Upgraders are shown dull release notes in Update Manager

[Matthew Paul Thomas]

1. Install Ubuntu 11.04.
2. Invoke Update Manager.
3. Click "Upgrade".

What happens: You see dull release notes.
What should happen: You see a short, illustrated brief on why you might or might not want to upgrade.

This way the release notes can concentrate on being a technical overview of the release.

Implementing this would require a navigation-free HTML page that can be embedded into the upgrade window.

[Anthony Dillon (ya-bo-ng)]

Hi mpt,

Few questions:
Is this an existing HTML page?
Where is it hosted?
Do you know the width and height (could scroll but ideally not if we could if the features in) of the window?

Thanks.

[Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt)]

I don't understand the first two questions. If I knew of an existing page I would not have reported this bug! If it helps you understand the problem, see the screenshot at <http://sparkle.andymatuschak.org/>. The page embedded into that Software Update window is the kind of page we need.

<http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/whats-new> fulfils a similar role, but it (a) assumes a full-screen browser window, (b) has global navigation, and (c) does not cover any of the reasons why you might want to choose *not* to upgrade right now.

The Update Manager window is currently 600 pixels wide, and the pane would be about 300 (± 100) pixels high. Since it would be covering an entire new OS version, vertical scrolling would be pretty much inevitable.

Part of fixing this would be establishing a checklist item for Ubuntu developers, so that any major changes (including additions or removals, whatever the cause) get flagged for possible inclusion. This would be closely related to the release notes process, except that the release notes (as currently written) are for a more technical audience.

[Anthony Dillon (ya-bo-ng)]

I will add this to the 12.10 re-design work required by the site. Who should the web team liaise with to deliver this?

[Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt)]

Anthony, this is work that will need doing every six months, probably at the same time as <http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/whats-new> is updated. I suggest that you liaise with three people each time. First, the Desktop team lead (currently Jason Warner) or someone he delegates, who can identify the major changes in features and requirements for each version. Second, someone from the Marketing or Communications team, who can write up and illustrate those changes appropriately. And third, the keeper of the release notes (currently Kate Stewart), since this page will be splitting non-technical items out of the release notes.