Change .desktop to Conform to the HIG

Bug #917023 reported by Cassidy James Blaede
6
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Footnote
Fix Committed
Undecided
Matthew Markell
Lingo
Fix Released
Wishlist
elementary Drive-by Contributors
Maya
Fix Released
Low
Matthew Markell
Midori Web Browser
Fix Released
Undecided
Matthew Markell
Postler
In Progress
Undecided
Matthew Markell
Switchboard
Fix Released
Wishlist
Matthew Markell

Bug Description

http://elementaryos.org/docs/human-interface-guidelines/text/naming-your-app
http://elementaryos.org/docs/human-interface-guidelines/desktop-integration/app-launchers

There are three things in the .desktop that should conform to the HIG. I'm marking this bug as affecting multiple projects, so it might not violate all three, but it violates at least one. :)

In a sentence: Title is a(n) GenericName that lets you Comment.

Relevant snippets of the HIG below:

1. You should not Include descriptive words in your title. For example, Dexter is called "Dexter," not "Dexter Address Book."

2. If your app is easily categorized or described with a generic name, you should use that for the GenericName attribute in your app's .desktop file. For example, Maya is a calendar, so its generic name is "Calendar."

3. The comment should be a short sentence or phrase beginning with a verb and containing the primary nouns that your app deals with. For example, the following are appropriate comments:
* Maya: Browse and schedule events
* BeatBox: Listen to music and podcasts
* Lingo: Look up definitions
* Postler: Send and receive mail
* Scratch: Edit text files
* Marlin: Browse and manage your files

Related branches

Revision history for this message
Cassidy James Blaede (cassidyjames) wrote :

Switchboard's comment should be changed. Something along the lines of "Change system and user settings" could work. Open to suggestions.

Revision history for this message
Cassidy James Blaede (cassidyjames) wrote :

Marlin has its generic name in its title and its comment could be simplified to the suggestion in the original report.

Revision history for this message
Cassidy James Blaede (cassidyjames) wrote :

Maya's comment should be updated to something more like what's suggested in the original report.

Revision history for this message
Cassidy James Blaede (cassidyjames) wrote :

Midori's comment is a description, but should be an action phrase (like in the original report). Could be changed to match the report or to something else; open to suggestions.

Revision history for this message
Cassidy James Blaede (cassidyjames) wrote :

Postler is in the same boat as Midori.

Revision history for this message
Cassidy James Blaede (cassidyjames) wrote :

Lingo's comment is its name. :P Should be updated to match the original report.

tags: added: bitesize desktop hig
Revision history for this message
Andrea Basso (voluntatefaber) wrote :

Footnote should change its generic name to "Note-taking application" or something similar.

Avi Romanoff (aroman)
Changed in lingo-dictionary:
status: New → Confirmed
importance: Undecided → Low
assignee: nobody → elementary Drive-by Contributors (elementary-driveby)
Changed in lingo-dictionary:
status: Confirmed → In Progress
description: updated
Changed in footnote:
assignee: nobody → Matthew Markell (markellmtthw)
status: New → In Progress
Changed in midori:
status: New → In Progress
assignee: nobody → Matthew Markell (markellmtthw)
Changed in maya:
status: New → In Progress
assignee: nobody → Matthew Markell (markellmtthw)
Changed in marlin:
assignee: nobody → Matthew Markell (markellmtthw)
Changed in postler:
assignee: nobody → Matthew Markell (markellmtthw)
Changed in switchboard:
assignee: nobody → Matthew Markell (markellmtthw)
Changed in marlin:
status: New → In Progress
Changed in postler:
status: New → In Progress
Changed in switchboard:
status: New → In Progress
Revision history for this message
Matthew Markell (markellmtthw) wrote :

I have a question about Marlin's .desktop file. There are a lot of translations in there. How can I change the English text and update the translations? Does Launchpad do this automatically when the English version is changed?

description: updated
Changed in footnote:
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
Avi Romanoff (aroman)
Changed in switchboard:
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
Revision history for this message
Cris Dywan (kalikiana) wrote :

Matthew, I committed the change to midori.desktop.in to say "Browse the Web". Thanks!

However, I feel it's problematic to use a very similar wording for midori-private.desktop.in. If you just glance at it, it's almost the same.

Changed in midori:
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
status: Fix Committed → In Progress
Revision history for this message
Matthew Markell (markellmtthw) wrote : Re: [Bug 917023] Re: Change .desktop to Conform to the HIG

Glad I could help. As to the comment for Midori Private Mode, I honestly
couldn't think of a better phrase that fits the elementary HIG. Relevant
link:
<http://elementaryos.org/docs/human-interface-guidelines>http://elementaryos.org/docs/human-interface-guidelines/desktop-integration/app-launchers

Perhaps a separate icon could be used to help users differentiate
between the two?

On 01/27/2012 04:35 PM, Christian Dywan wrote:
> Matthew, I committed the change to midori.desktop.in to say "Browse the
> Web". Thanks!
>
> However, I feel it's problematic to use a very similar wording for
> midori-private.desktop.in. If you just glance at it, it's almost the
> same.
>

Cody Garver (codygarver)
Changed in maya:
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
importance: Undecided → Low
David Gomes (davidgomes)
Changed in lingo-dictionary:
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
Avi Romanoff (aroman)
Changed in lingo-dictionary:
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
Changed in switchboard:
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
Changed in lingo-dictionary:
importance: Low → Wishlist
Changed in switchboard:
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
David Gomes (davidgomes)
Changed in maya:
milestone: none → 0.1
Revision history for this message
Matthew Markell (markellmtthw) wrote :

Would the guys working on Marlin, Postler and Midori please merge my branches and mark this as Fix Committed?

ammonkey (am-monkeyd)
no longer affects: marlin
Changed in maya:
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
Revision history for this message
Cris Dywan (kalikiana) wrote :

For the record, changes were merged, as per previous comments and there hasn't been any new input on the 'private' launcher; a new problem report needs to be filed if needed.

Changed in midori:
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
Cris Dywan (kalikiana)
Changed in midori:
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
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