New Eclipse Download Page

The Eclipse Board of Directors has asked the Eclipse Foundation to redesign the eclipse.org download page. The current download page is focused on the existing Eclipse packages and projects that are compatible with the Eclipse Platform. However, in the last number of years the Eclipse community has grown in diversity and now includes many projects that don’t necessarily fit into our packages or even the Eclipse Platform. Therefore, the goal of a new download page is to reflect this growing diversity and showcase this diversity on our most important page.

Given this direction, we have created a draft of the new download page. The design of this new page was completed with the following objectives/assumptions:

1. It is assumed a large majority of the visitors to the download page will be looking for technology found on the current download page. Therefore, we need to make it clear and simple for individuals that want to download the Eclipse JDT, Eclipse JavaEE tools, Eclipse CDT, etc.
2. Our focus on installing the existing Eclipse packages is to encourage individuals to use the Eclipse Installer. It is our hope that in 12 months the current package download page will no longer be needed. The current package download page will remain the same and will be linked to from this new page.
3. We need to limit the number of options on the download page so it doesn’t become overwhelming. The goal for the new design is for us not to have more than 20 different options on the page.

As you will see the new download page has 3 main sections:

Our challenge is we now have multiple platforms for creating/integrating tools. For the Eclipse Classic, our strategy is to point everyone to the Installer. For our download page, we will only promote the Installer and not individual downloads of packages or projects.

If a tool is not accessible from the Installer, we will evaluate the inclusion on the download page based on the following:

1. Project is a platform for integrating developer tools. 

2. Project has a download ‘tool product’ that can be used by a developer immediately after the installation.

3. Project is not available as a plugin into the Eclipse Classic platform.

4. Project is following the EDP.

We have a number of projects that are not tools but application/runtime platforms for running applications. A Runtime Platform will be defined as a project that includes a runtime container, like Eclipse Jetty, Eclipse Equinox, etc.

It is important we promote our Working Groups and other technology communities within Eclipse. Working Groups are a critical part of the Foundation strategy so we need to include them on our highest traffic web page. For Working Groups or communities to be included, they will need to have a maintained download page with at least three different downloads that include three different Eclipse projects and following the EDP.

I think the new page looks great. It is modern, simple, and achieves all the goals. Thanks for Eric, Kat, Matt, and everyone else at the Foundation for doing a great job.

Let us know what you think. Please leave your feedback on this bug.