Title: Based on some feedback from Lloyd I’ve … Author: Matt Mullenweg Published: July 14, 2010 --- [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/matt/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://profiles.wordpress.org/matt/) 3:11 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 Tags: [wordpress.org ( 22 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/wordpress-org/) # Based on some feedback from Lloyd I’ve … Based on some feedback from Lloyd I’ve tweaked the homepage intro again, particularly the last sentence. I’m curious on some other people’s thoughts on the homepage — I think of our audience coming to the homepage as: 1. people who have no idea what WP is 2. people who know what WP is and want one 3. users of WP who need help 4. users of WP who want a new theme or plugins 5. contributors to: support, docs, themes, plugins, coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Whew. What should be there for each of those people? How do we move folks from one level to another? My second question would be: what should a download (really a getting started) page look like in the age of one-click installers? Do you know how many people (including my Mom) have an unpacked ZIP of WordPress on their desktop and say the thing is too hard? [#wordpress-org](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/wordpress-org/) ### Share this: * [ Threads ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/based-on-some-feedback-from-lloyd-ive/?share=threads) * [ Mastodon ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/based-on-some-feedback-from-lloyd-ive/?share=mastodon) * [ Bluesky ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/based-on-some-feedback-from-lloyd-ive/?share=bluesky) * [ X ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/based-on-some-feedback-from-lloyd-ive/?share=x) * [ Facebook ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/based-on-some-feedback-from-lloyd-ive/?share=facebook) * [ LinkedIn ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/based-on-some-feedback-from-lloyd-ive/?share=linkedin) 1. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ab6f1aff0a3275529f258d5710c8407207d5162acd2ce5396f7b1179fc9962c3? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 2. [Nathan Rice](http://www.nathanrice.net/) 3:33 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 3. The “getting started” page is huge, to most users. 4. Think about it. In order to do it right, you have to … 5. 1. register your domain name 2. sign up for hosting 3. point your domain name to your host 4. create the database, remember your db user/pass 5. download/install and FTPFTP FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol which is a way of moving computer files from one computer to another via the Internet. You can use software, known as a FTP client, to upload files to a server for a WordPress website. [https://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients](https://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients) program 6. FTP into your server 7. download/extract/upload WordPress 6. THEN you open up a browser and start the install process, upload a theme, start publishing content, etc. 7. That can be overwhelming to almost anybody who hasn’t done it before. 8. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/520e5857aa130ed58f0dcbea19b077feb74731d1ac5a136ce1ce529b70110eea? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * Anonymous User 3:35 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 * Haven’t you just explained why WordPress.comWordPress.com An online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. [https://wordpress.com/](https://wordpress.com/) exists? - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0af6cab2f43104364d5bd824e79b310f6abd4a101680976cb88829dee434aa8e? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Andrea_R](http://wpmututorials.com) 3:38 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 - Yep. Pretty much. That difference maybe needs to be explained somewhere prominent. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/33252cd1f33526af53580fcb1736172f06e6716f32afdd1be19ec3096d15dea5? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Matt](http://ma.tt/) 3:47 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 * Most hosts make that pretty painless on signup though. 9. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6845456dbc9056f20a4cd50a6b95db78f2ae31df5c0601c613ee5b8939c41a82? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 10. Jon Brown 3:47 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 11. You almost need a decision tree that says: Do you already have hosting? or, Do you need hosting? 12. If you have hosting, is there a simple script option to install? otherwise, Explain manual install If you don’t have hosting, explain how tongo about getting hosting with mention of wp.com and Page.ly as alternatives. 13. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fcfb66f478edda7cae23873523a6994855a9e8199737a8ebb02d0fa00fbd94ad? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Peter](http://holme.se) 9:50 am _on_ July 16, 2010 * I’d never recommend the “simple script option” supplied by cPanel its likes to install WP.. That have only meant trouble for me in the past.. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/33252cd1f33526af53580fcb1736172f06e6716f32afdd1be19ec3096d15dea5? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Matt](http://ma.tt/) 3:56 pm _on_ July 21, 2010 - Really? A lot of folks I know have done well with it. - To clarify there is SimpleScripts, Fantastico, a built-in Cpanel installer, and probably some hosts have custom things. Each is different. I love how Dreamhost, for example, will auto-upgrade all my WP installs there. 14. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fdfe9ec238a74313ed7c31abf2989c1c735342a3084ee311eb2fa4c1fe54fd55? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 15. [demetris](http://op111.net/) 4:13 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 16. The introductory description has some stuff I would leave out: 17. 1. The free/priceless sentence seems trite to me. 2. The volunteers sentence does not do anything for me. 3. The links to plugins and themes are premature at that point. 18. I think WordPress does not need much of an introduction, as it sells itself. Just include the major points and you are fine: 19. 1. Modern web publishing. 2. Easy to setup and use, and highly extensibleExtensible This is the ability to add additional functionality to the code. Plugins extend the WordPress core software. 3. Preferred by millions of people all over the world. 4. Available for free, and also open-source software. 20. Here is a quick translationtranslation The process (or result) of changing text, words, and display formatting to support another language. Also see [localization](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/based-on-some-feedback-from-lloyd-ive/?output_format=md#l10n), [internationalization](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/based-on-some-feedback-from-lloyd-ive/?output_format=md#i18n). of the intro I wrote for el.wordpress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. [https://wordpress.org/](https://wordpress.org/). It is targeted at a different audience—and I don’t like it very much as it is now—, but it might give you some idea to work on exactly because it is different: 21. “WordPress is a modern platform for publishing on the web. With it you can create a website or weblog in a few easy steps and start publishing all kinds of content: a web journal, articles, photos, videos, information about products and services— in short, whatever you like. 22. “WordPress is available for free and it is open-source software. 23. “Here you will find Greek versions of WordPress and also information about using WordPress in a Greek environment.” 24. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/035251321439f8d7215c9aaf42279f8d190a63c51bad9d6baa618549c1d9debe? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 25. [Mike Schinkel](http://mikeschinkel.com) 6:47 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 26. I think #1 should be the primary target of your home page and all others should be able to find a link off of the home page. I think it currently does a reasonable job but I’m sure it could always get better with some hypothesis A/B testing. 27. As for the .zip file on the desktop, maybe now would be a good time consider a more prominent “Get Started” page and make “Download” less prominent. The Get Started page could be a wizard that would walk them through the options (.com vs. self hosted) and if they choose the latter let them specify a hosting company and send them to the the hosting company that would install it. 28. Once you have the basic Wizard in place you could then solicit the hosting companies to provide you with information via a feed that could be used to make the Wizard smarter. For example, you could ask the user what they are most interested in, i.e.: price, managed hosting, # facebook fans (or some other way to show external support), then show them the current plans, etc. Next step would be to get the hosting companies to streamline the install process so the have to do the minimum to sign up and get the WordPress site already running instead much like I expect Page.ly has. BTW, developing that and evangelizing the process to with the web hosts would be a really interesting project. 29. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/72a3fedcda94ca864d14c08c8be7d97f4c355ac9cf2173a6961f7a81a1f2a1b3? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 30. [Ben Tremblay](http://bentrem.sycks.net) 7:56 pm _on_ July 14, 2010 31. Coincidentally “A key issue to this is that you have three audiences to address” is what Lorelle was writing about on WP-Docs. What I’d suggest (short and sweet) is that those with the least knowledge need the most attention. By that I don’t mean quantity, but they will be wanting the best UXUX User experience. E.g. if folk are actually in need of WP.com that should be dealt with elegantly. 32. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c13af76f0fcf50558b2ae50b43cb8b6fd155795fd0178ad7cc74228ee09982bf? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 33. [Ryan](http://pixopoint.com/) 2:23 am _on_ July 15, 2010 34. Solution to zip files being too complex … [http://wpquickinstall.com/](http://wpquickinstall.com/) 35. Dion just needs some encouragement to develop it I think. 36. Very few people who need it, will be asking for it, because they don’t know that there is a simpler way to do things and the ones who know how to handle zip’s etc. aren’t going to be asking for something like this … therefore I suggest just including something like WP QI on the download page as the main way of installing WordPress. Then include a link off to another page which provides zip’s, including the latest nightlies, betas, RCs etc. 37. Other softwares, such as SMF, use this approach to installation and it works very well IMO. It’s much faster to install as you don’t need to FTPFTP FTP is an acronym for File Transfer Protocol which is a way of moving computer files from one computer to another via the Internet. You can use software, known as a FTP client, to upload files to a server for a WordPress website. [https://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients](https://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients) a whole bunch of files and it’s simpler for the less techno-savvy end-users. 38. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/035251321439f8d7215c9aaf42279f8d190a63c51bad9d6baa618549c1d9debe? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Mike Schinkel](http://mikeschinkel.com) 8:17 am _on_ July 15, 2010 * +1 to WP QI. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/33252cd1f33526af53580fcb1736172f06e6716f32afdd1be19ec3096d15dea5? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Matt](http://ma.tt/) 8:23 am _on_ July 15, 2010 * There’s nothing wrong with a zip file, it’s just useless without a hosting account, and QI doesn’t change that. - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/035251321439f8d7215c9aaf42279f8d190a63c51bad9d6baa618549c1d9debe? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Mike Schinkel](http://mikeschinkel.com) 8:57 am _on_ July 15, 2010 - Contemplate please what I said above with Ryan’s suggestion of WP QI. QI might be a tools that hosting companies could use in conjunction with WordPress. orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. [https://wordpress.org/](https://wordpress.org/) to streamline the getting started process for self-hosting. Comments are closed. # Post navigation [← Here’s some stats on MySQL usage, which…](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/14/heres-some-stats-on-mysql-usage-which/) [I’ve just gotten ejabberd auth working … →](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/07/15/ive-just-gotten-ejabberd-auth-working/)