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[suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 23 Aug 2017, 21:16
by obeeb
I recently helped
someone who couldn't understand how to download the Autohotkey installer from the
https://autohotkey.com/download/ page. This is his comment after I explained him what he needs to do:
cinematree wrote:Ohhhh! I was thinking that where it says "Download Autohotkey Installer" at the top of the installer page, that that is just a graphical heading for the page (not the actual button to press to download the installer!) and that the download is the zip file below it. I'm usually pretty intuitive about these things. I thin it would help to clarify that for new users. Anyway, happy you figured it out. Thank you for your help.
From searching it appears to be a recurrent problem:
https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=22425
https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=13245
https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=19474
I think it's reasonable to assume that there were many more people who downloaded the zip file, didn't know what to do with it and just gave up on Autohotkey.
The download button in my opinion does indeed look more like a "graphical heading for the page" and not something you're supposed to click on.
This can be easily solved by making the button a simple link(making it look like "Download AutoHotkey .zip"). Of course many other options exist. From what I could see in one of those threads it was already changed from "Download AutoHotkey" to "Download Autohotkey Installer" but that's all it was, a change not a solution.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 23 Aug 2017, 22:32
by Xtra
Note: The installer also includes an "extract to" function to extract all files without installing. This can be accessed from the installer GUI or on the command line.
A big fat green arrow pointing to the installer button may be helpful for some.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 23 Aug 2017, 22:36
by joedf
how about Adding border?
border: black solid 2px;
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 23 Aug 2017, 22:40
by joedf
and annoying arrows?!
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 23 Aug 2017, 22:46
by obeeb
joedf wrote:how about Adding border?
I don't think this is going to help, we need more drastic changes.
Xtra wrote:A big fat green arrow pointing to the installer button may be helpful for some.
This might help.
joedf wrote:and annoying arrows?!
This also might help.
What do you think about my suggestion to turn it into a normal link? Or did somebody go out of his way to create this button and there is some attachment involved?
In case you are wondering I am being serious. This is not a major problem and quite a ridiculous one but still it shouldn't exist.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 23 Aug 2017, 23:25
by joedf
Yes ridiculous indeed.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 23 Aug 2017, 23:47
by Masonjar13
Wow.. Well then. I mean, when it's mouseover'd, it changes to indicate it is indeed a link. I will admit that the page itself isn't terribly well formatted, though. One of my personal favorite styles is a grid (see
www.7-zip.org for an example). It is a bit overkill, but it makes it very clear that it's both only available for Windows, and that they are indeed download links.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 24 Aug 2017, 00:01
by obeeb
Masonjar13 wrote:One of my personal favorite styles is a grid (see
http://www.7-zip.org for an example)
That's a nice one.
There
http://www.7-zip.org/download.html page is also very clear.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 24 Aug 2017, 01:39
by nnnik
Ewwww
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 24 Aug 2017, 02:05
by Blackholyman
Code: Select all
<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/>
<title>AutoHotkey Downloads</title>
<link rel="icon" type="image/ico" href="/favicon.ico">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/style.css">
<style>
BODY { color: black; background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 80% }
PRE { color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, mono; font-size: 100% }
TH { font-size: 80% }
TD { font-size: 80% }
H1 { font-size: 24px }
H2 { font-size: 24px }
H4 { font-size: 24px }
TD.Layout { background-color: white}
TH.Title { background-color: #A0E0A0; font-size: 80%}
TD.Main { font-size: 120%}
TD.Item { background-color: #E8E8E8}
TD.SubItem { background-color: #FFFFFF}
TD.ExternalProgram { background-color: #E8D0E8}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<a href="/"><img src="/static/ahk_logo.png"></a>
<H1>Download</H1>
<p><B>Current version: <a href="../docs/AHKL_ChangeLog.htm">v1.1.26.01 - July 16, 2017</a></B></p>
<TABLE cellspacing ="1" cellpadding ="6" border = "0">
<TR>
<TH class="Title" align="center" width=60>Link</TH>
<TH class="Title" align="center" width=60>Type</TH>
<TH class="Title" align="center">Description</TH>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD class="Item Main" align="center"><A href="ahk-install.exe">Download</A></TD>
<TD class="Item Main" align="center">.exe</TD>
<TD class="Item Main">Autohotkey Installer</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD class="Item" align="center"><A href="ahk.zip">Download</A></TD>
<TD class="Item" align="center">.Zip</TD>
<TD class="Item">7-Zip for Windows</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>
<p><a href="https://github.com/Lexikos/AutoHotkey_L/">Source code</a></p>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> The installer also includes an "extract to" function to extract all files without installing. This can be accessed from the installer GUI or <a href="/docs/Scripts.htm#install">on the command line</a>.</p>
<h2>Other Releases</h2>
<p><a href="1.1/">AutoHotkey 1.1.*</a> - previously known as AutoHotkey_L.<br>
<a href="1.0/">AutoHotkey 1.0.*</a> - also retroactively known as AutoHotkey Basic, Classic, Vanilla, etc.<br>
<a href="2.0/">AutoHotkey 2.0-a*</a> - see <a href="/v2/">AutoHotkey v2</a>.</p>
<h2>Documentation</h2>
<p><a href="/docs/AutoHotkey.htm">Online - v1.1</a><br>
<a href="https://lexikos.github.io/v2/docs/AutoHotkey.htm">Online - v2.0-alpha</a></p>
Help files in other languages - these are maintained by other volunteers, so are sometimes out of date:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://ahkcn.sf.net/">Chinese</a> (??)</li>
<li><a href="https://github.com/ahkde/docs/releases/latest">German</a> (Deutsch)</li>
</ul>
<p>English documentation is included in the installer and portable downloads.</p>
</body>
</html>
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 24 Aug 2017, 02:59
by TAC109
The '7-zip for Windows' description should be altered to say 'Portable Version' as this better reflects its use.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 24 Aug 2017, 08:24
by joedf
@Blackholyman thanks
@TAC109 updated:
https://jsfiddle.net/joedf/cwse7tc4/ Maybe even put the source into the table.
However, this goes through lexikos.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 24 Aug 2017, 10:16
by just me
If you call it 'Portable Version' some people might expect it will be working automatically after extracting.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 24 Aug 2017, 11:17
by joedf
Very good point!
but that's why we have this opening when doublecliking autohotkey.exe plainly
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 24 Aug 2017, 11:55
by obeeb
This is great, I believe changing it this way will eliminate the problem.
Thank you for taking this seriously enough to take it to the point where Lexikos needs to make a decision. I've seen ~5 people with this problem and applying the
1% rule it goes up to ~500. Most of them probably wouldn't have gotten far with Autohotkey or eventually managed to download the installer or using it without installing but who knows? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ maybe we lost a future thousands quality posts member.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 25 Aug 2017, 09:51
by just me
joedf wrote:... but that's why we have this opening when doublecliking autohotkey.exe plainly
Getting Started wrote:Basically: create a script file -> add some hotkeys -> run the scriptfile.
How will she/he "run the scriptfile"?
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 25 Aug 2017, 09:58
by joedf
just me wrote:How will she/he "run the scriptfile"?
Excellent point!
Hmmm, we could simply name it Zip version that might be the way to go. I think you are right in this matter, but then I feel this problem when then still be there for newbies... :/
Do you have solutions or ideas to propose? maybe add something in the docs?
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 25 Aug 2017, 10:13
by just me
I'd prefer
this proposal. Maybe some additional info (like a tooltip) could be shown when hovering above the links?
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 25 Aug 2017, 15:14
by joedf
Hmm yes. Maybe even explain it as a foot note about the zip.
I need lexikos to respond to this since he manages that page. He hasn't been active since last Monday. no rush.
Side note: I will be gone for about 2weeks starting tuesday 29th -ish for a field course in nova scotia, will be indisposed.
Re: [suggestion] Make more clear for some people that "Download Autohotkey Installer" button downloads the installer
Posted: 28 Aug 2017, 08:47
by guest3456