[Commotion-discuss] Website feedback from hackday on "warning" sign

[Ryan Gerety]

I agree.  I would advocate for removing it--it looks like an error-- 
and also doesnt really help the user navigate the risks.  I agree with  
Georgia that Commotion's often inaccurate press requires us to be  
proactive around what it cant do (also most software should), but in  
the end the security is very similar to any router firmware.  In most  
browers the warning takes up most the page, so you cant even see the  
downloads.  I think a link or button that says "Learn more about  
Security with Commotion" would be sufficient, and then it can say, "as  
with most home wireless systems, xxx."


On Jun 12, 2013, at 1:29 PM, Dan Staples wrote:

> @Georgia: I think trying some alternative displays of the warning  
> label on the download page is definitely worth trying. However, I  
> would just as that you clone the page and send us links to that  
> instead of modifying the actual download page until we've decided on  
> any changes.
>
> In general, I think it's better to make users feel empowered than  
> scared. It's already hard enough getting folks to adopt this  
> technology. If someone is concerned about their security, they will  
> likely take note of any warning labels they see, even if it isn't  
> quite the center of attention of the page. I think it's worth  
> considering alterations to the page to make the warning label lower  
> down and/or somewhat smaller.
>
> On 06/12/2013 11:28 AM, Andrew Reynolds wrote:
>> I'm moving this discussion to the commotion-discuss list.
>>
>> For those just joining in, the issue in question is how to present  
>> usage
>> warnings related to Commotion's current capabilities[1] in a way that
>> does not imply that the user has misconfigured the software.
>>
>> On one hand, we need to be very clear about Commotion's current
>> capabilities, especially given the press around the project. On the
>> other hand, we don't want to give the impression that a correct
>> installation has failed somehow.
>>
>> 1. See
>> https://commotionwireless.net/blog/warning-label-development-part-1  
>> and
>> https://commotionwireless.net/blog/warning-label-development-part-2
>>
>> -andrew
>>
>> On 06/12/2013 11:23 AM, Preston Rhea wrote:
>>> I maintain that when the first thing someone sees upon clicking a  
>>> link
>>> and landing is a warning - someone who isn't a l33t hacker - they  
>>> will
>>> think they have come to some page in error, and that creates the  
>>> wrong
>>> kind of caution. It can cause confusion and mistrust in one's  
>>> ability
>>> to follow the documentation, instead of invite caution about the
>>> decision you're making to use this sofware.
>>>
>>> On Wed, Jun 12, 2013 at 11:11 AM, Georgia Bullen
>>> <georgia at opentechinstitute.org> wrote:
>>>> I think there's a happy medium, which is maybe just a color  
>>>> change to the
>>>> warning label? Or something like that? Pick one of the colors  
>>>> from the color
>>>> palette?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Jun 12, 2013 at 10:53 AM, Seamus Tuohy <s2e at opentechinstitute.org 
>>>> >
>>>> wrote:
>>>>> That means it works! Seriously though, this is the intended  
>>>>> effect. A
>>>>> user should feel uneasy and read the warning when they are going  
>>>>> to
>>>>> download Commotion. Users in non-risky scenarios feeling  
>>>>> uncomfortable
>>>>> is a small price to pay for those at risk being confronted with  
>>>>> the
>>>>> limits of this tool.
>>>>>
>>>>> s2e
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 06/11/2013 04:39 PM, Preston Rhea wrote:
>>>>>> Some of the feedback I got when walking folks through  
>>>>>> installation had
>>>>>> to do with the "WARNING" sign on the download site:
>>>>>> https://commotionwireless.net/download
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> A couple of folks said that when the first thing they see after
>>>>>> clicking according to the instructions
>>>>>>
>>>>>> (https://code.commotionwireless.net/projects/commotion/wiki/Stock_Ubiquiti_Install_Guide 
>>>>>> )
>>>>>> is a warning sign, they feel like they've done something wrong.  
>>>>>> When
>>>>>> we discussed the purpose of the warning label, they agree that it
>>>>>> should exist, but that it should be moved down below the  
>>>>>> initial fold
>>>>>> of the page - but before the download links - so that it still  
>>>>>> serves
>>>>>> its purpose without giving the user a feeling of having  
>>>>>> committed an
>>>>>> error, or having gone somewhere dangerous.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Preston Rhea
>>>>>> Program Associate, Open Technology Institute
>>>>>> New America Foundation
>>>>>> +1-202-570-9770
>>>>>> Twitter: @prestonrhea
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Georgia Bullen
>>>> Field Operations Technologist, Open Technology Institute
>>>> New America Foundation
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
> -- 
> Dan Staples
>
> Open Technology Institute
> https://commotionwireless.net
> _______________________________________________
> Commotion-discuss mailing list
> Commotion-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-discuss

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