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

[Benjamin Kerensa]

If you did use the default about:home this would also help support
your upstream partner Mozilla who gains some revenue from search. As
far as I know Fedora does not generate any revenue for upstream while
distros like Ubuntu does.

Obviously that revenue is really important and helps Mozilla cover its
operating costs.

On Sun, Aug 24, 2014 at 12:53 PM, Elad Alfassa <elad at fedoraproject.org> wrote:
> 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.
> --
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> desktop at lists.fedoraproject.org
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-- 
Benjamin Kerensa