External hardware extensions should not open external help pages about scratch-desktop HOT 4 CLOSED

personal anecdote: I found this behavior super helpful (albeit awkward). I was able to just click "help", then click "download" and use hardware extensions that way.

from scratch-desktop.

Are we totally sure we want to make this change? ¯_(ツ)_/¯

from scratch-desktop.

IMO, the acceptable behaviors in order of best to worst are:

1. Open a local copy of the extension's help files in a separate Electron window without disrupting the editor window and without offering browser navigation in the help window.
2. Open a remote copy of the extension's help files in a separate window Electron without disrupting the editor window and without offering browser navigation in the help window.
3. Open a remote copy of the extension's help files in the OS default browser.
4. Don't open the extension's help at all.

In the interest of time, I propose we go for option 3 for now and consider options 1 and 2 for later.

Unacceptable behaviors include:

1. The help content replaces the editor content in the main Electron window
2. The help content, including standard Scratch web site headers and/or footers, loads in a secondary Electron window.

In particular, it should not be possible to use the help window to access the online Scratch community, including account login, forums, and other users' projects, or to view non-Scratch web content. Any of these could be considered a problem by schools or other organizations which normally prohibit the use of scratch.mit.edu or the Internet in general. IMO option 3 is acceptable because such organizations can limit or prohibit the use of the OS default browser if they feel it necessary.

from scratch-desktop.

Re: Option 3 ("Open a remote copy of the extension's help files in the OS default browser"):

This StackOverflow answer suggests an approach that could work for us: https://stackoverflow.com/a/32427579

from scratch-desktop.