Enhanced download page for Ubuntu

[maniacmusician]

While writing the latest chapter in my Switching to Linux (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=448312) book, I realized that Ubuntu has a new and improved download page: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download

My question is, why hasn't any significant effort been made to push this out to the websites of the other derivatives? Not only that, but even the new design for the web site hasn't reached any of the derivatives yet. I know that they're community managed products, but shouldn't we be practicing solidarity here?

It would probably take a few hours of work at most to do this, so I'm a bit awed that no one has attempted it, considering we're supposed to be a very close-knit community.

This also poses a bit of a dilemma for me, as far as my book goes. I can't exactly point users who want Ubuntu to that nice, finished page, and everyone else to the old style page. So I'm going to have to find the old page for Ubuntu as well, and I won't be pointing anyone at all to that enhanced page. It's just a shame, I think.

[earobinson]

I know at one point the xfce guys where trying to make there website more like the ubuntu website at one point, but I think with all the things to do it fell down in the priority list.

[maniacmusician]

I know at one point the xfce guys where trying to make there website more like the ubuntu website at one point, but I think with all the things to do it fell down in the priority list.
I understand, but I believe the main Ubuntu website is just using Drupal as a CMS...or at least since the update. So I believe all that would need to be done is grab the website from the Ubuntu servers, change the colors in the theme, and repalce their content with the proper content. It is definitely not a piece of cake, but like I said, it's just a few hours of work. If you kept at it a little every day, it could be done in a week.

I was really targeting my comments at the web developers for Canonical. They whipped up that awesome site, and I think it would be beneficial if they put some effort into getting it out to the derivative websites as well.

[Ireclan]

I agree. It is a pity that the enhanced page isn't on all the derivative web sites. It could be that the work that would go into doing what you suggest is harder than you think; I'm no web expert, so I'm not one to say. Then again, maybe this is a symptom of Canonical/ Ubuntu "over extending" itself; with so many distribution derivatives to support, I'm not surprised stuff isn't getting done as soon as it should. Perhaps if Canonical/Ubuntu would drop the other distribution derivatives and focus on its primary, these things could get done faster...?

[maniacmusician]

I agree. It is a pity that the enhanced page isn't on all the derivative web sites. It could be that the work that would go into doing what you suggest is harder than you think; I'm no web expert, so I'm not one to say. Then again, maybe this is a symptom of Canonical/ Ubuntu "over extending" itself; with so many distribution derivatives to support, I'm not surprised stuff isn't getting done as soon as it should. Perhaps if Canonical/Ubuntu would drop the other distribution derivatives and focus on its primary, these things could get done faster...?
I believe Canonical has web developers that pretty much just work on the Ubuntu and Canonical.com websites...so I don't think it would be a momentous thing to get some work done on this.

If not the enhanced page, then at least the websites should look remotely similar. Since the derivatives are mainly community-managed, I think Canonical should making the push to unify the websites a little.

Canonical doesn't support the derivatives very much. They just provide them with server space, I believe, and leave the rest up to the community. I know Kubuntu has some paid developers, but they're a core team of about 6 people. So I dont think they're overextending themselves.

I could be wrong of course.

[Polygon]

yeah, even with those enhanced pages they still dont have an option to just download the torrent files, which is what most people use to download the ISO's anyway. You have to go to the "complete list" which is that large confusing list of all the files and you have to manually right click > save as to the torrent file.

its still pretty nice, but add an option to choose between downloading the .torrent and the .iso and everyone will be happy :D

[23meg]

its still pretty nice, but add an option to choose between downloading the .torrent and the .iso and everyone will be happy

Bug #102974 in ubuntu-website (https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-website/+bug/102974) covers this. You may want to add a comment if you have something to say that hasn't been said there.

[rko618]

I would really like to see the BitTorrent link pushed more.

[earobinson]

ya BitTorrent is the greatest!