Epic: VS Code Desktop Usability + Friction

[loujaybee]

Bugs & Improvements:

• Reimplement gitpod-desktop ssh connection to use the native ssh client #16108
• Release Notes in every workspace #13638
• Import SSH public keys from 3rd parties (GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket) #11370
• Prompt when desktop IDE not installed (or open), e.g. "scheme does not have a registered handler" #9975
• Error: "Failed to connect to X gitpod workspace" when setting up SSH keys for VS Code Desktop #15919
• Reconnecting to a VS Code Desktop with Access Token should show "Copy" dialog again #11701
• Add copyable SSH password field to SSH "Access token" panel #11955

Documentation improvements:

• https://github.com/gitpod-io/website/issues/2958
• https://github.com/gitpod-io/website/issues/2294
• https://github.com/gitpod-io/website/issues/2916
• https://github.com/gitpod-io/website/issues/2608
• https://github.com/gitpod-io/website/issues/2144
• https://github.com/gitpod-io/website/issues/1262

Relates to

• Workspace "about to" timeout prompt  #11263
• Customise onboarding (Customise when: Gitpod release and Gitpod Walkthrough are shown) #12704
• Could not establish connection to workspace-unique-name #7056
• Epic: Reduce popups in VS Code Desktop flow #15920
• Epic: User Configurable Workspace Timeouts (CLI command + user preference) #9038
• Epic: Restart workspaces directly from VS Code Desktop #9221
• List, manage, and open workspaces from VS Code Desktop #14469
• Epic: VS Code Desktop GA #7184

internal link

[akosyakov]

@loujaybee #16108 is also important, since we use node library to smoke test connection instead of local ssh distribution sometimes our test fails while local ssh would be able to connect. The point is to use the same approach to connect like Remote SSH does.

[burningion]

16108 would also fix the problems with signing commits: #16440

[loujaybee]

This epic was really a container of different usability issues, after discussion, we believe the following two solutions will resolve the core challenges faced here:

• Epic: Improve Desktop IDE onboarding flow #16838 -> This should fix issues with redirect popups, missing desktop applications and extensions etc by frontloading more of the desktop setup into the onboarding flow.

• Epic: Local SSH Gateway #16836 -> We hope this will mitigate popup issues, redirects to SSH pages, and copying access tokens.

Will close this issue now in favour of these more specific issues.