Changes between Version 5 and Version 6 of SimpleAttach

Timestamp:

Jan 14, 2015, 4:00:15 PM (10 years ago)

Author:

davea

Comment:

--

SimpleAttach

@@ -39 +39 @@
 
  * In each case there are many steps, and we lose a fraction of volunteers at each step.
- * If the computer is of a type for which the project has no apps,
-   the user doesn't learn this until BOINC has already been installed.
-   Ideally they should learn this immediately.
- * If the project requires !VirtualBox,
-   the user should be required to download BOINC+VBox.
+ * For non-listed projects, users have to type or copy/paste a URL.  Bad.
+ * If the project requires !VirtualBox, the user should be required to download BOINC+VBox.
  * The scheme applies to non-Android computers.
   For Android users the process is similar,
@@ -51 +48 @@
 This document describes a new scheme that addresses these problems.
 
-== Project front page ==
-
-The project front page has a "Join" button, linked to a page described below.
-
-=== Android case ===
-
-On the Join page:
-if project has no Android apps, show a message like
-
-'''This project doesn't currently support Android devices
-A list of supported computer types is [here].'''
-
-Otherwise show:
-
+== Project web site ==
+
+=== Front page ===
+
+The project front page has a "Join" button, linked to a "registration" page.
+
+=== Registration page ===
+
+The registration page shows two forms side by side:
+ * Create account (for users new to this project)
+ * Log in (for existing users)
+Submission of either form goes to the Download page (below).
+
+If the user is already logged in on this project,
+the page redirects to Download page.
+
+=== Download page ===
+
+This page tells the user what software they need to install,
+and lets them either download it or confirm that it's already installed.
+
+==== Android case ====
+
+Show:
  * '''[Download BOINC]''' (link to Google or Amazon app store)
  * '''Open BOINC, select Add Project, and choose (project name)'''
 
-Note: we can probably improve this.
-
-=== Non-Android case ===
-
-Join page:
-
-if the project has no app versions for the platform, show
-
-'''This project doesn't currently X computers.
-The supported computer types are: xxx"
-
-Otherwise show a create account / login page:
-
- * Create account: please enter your email address and a password.
- * If you already have an account, please log in (links for forgot passwd etc.)
-
-On completion, show a "download page":
+Note: we can improve this, but it will take changes to the Android GUI.
+
+==== Non-Android case ====
+
+A project's config file can specify whether it needs VBox,
+and whether it has a min client version.
+The Download page says something like:
 
  * To participate in X, your computer must have BOINC (and VBox) installed.
- * [Download BOINC (and VBox)] (link to concierge.php).
-    This goes to a page explaining how to install after download.
- * [BOINC (and VBox) are already installed].
-    This goes to a page saying to open the Manager and select Add Project.
-
-So for new volunteers, the process is:
+ * If these are already installed, [click here]
+ * [Download BOINC (and VBox)].
+
+The "click here" link goes to a page that:
+
+ * Sends some cookies (see below)
+ * Tells the user to open the Manager and choose Add Project.
+
+The Download link does to a page that
+ * Sends some cookies (see below)
+ * Initiates a download
+ * Tells the user to double-click on the installer when download is done
+
+=== User experience ===
+
+In summary, the new-user process is:
 
  1. Visit project web site, click on '''Join".
- 1. Enter email/passwd
+ 1. Enter email/passwd, click OK
  1. Click Download
  1. Click on installer, choose defaults
- 1. Manager runs, brings up dialog showing project and account info,
-     asks for confirmation.
+ 1. Manager runs, brings up confirmation/welcome dialog
+
+Note the following improvements:
+ 1. User doesn't leave the project web site (e.g. doesn't land on BOINC web site)
+ 1. User doesn't see list of all projects
 
 === What projects must do ===
 
-Add the following to config.xml:
+Add to config.xml:
  * <project_desc>: a few-sentence description of the project.
  * <project_inst>: the host institution (optional).
 
+Add to config.xml if needed:
+ * <min_core_client_version_announced>
+ * <need_vbox>
+
 In the home page:
 
- * put a button linking to join.php
+ * put a button linking to register.php
 
 == Implementation ==
 
-Join page:
-get the platform from the user agent string,
-then finds the supported platforms by enumerating
-the app_version and platform tables.
+Register page: use existing code for forms
 
 Download page: extract from config.xml:
@@ -123 +134 @@
  * the project description
  * the project institution
-
-See whether VBox is used by enumerating the app_version table.
-
-These data are passed as URL args to a URL on the BOINC web server (concierge.php).
-If the user is logged in on the project site, it also passes
+ * software requirements
+
+These first 4 items are passed as URL args to a script on the BOINC web server (concierge.php).
+Also passed:
  * the user name
  * the user authenticator
+ * whether a download is required
+ * whether VBox is needed
 
 === The concierte.php script ===
@@ -135 +147 @@
 The concierge.php script looks at the master URL to see if the project is in BOINC's list.
 
-It looks at the user agent string to find the computer's platform,
-and gets the URL of the current BOINC installer for that platform.
-(If vbox_required is present, it uses the BOINC+Vbox installer).
-
-It then sends the following cookies (from the boinc.berkeley.edu domain):
+It sends the following cookies (from the boinc.berkeley.edu domain):
 
  '''attach_known''':: 1 if the project is known to BOINC
@@ -151 +159 @@
 These cookies are sent with a 24-hour expiration time.
 
-The script then redirects to the URL of the installer file.
+If the "download" arg is set,
+the script looks at the user agent string to find the computer's platform,
+and gets the URL of the current BOINC installer for that platform.
+(If VBox is needed, it uses the BOINC+Vbox installer).
+It then redirects to the URL of the installer file.
 On current browsers this doesn't change the web page
 (which is still the project's main page);
@@ -159 +171 @@
 === Manager ===
 
-When the manager starts up, it looks for the '''attach_master_url''' cookie from
+When the manager starts up, or the Add Project command is given,
+it looks for the '''attach_master_url''' cookie from
 the boinc.berkeley.edu domain.
 If this is present, it puts up the Attach Wizard,
-at the email/password page.
+at a confirmation page that shows
+ * the project name, description, and institution
+ * the user name
+ * whether the project is known to BOINC
 
 == Anonymous registration ==
@@ -168 +184 @@
 The join process can be further simplified if we eliminate the
 email address and password associated with accounts.
-This might be selected by the project
-(using a config flag)
-or by the volunteer
-(by a "anonymous account" checkbox in the registration page).
-
-In each case, the links on the Download page would create an account
+This might be selected by the project (using a config flag)
+or by the volunteer (by an "anonymous" checkbox in the Register page).
+
+In each case, the Register page would create an account
 with random strings for email address and password.
 
@@ -181 +195 @@
  * Let anonymous accounts be made non-anonymous (i.e. given an
    email address, name, and password).
+
+== Unsupported platforms ==
+
+One issue not addressed by this proposal:
+what if the computer is of a type for which the project has no apps?
+The user should learn this immediately.
+E.g. viewed from an Android device,
+the front page could say something like:
+
+'''This project is not able to use Android devices.
+Please visit this site from a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer.'''