[Mageia-dev] freedesktop spec and categories

[Anssi Hannula]

On 24.02.2011 18:57, Tux99 wrote:
> 
> 
> Quote: Michael Scherer wrote on Thu, 24 February 2011 13:27
>>
>> Le jeudi 24 février 2011 à 10:06 +0100, Samuel Verschelde a écrit :
>>>
>>> I don't think so. Several Mandriva releases ago, there was no such
>>> "More" 
>>> entry, but real sub-categories in the menu. Then it changed for
>>> what we have 
>>> now, but that wasn't a change in the .desktop files, rather a menu
>>>
>>> configuration. I guess that was a decision meant to bring
>>> "simplicity",
>>
>> Yes, and that's a choice that can be backed by several studies on the
>> subject, the working memory have been estimated to be 7 chunks of
>> information ( between 5 and 9 is a wildly accepted range ). I remember
>> having seen a studie saying that it was less than this, but I cannot
>> find it ( and it was on slashdot, so this may have been wrong ).
>>
>> So presenting only ~7 chunks of information ( ie ~7 items in menu ) is
>> better according to the current cognitive model used, such as this one
>> :
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_information_processor_model 

Eh, isn't that a reason to switch *back* to the two-level system, not to
keep the current system?

I have about 15-30 entries in everyone of Internet, Office, Audio/Video,
Tools, Tools->System submenus.
With a two-level system it would be considerably less and closer to the
~7 you mention.

> The study that estimates the number of chunks of information a normal human
> can keep in working memory might be correct, but it's applied in a
> completely unfitting situation here.
> 
> Scanning a list of program names has nothing to do keeping chunks of info
> in the brain.
> 
> I'm pretty sure that if we make a survey among Mandriva users the majority
> will be saying they don't like apps hidden behind "More" as it currently
> happens, they would want them  in the higher level with all the other apps
> of the same type.
> 
> Every Mandriva user I know (regarless if a complete noob or an IT literate
> person) finds the "More.." folder confusing and counterintuitive and
> without any benefit.
> 
> I would actually think this is one of those things where a poll among users
> would make sense, since it doesn't really have technical implications
> either way.
> 
> Another solution would be to make it a configurable user preference, but of
> course that would require someone to write the necessary code, so that's
> not such an immediate solution as changing the config.

The code is mostly written (drakmenustyle) as it is already possible to
switch between mdv and kde/gnome menu styles, but it would be some work
to create the menu style itself.

> BTW: can anyone tell me where exactly this "More" folder behaviour is
> configured?

MDV menu style is in /etc/xdg/menus/kde-applications.menu for KDE and
/etc/xdg/menus/applications.menu for others. Upstream kde4 menu is in
/etc/xdg/kde4/menus/applications.menu. Upstream gnome menu is in
/etc/xdg/gnome/menus/applications.menu.

I don't remember which script/config file is used to change the menu
style used, but this can be configured via drakmenustyle.

-- 
Anssi Hannula