BOINC Manager interface is a bit confusing for volunteers

[teleyinex]

I have get a lot of feedback about users having lots of problems to join an Account Manager from the BOINC Manager. The main problem relies on the fact that BOINC Manager has two different ways to join a project and and Account Manager. As users basically don't read the information that we submit to them, they try to attach their clients on the first window that appears: the window for attaching clients to BOINC projects, not Account Managers. Thus, if they are trying to join an Account Manager they get an error.

My proposal is the following: is it possible to merge both methods in only one? I mean, is it possible to join a BOINC project or an Account Manager from the same window, without having to explain to users that they have to cancel the first window, go to Tools, and then Attach your client to an Account Manager?.

I think that if this is possible, it will be an interesting improvement to the user experience, as for them it will be very easy to join an Account Manager or a BOINC project.

What do you think?

[Nicolas]

I disagree, because they are fundamentally different operations. In fact, maybe the wizards should be made visually more different so users don't think it's the same thing.

[teleyinex]

The problem is that we have lots of users trying to attach their boinc clients to an account manager using the BOINC project wizard, and after the errors, the users normally quit and they do not try it again.

One solution, as you have said, could be to make both wizards more different, so users don't think it is the same thing. Something like a pop-up asking you first: What do you wanna do? Attach to a BOINC project or an Account Manager, instead of canceling first the BOINC wizard and then click on tools for joining the account manager.

I think that it is interesting and a good feature to facilitate as much as possible the users experience with BOINC joining different projects via direct URL projects or account managers.

[Nicolas]

Account manager and project attach dialogs have been merged in r18112, r18113, r18114, r18115.

Personally, I still disagree with the idea.

[teleyinex]

Perfect, now it is time to try the new interface.