So I'm trying to find windows binaries for GDC and LDC...

First place I look is dlang.org/download. Appears to be for DMD... keep looking.

I look at the GDC/LDC wiki pages. No links to binaries anywhere.
GDC and LDC home pages... no links to binaries.
Github doesn't host binaries anymore...

Where are they?

Turns out there are links to the GDC binaries (hosted on bitbucket) on
dlang.org/download.
...I didn't previously notice they were there, never scrolled down far
enough. The impression you get from the top of the page is that
dlang.orgis just DMD related, and I quickly dismissed it previously
>_<

But there's still no LDC binary there... where is it?

This needs to be fixed. You can argue I'm retarded and ignorant, but as an end user, it should take me no more than 5 seconds to find the download button.

I suggest, on the front page of dlang.org, there should be a MASSIVE button: "DOWNLOAD D COMPILERS", and the download page should be tweaked to be more obviously compiler agnostic.

D1 and DMC consume an unreasonable amount of realestate, hiding GDC/LDC
(surely basically nobody is looking for those?), perhaps they should be
reduced to small test links with the other links down the bottom of the
page?
This will allow room to present GDC and LDC without scrolling.

And why is there no LDC binary?

On Thursday, 22 August 2013 at 03:07:39 UTC, Manu wrote:
> So I'm trying to find windows binaries for GDC and LDC...
>
> First place I look is dlang.org/download. Appears to be for DMD... keep
> looking.
>
> I look at the GDC/LDC wiki pages. No links to binaries anywhere.
> GDC and LDC home pages... no links to binaries.
> Github doesn't host binaries anymore...
>
> Where are they?
>
> Turns out there are links to the GDC binaries (hosted on bitbucket) on
> dlang.org/download.
> ...I didn't previously notice they were there, never scrolled down far
> enough. The impression you get from the top of the page is that
> dlang.orgis just DMD related, and I quickly dismissed it previously
>>_<
>
> But there's still no LDC binary there... where is it?
>
> This needs to be fixed. You can argue I'm retarded and ignorant, but as an
> end user, it should take me no more than 5 seconds to find the download
> button.
>
> I suggest, on the front page of dlang.org, there should be a MASSIVE
> button: "DOWNLOAD D COMPILERS", and the download page should be tweaked to
> be more obviously compiler agnostic.
>
> D1 and DMC consume an unreasonable amount of realestate, hiding GDC/LDC
> (surely basically nobody is looking for those?), perhaps they should be
> reduced to small test links with the other links down the bottom of the
> page?
> This will allow room to present GDC and LDC without scrolling.
>
> And why is there no LDC binary?

I tried to fix some of these problems here[1].  Maybe someone can take what I did and fix it up enough to be used.

1. https://github.com/D-Programming-Language/dlang.org/pull/304

On 22 August 2013 13:18, Brad Anderson <eco@gnuk.net> wrote:

> On Thursday, 22 August 2013 at 03:07:39 UTC, Manu wrote:
>
>> So I'm trying to find windows binaries for GDC and LDC...
>>
>> First place I look is dlang.org/download. Appears to be for DMD... keep looking.
>>
>> I look at the GDC/LDC wiki pages. No links to binaries anywhere.
>> GDC and LDC home pages... no links to binaries.
>> Github doesn't host binaries anymore...
>>
>> Where are they?
>>
>> Turns out there are links to the GDC binaries (hosted on bitbucket) on
>> dlang.org/download.
>> ...I didn't previously notice they were there, never scrolled down far
>> enough. The impression you get from the top of the page is that
>> dlang.orgis just DMD related, and I quickly dismissed it previously
>>
>>  _<
>>>
>>
>> But there's still no LDC binary there... where is it?
>>
>> This needs to be fixed. You can argue I'm retarded and ignorant, but as an end user, it should take me no more than 5 seconds to find the download button.
>>
>> I suggest, on the front page of dlang.org, there should be a MASSIVE button: "DOWNLOAD D COMPILERS", and the download page should be tweaked to be more obviously compiler agnostic.
>>
>> D1 and DMC consume an unreasonable amount of realestate, hiding GDC/LDC
>> (surely basically nobody is looking for those?), perhaps they should be
>> reduced to small test links with the other links down the bottom of the
>> page?
>> This will allow room to present GDC and LDC without scrolling.
>>
>> And why is there no LDC binary?
>>
>
> I tried to fix some of these problems here[1].  Maybe someone can take what I did and fix it up enough to be used.
>
> 1. https://github.com/D-**Programming-Language/dlang.**org/pull/304<https://github.com/D-Programming-Language/dlang.org/pull/304>
>

Definitely an improvement!
Although if I were to be critical, I'd say when scrolling the page, I find
the almost random layout of the bright red buttons scattered all over the
place to be rather overwhelming.

I was also briefly confused by the 32bit/64bit scattered everywhere. My
initial assumption was that it specified the toolchain's target
architecture :/
But since it's the compiler's host arch, I'd say that for Windows where
32bit binaries will run on any version of windows and no 64bit binary is
offered, and OSX which has only ever been 64bit, there's no need to write
it for those platforms. It's just confusing.

On Thursday, 22 August 2013 at 03:07:39 UTC, Manu wrote:
> So I'm trying to find windows binaries for GDC and LDC...
>
> First place I look is dlang.org/download. Appears to be for DMD... keep
> looking.
>
> I look at the GDC/LDC wiki pages. No links to binaries anywhere.
> GDC and LDC home pages... no links to binaries.
> Github doesn't host binaries anymore...
>
> Where are they?
>
> Turns out there are links to the GDC binaries (hosted on bitbucket) on
> dlang.org/download.
> ...I didn't previously notice they were there, never scrolled down far
> enough. The impression you get from the top of the page is that
> dlang.orgis just DMD related, and I quickly dismissed it previously
>>_<

Also, where's the Linux (FreeBSD?, Mac OS X?) downloads for GDC? I get it through my package manager, but it seems there should be a download for it as well. If not a binary, then at least a tar.gz...

> But there's still no LDC binary there... where is it?
>
> This needs to be fixed. You can argue I'm retarded and ignorant, but as an
> end user, it should take me no more than 5 seconds to find the download
> button.

Agreed. Some may not be as persistent as you...

> I suggest, on the front page of dlang.org, there should be a MASSIVE
> button: "DOWNLOAD D COMPILERS", and the download page should be tweaked to
> be more obviously compiler agnostic.

I'm not too sure about this. DMD is the reference compiler, so people should be using that for learning, then graduate to GDC or LDC if they need something faster.

> D1 and DMC consume an unreasonable amount of realestate, hiding GDC/LDC
> (surely basically nobody is looking for those?), perhaps they should be
> reduced to small test links with the other links down the bottom of the
> page?
> This will allow room to present GDC and LDC without scrolling.

+1

Do we really want D1 compilers that easily accessable? I assume everyone relying on them already has a copy, and even if they need another, they can click on an "Archive" link or something...

> And why is there no LDC binary?

On 22 August 2013 13:37, Tyler Jameson Little <beatgammit@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Thursday, 22 August 2013 at 03:07:39 UTC, Manu wrote:
>
>> But there's still no LDC binary there... where is it?
>>
>
>> This needs to be fixed. You can argue I'm retarded and ignorant, but as an end user, it should take me no more than 5 seconds to find the download button.
>>
>
> Agreed. Some may not be as persistent as you...


Most, I'd imagine. Especially if they're a new user (the most important kind!) who don't have a vested interest in D.


 I suggest, on the front page of dlang.org, there should be a MASSIVE
>> button: "DOWNLOAD D COMPILERS", and the download page should be tweaked to be more obviously compiler agnostic.
>>
>
> I'm not too sure about this. DMD is the reference compiler, so people should be using that for learning, then graduate to GDC or LDC if they need something faster.


So put it first, but the others should be visible.
The other compilers need to be used. How will people find/report bugs if
they don't use them?

I've also heard many argue that LDC should be the reference compiler. And
I'm inclined to agree.
Either way, they need prominent placement so people know they exist, and
they get tested.

On Thursday, 22 August 2013 at 03:33:38 UTC, Manu wrote:
> On 22 August 2013 13:18, Brad Anderson <eco@gnuk.net> wrote:
>
>> On Thursday, 22 August 2013 at 03:07:39 UTC, Manu wrote:
>>
>>> So I'm trying to find windows binaries for GDC and LDC...
>>>
>>> First place I look is dlang.org/download. Appears to be for DMD... keep
>>> looking.
>>>
>>> I look at the GDC/LDC wiki pages. No links to binaries anywhere.
>>> GDC and LDC home pages... no links to binaries.
>>> Github doesn't host binaries anymore...
>>>
>>> Where are they?
>>>
>>> Turns out there are links to the GDC binaries (hosted on bitbucket) on
>>> dlang.org/download.
>>> ...I didn't previously notice they were there, never scrolled down far
>>> enough. The impression you get from the top of the page is that
>>> dlang.orgis just DMD related, and I quickly dismissed it previously
>>>
>>>  _<
>>>>
>>>
>>> But there's still no LDC binary there... where is it?
>>>
>>> This needs to be fixed. You can argue I'm retarded and ignorant, but as an
>>> end user, it should take me no more than 5 seconds to find the download
>>> button.
>>>
>>> I suggest, on the front page of dlang.org, there should be a MASSIVE
>>> button: "DOWNLOAD D COMPILERS", and the download page should be tweaked to
>>> be more obviously compiler agnostic.
>>>
>>> D1 and DMC consume an unreasonable amount of realestate, hiding GDC/LDC
>>> (surely basically nobody is looking for those?), perhaps they should be
>>> reduced to small test links with the other links down the bottom of the
>>> page?
>>> This will allow room to present GDC and LDC without scrolling.
>>>
>>> And why is there no LDC binary?
>>>
>>
>> I tried to fix some of these problems here[1].  Maybe someone can take
>> what I did and fix it up enough to be used.
>>
>> 1. https://github.com/D-**Programming-Language/dlang.**org/pull/304<https://github.com/D-Programming-Language/dlang.org/pull/304>
>>
>
> Definitely an improvement!
> Although if I were to be critical, I'd say when scrolling the page, I find
> the almost random layout of the bright red buttons scattered all over the
> place to be rather overwhelming.
>
> I was also briefly confused by the 32bit/64bit scattered everywhere. My
> initial assumption was that it specified the toolchain's target
> architecture :/
> But since it's the compiler's host arch, I'd say that for Windows where
> 32bit binaries will run on any version of windows and no 64bit binary is
> offered, and OSX which has only ever been 64bit, there's no need to write
> it for those platforms. It's just confusing.

Why not sniff the platform? I think Firefox & Dart websites do this. This can be retrieved with navigator.platform: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/window.navigator.platform

Of course, the others should be easily accessible.

On 2013-08-22 05:07, Manu wrote:

> Where are they?
>
> Turns out there are links to the GDC binaries (hosted on bitbucket) on
> dlang.org/download <http://dlang.org/download>.
> ...I didn't previously notice they were there, never scrolled down far
> enough. The impression you get from the top of the page is that
> dlang.org <http://dlang.org> is just DMD related, and I quickly
> dismissed it previously >_<

I had no idea there were GDC binaries on http://dlang.org/download.html

> But there's still no LDC binary there... where is it?

I don't know if they were recently added but they are below the GDC binaries.

> This needs to be fixed. You can argue I'm retarded and ignorant, but as
> an end user, it should take me no more than 5 seconds to find the
> download button.
>
> I suggest, on the front page of dlang.org <http://dlang.org>, there
> should be a MASSIVE button: "DOWNLOAD D COMPILERS", and the download
> page should be tweaked to be more obviously compiler agnostic.

I agree. At the top, of the download page there should be three buttons, one for each compiler. Then JavaScript should be used to figure out the platform. Of course we need a fallback for when JavaScript is disabled or one wants to download for a different platform.

-- 
/Jacob Carlborg

On 2013-08-22 05:33, Manu wrote:

> I was also briefly confused by the 32bit/64bit scattered everywhere. My
> initial assumption was that it specified the toolchain's target
> architecture :/
> But since it's the compiler's host arch, I'd say that for Windows where
> 32bit binaries will run on any version of windows and no 64bit binary is
> offered, and OSX which has only ever been 64bit, there's no need to
> write it for those platforms. It's just confusing.

The architecture are basically never mentioned for Mac OS X downloads. Because everyone assumes universal binaries that will work everywhere.

-- 
/Jacob Carlborg

On 2013-08-22 06:28, Tyler Jameson Little wrote:

> Why not sniff the platform? I think Firefox & Dart websites do this.
> This can be retrieved with navigator.platform:
> https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/window.navigator.platform
>
> Of course, the others should be easily accessible.

Or just using the user agent, since it has to work on all major browsers.

-- 
/Jacob Carlborg

On 2013-08-22 05:37, Tyler Jameson Little wrote:

> Also, where's the Linux (FreeBSD?, Mac OS X?) downloads for GDC? I get
> it through my package manager, but it seems there should be a download
> for it as well. If not a binary, then at least a tar.gz...

I don't think there have ever been any self contained packages for Posix with binaries for GDC.

-- 
/Jacob Carlborg