Comments on: Automatic downloads and usability http://www.sidesofmarch.com/index.php/archive/2008/05/02/automatic-downloads-and-usability/ Thoughts on life, liberty, and information technology Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:43:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: harborpirate http://www.sidesofmarch.com/index.php/archive/2008/05/02/automatic-downloads-and-usability/#comment-177419 harborpirate Thu, 08 May 2008 00:30:44 +0000 http://www.sidesofmarch.com/index.php/archive/2008/05/02/automatic-downloads-and-usability/#comment-177419 I have to agree with the sentiment that auto-downloads are lame. In your example fix I would probably have the [START DOWNLOAD] link prominently displayed at the top of the paragraph, before the "Your Download is Ready" text. Though this is slightly counterintuitive, most users at this point have already figured out that they want to download something, and they already know what it is, so they just want a way to trigger the download actually happening without reading any further. Other users who are not quite sure and would like to read the text can use the secondary link provided in the text. Listing the download link at the top and then again in the text covers both bases and makes everyone happy. I have to agree with the sentiment that auto-downloads are lame.

In your example fix I would probably have the [START DOWNLOAD] link prominently displayed at the top of the paragraph, before the “Your Download is Ready” text. Though this is slightly counterintuitive, most users at this point have already figured out that they want to download something, and they already know what it is, so they just want a way to trigger the download actually happening without reading any further. Other users who are not quite sure and would like to read the text can use the secondary link provided in the text. Listing the download link at the top and then again in the text covers both bases and makes everyone happy.

]]> By: brian http://www.sidesofmarch.com/index.php/archive/2008/05/02/automatic-downloads-and-usability/#comment-171214 brian Fri, 02 May 2008 15:48:55 +0000 http://www.sidesofmarch.com/index.php/archive/2008/05/02/automatic-downloads-and-usability/#comment-171214 If you want to count downloads, you can either (1) analyze your web traffic logs, or (2) use code to manage the download file request. The latter is the best approach in terms of download tracking management, as you can store other information along with the download itself (session-specific information, such as a logged in user's username), and you can also keep your downloaded files in a physical disk location that is not directly accessible by the web. As well, with this approach you can implement security on files, since file downloads have to go through some sort of code/web page. This is the approach I took when writing a custom CSS for www.gnyha.org. They have thousands of files hosted, some of them private, some of them public. In all cases, files are downloaded through a custom URL, files are stored in a directory remote from the web page, and security permissions can be applied to all downloads. Overkill for simple scenarios, but if you need the power, that's the way to do it. If you want to count downloads, you can either (1) analyze your web traffic logs, or (2) use code to manage the download file request. The latter is the best approach in terms of download tracking management, as you can store other information along with the download itself (session-specific information, such as a logged in user’s username), and you can also keep your downloaded files in a physical disk location that is not directly accessible by the web. As well, with this approach you can implement security on files, since file downloads have to go through some sort of code/web page.

This is the approach I took when writing a custom CSS for http://www.gnyha.org. They have thousands of files hosted, some of them private, some of them public. In all cases, files are downloaded through a custom URL, files are stored in a directory remote from the web page, and security permissions can be applied to all downloads.

Overkill for simple scenarios, but if you need the power, that’s the way to do it.

]]> By: Lucas http://www.sidesofmarch.com/index.php/archive/2008/05/02/automatic-downloads-and-usability/#comment-171198 Lucas Fri, 02 May 2008 15:29:46 +0000 http://www.sidesofmarch.com/index.php/archive/2008/05/02/automatic-downloads-and-usability/#comment-171198 I've always wondered why sites use this "your download will start automatically" system instead of a direct link to the file. Is it for usability or for technical reasons? Is it to keep a download count? That can be done in other ways. To keep people from linking the file directly from another site? There's usually a direct link anyway ("Click here if the download doesn't start in XX seconds."), so that can't be it. Someone enlighten me :) I’ve always wondered why sites use this “your download will start automatically” system instead of a direct link to the file. Is it for usability or for technical reasons? Is it to keep a download count? That can be done in other ways. To keep people from linking the file directly from another site? There’s usually a direct link anyway (“Click here if the download doesn’t start in XX seconds.”), so that can’t be it.

Someone enlighten me :)

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