[Launchpad-users] Installable packages on PPA index page

[Michael Nelson <michael.nelson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

As part of the 3.0 redesign, a number of us worked to re-focus the PPA
index page so that we could also help PPA *users* to answer the
quesions: "Do I want to add this PPA to my system" (and if so, how).

Part of the plan to do this was to list installable packages on the
PPA index page, but due to running out of time, we ended up with the
somewhat useless simple version of the source packages, with the
developer-oriented source packages details a click away "View package
details"[1])

We recently got the chance to finish off this work to display
installable packages (binaries) on the index page, and update the link
to the source package details to simply "View source packages".

But rather than landing it on Edge with only a few days to go, I'm
hoping to land it straight after the 10.03 rollout so it's got time to
sit on edge for a full cycle (yes I'm looking forward to feature
releases :) ).

I've attached a few images to:
https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/soyuz/+bug/496862

for convenience, the screenshots are
http://launchpadlibrarian.net/41732742/ppa-installable-binaries-wide.png
http://launchpadlibrarian.net/41738415/ppa-installable-binaries-narrow.png

if anyone has time for some feedback, please take a look, and let me
know if there is other core information, or different ways of
presenting the info that would improve the ability of a user to answer
the question "Do I want to add this PPA to my system".

I want to continue to improve the usefulness of this page for users
(and developers providing a PPA for users), for eg. bug 496458, and in
the long term, I hope we can re-use the software centre meta-data to
additionally provide installable applications when they are defined
(with their screenshots etc.)

Thanks,
Michael

[1] I realise that a lot of devs were used to having all the source
package and build details there on the index page, and that it
frustrated a lot of people to find they now needed one extra click to
view the source package and build details, but we are trying to
balance that with the need to help users of PPAs get the information
they need. There are still further ways we can improve the situation
for both target audiences, any ideas or patches welcome!