Main https://nodejs.org page doesn't explain that links only download source if javascript is disabled

[QuantumApprentice]

URL:

https://nodejs.org/en

Browser Name:

firefox

Browser Version:

121.0

Operating System:

Linux Mint

How to reproduce the issue:

1. Disable javascript (for security) using the NoScript or UBlock Origin extensions or setting javascript.enabled in about :config to false
2. Go to https://nodejs.org/en to download the most recent version of node.js
3. The button downloads the source code automatically but there is no indication it's the source code
4. There is no text indicating that javascript will change the links the buttons point to, or that it will identify the OS being used

[bmuenzenmeyer]

this is a good callout we will consider once some of our work settles - do you have suggested strategies here to use?

[ovflowd]

There is no text indicating that javascript will change the links the buttons point to, or that it will identify the OS being used

Hmmm, do you have examples of pages that showcase that they will download a binary for that OS?

[ovflowd]

We could have some sort of callout, but wondering how often people would expect this.

[bmuenzenmeyer]

I suspect we could add noscript tags to these buttons.

@QuantumApprentice would it even be necessary on the proposed homepage button here https://nodejs-org-git-feat-new-blog-pagination-system-openjs.vercel.app/en ?

I think the text we are looking for is pretty close to what is now proposed on the new home page.

[QuantumApprentice]

The most common solution I've seen is a simple message, something like:
"Javascript is Disabled"
"The big green buttons link to the source_code when javascript is disabled"
"To allow the big green buttons to automatically determine your OS (etc) and generate an appropriate link for your OS, please enable javascript"
"Or you can click "Other Downloads" to find a link for your specific OS."

When javascript is enabled, this text can be replaced with a simple description, something like:
"Click the big green button to automatically download a version specific to your operating system"

There is no text indicating that javascript will change the links the buttons point to, or that it will identify the OS being used

Hmmm, do you have examples of pages that showcase that they will download a binary for that OS?

This is the first time I've run into this for OS-specific binaries, but other sites I've been to handle it like above.

I suspect we could add noscript tags to these buttons.

@QuantumApprentice would it even be necessary on the proposed homepage button here https://nodejs-org-git-feat-new-blog-pagination-system-openjs.vercel.app/en ?

I think the text we are looking for is pretty close to what is now proposed on the new home page.

Same issue as the current home page, the source is linked when javascript is disabled, and nothing informing the user what they're actually getting when javascript is disabled.
I'm not sure what noscript tags will do, but probably won't work with uBlock Origin which is more popular these days anyway.

[ovflowd]

I suspect we could add noscript tags to these buttons.

@QuantumApprentice would it even be necessary on the proposed homepage button here nodejs-org-git-feat-new-blog-pagination-system-openjs.vercel.app/en ?

I think the text we are looking for is pretty close to what is now proposed on the new home page.

We updated the copy to reference that it downloads a binary to current version. We should probably add a text when JavaScript is disabled to say that it will download the source.

@canerakdas we should probably somehow update our /downloads page (create a global style) within a <noscript> to hide the other tabs besides the "Package Manager" and "Source Code" as we cannot detect OS without source.

Also, we should find a way to have the Node.js version selector Select to work even with JavaScript disabled... I assume this is a limitation of the select component? Maybe we should require JavaScript to be enabled?

[ovflowd]

Do we have any updates here? 🤔