Rename "Desktop Effects" to "Graphical Effects"
AbandonedPublic

Authored by ngraham on Aug 2 2019, 2:26 PM.

Details

Summary

KWin's Desktop Effects suffer from the following UI issues:

  • Inappropriate use of the word "Desktop." In the typical user's understanding, the desktop is the thing with a wallpaper and icons on it.
  • Inconsistent terminology: mostly called "desktop effects", but the string "Window manager effects" is used in knsrc
  • Inconsistent terminology between the KCM name, comment, and title

This patch resolves all three issues by using the more accurate term "Graphical Effects", and using it consistently, with appropriate sentence-style tooltips.

Because KWin maintainers have indicated in D14561 that in circumstances like this, all instances of a string should be changed, I have changed the string in the backend as well, not only for the user interface.

Test Plan

Diff Detail

Repository
R108 KWin
Branch
desktop-to-graphical (branched from master)
Lint
Lint SkippedExcuse: linting seems to be broken
Unit
No Unit Test Coverage
Build Status
Buildable 14680
Build 14698: arc lint + arc unit
ngraham created this revision.Aug 2 2019, 2:26 PM
Restricted Application added projects: KWin, Documentation. · View Herald TranscriptAug 2 2019, 2:26 PM
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ngraham requested review of this revision.Aug 2 2019, 2:26 PM
GB_2 accepted this revision.Aug 2 2019, 2:48 PM
GB_2 added a subscriber: GB_2.

Let's wait for KWin devs.

This revision is now accepted and ready to land.Aug 2 2019, 2:48 PM
zzag added a subscriber: zzag.EditedAug 4 2019, 6:30 PM

-1, sorry.

I don't see any reason to change the name. As I said previously, people started using "desktop effects" long time ago. Bug reports, news articles, forum posts and so on use "desktop effects." Deviating from this terminology perhaps isn't a good idea.

Also, "graphical effects" makes me think of graphical effects(a.k.a. filters) in GIMP rather than animations, desktop cube, etc.

zzag added a comment.EditedAug 4 2019, 6:30 PM

Because KWin maintainers have indicated in D14561

Small correction: I'm not KWin maintainers. ;-)

In general I don't think it's a valid argument that you should leave something alone just because people are used to it. If it's already good, then that's the reason not to change it. But if people have gotten used to something bad, then changing it is definitely the right course of action even if it will cause some people to need to adjust a bit. Otherwise things stay bad forever.

@zzag I would probably agree with you that this isn't a necessary change. The phrase "Desktop Effects" isn't bad. But I do believe that the word "Desktop" is inappropriate, for reasons I already gave. We are already moving towards using a different word in other places, with several patches landed. It would be nice to be able to include KWin so that we can have a more consistent use of terminology throughout our software stack.

zzag added a comment.Aug 4 2019, 10:17 PM
  • Inappropriate use of the word "Desktop." In the typical user's understanding, the desktop is the thing with a wallpaper and icons on it.

"Desktop" is a metaphor. "Desktop background" is the proper way to address such clients.

  • Inconsistent terminology: mostly called "desktop effects", but the string "Window manager effects" is used in knsrc
  • Inconsistent terminology between the KCM name, comment, and title

Let's fix these issues rather than changing well established vocabulary. I agree that there's inconsistency in used terms, but that's not the reason for renaming "desktop effects" to something else.

In D22894#506688, @zzag wrote:
  • Inappropriate use of the word "Desktop." In the typical user's understanding, the desktop is the thing with a wallpaper and icons on it.

"Desktop" is a metaphor. "Desktop background" is the proper way to address such clients.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean here. Can you clarify?

Ah.

My claim is that when your typical user sees the word "desktop", they don't think of the generic concept of the desktop metaphor (which is a developer concept). They think of the specific thing with the wallpaper where they put their files and folders. With that in mind as the meaning of "desktop" in user-facing strings, I'm saying that I think "desktop effects" isn't the best way to describe this.

zzag added a comment.Aug 5 2019, 2:10 PM

My claim is that when your typical user sees the word "desktop", they don't think of the generic concept of the desktop metaphor (which is a developer concept).

Using different terminology among users and developers is wrong. Sometimes one just has to learn new words, that's it.

I get your point, but it's inaccurate as desktop effects affect different components in a desktop environment in one or another way. Therefore there's nothing wrong with the desktop part.

We'll get nowhere with such a "code review" style. I'm against this change because of reasons stated in my first comment and I won't change my mind. If someone else from KWin agrees with you, then go for it.

zzag added a comment.Aug 5 2019, 2:11 PM
This comment was removed by zzag.
GB_2 added a comment.Aug 10 2019, 1:05 PM

What about just "Effects"?

In D22894#509781, @GB_2 wrote:

What about just "Effects"?

I'd be okay with that.

zzag requested changes to this revision.Aug 27 2019, 4:40 AM

It should stay "Desktop Effects."

Effects

It's too ambiguous.

This revision now requires changes to proceed.Aug 27 2019, 4:40 AM
GB_2 added a comment.EditedSep 12 2019, 5:10 PM

If we really don't want to change the name, then at least still drop the KCM KAboutData "Configure" word and make the desktop file description consistent for this and the Virtual Desktops KCM.

zzag added a comment.EditedSep 12 2019, 5:38 PM
In D22894#530205, @GB_2 wrote:

If we really don't want to change the name, then at least still drop the KCM KAboutData "Configure" word and make the desktop file description consistent.

Yeah, it appears like "Configure" word has to go. However, please do that in another revision.

ngraham abandoned this revision.Sep 15 2019, 11:54 PM