Suggestion: having links to Qubes in header

[deeplow]

Continuing the discussion from Announcement | Qubes-community Project has been Migrated to the Forum:

@szz9pza

What would be nice to have in the header banner as links: (e.g.)

• Qubes-OS.org or Website or Official website
• Official docs
• Donate

[renehoj]

I think it’s a good idea.

You could add github to the list.

[SteveC]

Fantastic! I’ve long grumbled when I have to type qubesos.org into the URL bar to go find the docs. (Bookmarks? On this DVM? What’s that?)

I don;t know why it never occured to me to put feedback here.

[szz9pza]

Some time has passed, it can probably be implemented?
@adw, what do you think about it?

[unman]

I dont know how many links are manageable.
I would keep it simple and have links to:

• [Getting Help]Help, support, mailing lists, and forum | Qubes OS)
• Official docs
• Donate

I wouldnt link direct to the issue tracker because it may
be difficult for new users to work, and it isnt a place for discussion.

I never presume to speak for the Qubes team. When I comment in the Forum or in the mailing lists I speak for myself.

[adw]

@szz9pza

@adw, what do you think about it?

Sounds fine to me. I poked around the settings but didn’t see an easy way to do this, so I’ll let @deeplow work his magic.

One thing I’d like to point out is that the current “Docs” link on the forum sounds like it might be a link to the official docs. This will be even more confusing if we also add an “Official docs” link, since then we’ll have two links that could look like this:

Official docs Docs

So, it might be a good idea to rename the existing forum “Docs” to something like “Community docs” or something. (I was going to suggest “Forum guides,” but we already have “Community Guides,” so that would be confusing. What’s the difference, anyway? Should these two categories just be combined? [Oh, wait, they are the same! So, yeah, just keep the naming consistent, then. Don’t call it “Docs.” Just call it “Community Guides,” since that’s what it’s already been called for a while now. And since both pages lead to the same content, just a different format(?), we can probably just drop one of them too, unless I’m missing something.])

@unman

I wouldnt link direct to the issue tracker because it may
be difficult for new users to work, and it isnt a place for discussion.

Agreed. Personally, I never like to link directly to the issue tracker. I much prefer to link to the documentation that explains how to use the issue tracker.

[szz9pza]

@adw

I poked around the settings but didn’t see an easy way to do this

You need to install a theme.
It’s a very small one, so no need to do it the hard way with code and css.
https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-header-links/90588

@adw

if we also add an “Official docs” link, since then we’ll have two links that could look like this:

Official docs Docs

These two links will not be at the same location.
The three proposal links will be in the header, on the same line as “Q Qubes Community” (see link above for picture).

@adw

And since both pages lead to the same content, just a different format(?), we can probably just drop one of them too, unless I’m missing something.])

The button ‘Docs’ is currently use with only the category ‘Community Guides’.
But it could be extended to add ‘User Support General’.
It would make sense, a lot of answers are also in ‘User Support General’.

This would allow to search in these two categories only, which the classical search can’t do.
(It’s either one category or all of them).
And if you want a realtime search for only ‘guides’ or ‘support general’, you select it.

To me, the advantage of ‘Docs’ is the realtime search.
The advantage of the classic search are the filters.

[SteveC]

I thought this was about putting a link to Documentation | Qubes OS (i.e. the documentation page of qubes-os dot org) in the header, not to a special search function for one or two of the forum categories on forum.qubes-os dot org.

The prior is a link that as far as I know is completely nonexistent (unless someone posts one in a comment); if I want to go there, I have to actually type it in (or click a bookmark but I usually don’t have those available on this particular disposable since it’s set up to just go to this forum).

[deeplow]

I added Home, Support and Official Docs:

It can be previewed here. Is think OK?

@adw

So, it might be a good idea to rename the existing forum “Docs” to something like “Community docs” or something.

Good point. “Docs” was the default from the docs plugin. And I didn’t remember to change. I have now done so!

We also have this other option to add the header bar from qubes-os.org. But I don’t like this approach because then we have a double-header.

@szz9pza

You need to install a theme.
It’s a very small one, so no need to do it the hard way with code and css.
Custom Header Links - theme-component - Discourse Meta

Exactly. This has now been enabled. Above-all It’s an official theme-component.

[adw]

@deeplow

I added Home, Support and Official Docs:

It can be previewed here . Is think OK?

1. I think only admins can see this. It 404s on my regular account.
2. Visually, looks good to me.
3. The “Official Docs” links to https://forum.qubes-os.org/qubes-os.org/doc. The other links look normal. You could add the www subdomain to the Home link for consistency.

@deeplow

Good point. “Docs” was the default from the docs plugin. And I didn’t remember to change. I have now done so!

Thanks!

@deeplow

We also have this other option to add the header bar from qubes-os.org. But I don’t like this approach because then we have a double-header.

Yeah, I’d be wary about taking up people’s valuable vertical screen real estate.

[SteveC]

@adw

Yeah, I’d be wary about taking up people’s valuable vertical screen real estate.

You show a LOT more concern for this than Micro$haft of the infamous “ribbon” ever did! (But then this is part of the Linux world, isn’t it?)

[deeplow]

@adw

I think only admins can see this. It 404s on my regular account.

Ah. I should now be live for anyone without the special link.

@adw

• The “Official Docs” links to https://forum.qubes-os.org/qubes-os.org/doc. The other links look normal. You could add the www subdomain to the Home link for consistency.

Done and done.
I also added the Donate link.

Do we want this right-aligned or left-aligned?

[szz9pza]

left aligned is nice.
missing the www for Official Docs.

The Home link opens in a new tab, the other ones don’t.
I don’t think it matters whether it opens a new tab or not, but they should behave the same.

[leo]

Here is how the new banner looks like on mobile:

[deeplow]

I also notice that the other day. I have now left only “docs” since the community docs were renamed to “Community Guides” elsewhere. Is that OK @unman @adw?

@szz9pza

missing the www for Official Docs.

Fixed. Thanks!

@szz9pza

The Home link opens in a new tab, the other ones don’t.

Should be fixed now. Thx for spotting. I put all opening in the same tab, if the behavior better another way, let me know. At least now we are consistent.

[adw]

@deeplow

I also notice that the other day. I have now left only “docs” since the community docs were renamed to “Community Guides” elsewhere. Is that OK @unman @adw?

You mean just renaming “official docs” to “docs”? Of course, that’s fine by me.