Oh, I've just re-read your original message, perhaps I should confirm there is a difference between the initial "download" button and actually downloading the files. Its a very badly worded button in my opinion. You have to click on the first "download" button on the download list to add it to your library; you don't need to download the actual file, and it doesn't download a file - it provides a list of available files on the next page. e.g. you might might not use those, and use the itch.io app instead.
It would be far better if that first button was called "Add to library", not "download". Would save so much confusion!!
I mean this in to be constructive, Itch.io needs to run QA passes before site changes. A somewhat hidden in plain sight aspect of the current issue is the precise way in which the site construction lowers usability in the list. I speak of mainly the "download" buttons themselves. Let us count they ways they are broken from a user perspective:
- As you have already pointed out they do not download, only loading a second download page, rather confusingly. It isn't clear at all why the download links aren't provided from the previous screen at all as the "Download Page" provides no special functions that couldn't be embedded in the listing as it is currently formatted (including OS/alt selection).
- No notice is provided indicating library functionality at all. Whether the game is currently/was added to the library or not, making that aspect completely opaque. Even looking at the library itself there is no clear indication how it is separate from the other lists or how to manage it.
- The "download" buttons from the list are not links. This might seem trivial but it is not. Aside from the accessibility question regarding that sort of button, most computer users do not enjoy going back and fourth from a giant list to secondary pages and with tabbed browsing I would guess most savvy users would open the download links in a separate tab if they could. I literally ended up duplicating the page several times to work around it.
- The *actual* download links are also not links. I understand the attempt to prevent batch downloading, and wonder how successful it is, punishing the end users. The download connections are already time sensitive and authenticated, you only need to restrict simultaneous downloads to prevent bulk download congestion. I'll note that most Linux users expect a downloads to be command line accessible.
