > justifications and well thought out reasonings, this comment comes off as
> > out of character. Can you give a rationale of _why_ it won't be
> acceptable
> > to remove the platform?
>
> I have to ask Michael, since we just had an extensive correspondence in
> which removing the platform was not once discussed, in order to come up
> with the draft proposal which John sent, and which was written with your
> input, do you now want to change your mind on the process which got us
> there?
>
> I mean, I’m happy to expand, but I honestly had thought we were on the
> same page there.
>
> The short story — and there are many more reasons — is that while
> beginners may go to the page to look for “what first,” experienced users
> are accustomed to go there as well to look for the latest versions of
> things — and many of them still want/prefer the platform. Students may also
> be directed by professors to download the platform, etc.
>
> So while we may want to say “whatever is first should be optimized for the
> new user experience” (whatever that means) we must also bear in mind that
> the page is used by others as well, who are not new, and they may want the
> platform (whatever you personally think of it), and it would be a terrible
> shame if it were not easy for them to find it.
>
> —Gershom
>

I'm content to let the platform be at the bottom of the page. I was just a
little surprised to see you completely dismiss Chris's opinion without any
form of explanation at all. Chris made a lot of very valid points, and you
essentially shut him down with "no."

I do respectfully disagree with your arguments here: I don't know of any
experienced user who wants to specifically use the platform and wouldn't be
able to find it without a link on the downloads page[1]. Furthermore, the
line of reasoning of "someone may want it" means that we should also
include about a dozen other download options on the page...

Michael

[1] http://lmgtfy.com/?q=haskell+platform
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