Comment 213 for bug 527458

LStranger, this is not a bug, it is a non-specific design suggestion. Three ways you can tell it is not a bug are that the the summary starts with "please", the summary does not describe a problem, and the description uses the word "usability" as a rhetorical bludgeon. I covered these mistakes in my 2009 talk, "How to complain about usability". <http://www.archive.org/details/how_to_complain_about_usability>

In small part because of those initial missteps, a large majority of the comments have not been useful, which has made it hard to find and evaluate the useful ones. In 212 comments, there have been 16 examples suggested where menu title tooltips might be useful. This is my evaluation of each of those:
- Transmission transfer rates: Easily shown as optional title text.
- Volume level with boost: Targeted for implementation in 12.04.
- Rhythmbox current song info: Since shown interactively in the sound menu.
- Transmission completion percentage: Better shown on the launcher icon.
- Currently connected wired/wireless network: Not interesting.
- Battery time remaining: Since implemented as optional title text.
- Audio output device: Better shown in the sound menu icon.
- Number of unread messages: Shown interactively inside the messaging menu.
- Number of packages needing updates: Not even remotely interesting.
- Dropbox files to sync: Not interesting (but implementable as title text).
- Network connection and approximate signal level: Already shown in the icon.
- Exact signal level: So obscure, it isn't even shown in a window yet.
- Eclipse configurations: Better handleable by a launcher quicklist.
- Server maintenance application: Better shown as title text.
- Remote desktop viewer vs. terminal server: Better disambiguated using different icons.
- Weather: Better as title text and/or menu items that open detailed reports.

This suggests to me that the no-tooltip policy is correct; being unable to use tooltips in menu titles nudges developers towards designs that are better anyway.

zsolt-ruszinyak, Marco's experiments did look good. The problem was not in their looks, but in their behavior. Depending on the delay before the text appeared, it would be something flashing distractingly far away from where you were trying to concentrate; or appear more slowly than just clicking to open the menu; or even both.