pkgs.racket-lang.org Why are the links so inconsistent?

[Simon Schlee]

Hello,

searching through a bunch of different packages I noticed that the code/download links are quite inconsistent.

For some packages there is a download button clicking that button does nothing (in firefox) because it contains a git:// protocol url, here is an example package:

https://pkgs.racket-lang.org/package/pict-lib

But in the bottom table there is the row "Version exceptions" that uses the git protocol in the link text but a https protocol in the actual link.

What is the reason that the download button at the top uses the git protocol?

I would have expected https.

Why is it a download button?

It could be a source button with the https address from the bottom.

I know that within the package preferences/edit-form it is possible to choose between simple url and git repository.

I suspect that the differences in the buttons that are shown for that package result from these different modes.

I think that it would be more user friendly to show the code button (with https address to github/gitlab/etc) for as many packages as possible,

this way you can easily get to the git repository of most packages.

It is frustrating when packages that have a github repo are linked to with the git protocol, resulting in a download button that does nothing.

There are packages which aren't git repositories and for those it makes sense that there is only a download button, but no source button.

If the download button with git protocol is useful for some people (because they have taught their browser to open a git viewer application or something like that),

then it would make sense to have both buttons.

When I am on the documentation page and I click the package link I get to the package detail page,

for many packages I can then click a second time on the code or download button and get to a website where I can explore the code without needing to download it.

When this works, it is excellent.

When it does not, it is frustrating.

Simon