[aur-dev] RFC: create link for account registration and account information next to the login.

[Justin Davis]

Hello aur-dev!

I have checked out the AUR sources from the code.toofishes.net git
repository and started playing with it. While I was messing around I
remembered a slight annoyance I had with the design of the website.

The accounts "toolbar" link is a tad confusing. I see now that TU are
able to view and edit accounts through that link but for the average
user it is a misnomer. I did not expect that the "Accounts" link was
what I had to click in order to register an account on the AUR. After
I registered successfully, let's say I am looking for my own account
information. "Accounts" is not a word I associate with my account.
This is because I do not have more than one account.

My suggestion, which I am willing to write a patch for, is to create a
registration link near the login/password input boxes. When logged in
this registration link is instead a link for viewing/editing account
information. These links would be next to where the "[Forgot
Password]" link is now. Or where the "[Logout]" link is when logged
in. When an unprivileged user is logged in there is no "Accounts" link
in AUR's little toolbar on the left. Only TUs and Devs have that link
in order to edit accounts.

This change of location creates a greater contrast between the normal
AUR toolbar links and user account links. Often links that manipulate
a users account are grouped closer together and away from links that
basically get work done and are used more commonly. This also removes
the generally confusing "Accounts" link from people who do not realize
that it serves a dual purpose for account administration as well as
personal account editing... oh and account registration.

The only downside is that new translations would be needed for the
registration link and for the account information viewing/editing
link.

As I side-note I would also like to move the account form printing and
processing code out of acctfuncs.inc and into a template/controller. I
would also make a new template/ file for the account info/edit form
which would then be used from the account info and registration, and
the TU's account admin. This would leave the low-level account login,
password, etc code inside lib/acctfuncs.inc, move the html printing
code into a template/ file, and the form checking code... somewhere
else.

Anyways, what do people think about those simple changes in design?
-- 
-Justin