[WebApps] Improve Webapps install dialog text

[Benjamin Kerensa]

Description: WebApps popups a dialog on support websites asking if the user wants to install the webapp but does not clearly explain what a webapp is how it is useful to the end user and how it can be removed if the end user dislikes it.

What happened: Ambiguous dialog is offered to end user who visits supported sites.

What was expected: More informational dialog or a link at the bottom of the dialog saying "Learn more about WebApps" that links to a more user friendly description of what WebApps are and how they might benefit the end user.

[Julian Foad (julianfoad)]

Let's check we all understand the problem. I'm a long-time Ubuntu and Firefox user and software developer: I understand software and the concept of a web-app, though it's not my field. However, I had *no idea* that was what this dialogue was talking about. I assumed it was offering to install perhaps some sort of toolbar or keyboard shortcuts, or to change my home page, or something -- but as it didn't offer any explanation it was simply annoying. The offer to "install Facebook" or "install Google" sounded to me as ridiculous as "You have selected to download The Internet. Choose a directory in which to save The Internet."

The problem is that we think of Facebook and Google as *services* -- something you connect to "out there" -- and not something you can "install" (that is, make a copy of) on your own computer.

The first thing is that the language of the message has to reflect this. It could say something like:

  Do you want to install Facebook as a web app in your launcher?

That gives a hint as to what "installing" refers to, and also gives a key phrase ("web app") which the user can use in searching for more info. (Please not "webapp" -- wait a few years to see if it becomes a word before writing it as one.)

Secondly, as the OP says, this dialogue needs to link to more info about what "installing as a web app" means. This extra information needs to take care to point out the differences, the pros and cons; and to say specifically what will happen, and how to find, use, remove it. It's easy for someone involved in the web-app feature to remember to point out the pros (integration, one-click launch, etc.) It's harder but also important to remember to point out the cons, which include that it won't be running in Firefox so all your Firefox-specific functionality (bookmarks, saved passwords, etc.) won't be there or won't be the same. In fact, in my quick expeiment with launchpad.net, it seems the web-app offers no menu, no forward/back keys (when following a link, forward/back arrows pop up very briefly and immediately go away), no copy/paste between different apps, and no help. Some links open in the app and some open in Firefox. In brief, it seems to be "experimental" quality. I presume some of that stuff is meant to be there but is not working on my (14.04) system; either way, that's a subject for a different bug report.

[David Barth (dbarth)]

Adding an ubuntu-ux task to get some design guidance, or guidance update in that case.

[Benjamin Kerensa (bkerensa)]

I would encourage Ubuntu Design team to communicate any changes to Firefox experience to Mozilla.

[Will Cooke (willcooke)]

Assigning to David. Shouldn't be me anymore