[ckan-dev] Non-local resources should not have Download links

Thu May 31 12:21:27 UTC 2012

Someone contacted us using the form on ckan.org because of a broken
link on thedatahub.org - specifically the 'Download' button at

http://thedatahub.org/dataset/dnb-gemeinsame-normdatei/resource/d6216bd7-386a-443c-a826-d518b16df6e3

Of course, it's not up to us to fix broken links in people's datasets.
However, I do think this points up a flaw in the UI. A 'Download'
button should only be for resources stored locally. Having a
'Download' button that just means 'follow this link' is just asking
for trouble (and could mislead users as to what's going on).

This is related to another small UI issue: I think the URL of a
resource should be much more prominent, not buried in the 'Additional
Information' table.

Suggested fix:

- Put the URL prominently at the top of the resource page (above the preview)
- Disable the Download button unless the resource is stored locally.

By the way the same user had tried e-mailing the maintainer - which
may well mean someone at the publishing organisation who had never
heard of CKAN. This is more support for the idea of separating these
roles as in another thread. But it also raises the idea in my mind of
adding the ability to send messages to other user accounts.

Mark

-- 
Mark Wainwright, CKAN Community Co-ordinator
Open Knowledge Foundation http://okfn.org/
CKAN on Twitter: @CKANproject