Maybe it's time to say goodbye to start.fedoraproject.org?

[Elad Alfassa]

Hello Websites and Desktop lists.

I think it's time we drop our usage of start.fedoraproject.org as the
default start page for Firefox in Fedora and simply use the firefox
about:home page as the default starting page for the browser.

What do you think?

Generally, the start page was designed to somehow be a gateway for
Fedora to encourage people to participate and contribute. But I'm not
sure if it really works.

Reasons why I think it's time for this page to go:

 * We got numerous of complaints about inappropriate planet fedora
posts that appeared there. Having contributor-generated content in the
start page seems like a bad idea in hindsight. Most of the Planet
posts are also not very relevant (or inviting) for people who are not
already part of the community.

 * The design is a bit too simplistic, yet since the current design
was introduced nobody had the time/energy/will to think of / implement
anything better. To be frank, it's kinda ugly - and I think I'm
allowed to say this because I'm the one who implemented (and if I
recall correctly, also "designed" it).

 * Our "main goal" used to be "gaining contributors" and getting
people involved with the project. While this goal still remains
intact, it's no longer our main driving force (at least for the
Wrokstation product), but rather "build the best OS for software
developers" - as such it would be better if the start page would be
actually *usable* for our target audience. Gaining contributors
remains a goal, but it shouldn't affect our UI/UX decisions.


fwiw it's not the first time I've suggested the removal of this page.

I want input on this from both Desktop and Websites before I file a
bug for the Firefox package to drop this default.

Of course we will have to have start.fedoraproject.org online still
for at least another cycle, because people might still have it as
their homepage (I've seen a few, they don't really look at the page
and just go to the address bar directly).

We could, for example, replace it with some sort of "contributor hub"
page with resources, workflows and practical guides on how to get
involved for new contributors (ie. reuse the start.fpo name, *not* use
a contributor hub as a homepage) but I don't know if anyone has the
time, energy and will to implement and maintain such thing.
-- 
-Elad Alfassa.