[Synaptic-devel] Usability and other bugs in SVN (upcoming 0.55) version

[AKL. Mantas Kriauciunas]

Hi,

Michael Vogt wrote:
> I wrote some proof of concept code and put a screenshot online at:
> http://people.debian.org/~mvo/synaptic/synaptic-pkglist-outdated.png

I've downloaded latest code (I think so, this was my first checkout from
SVN :), I think latest code is in "trunk", correct me if I'm wrong ;) )
and saw this dialog:

 +--------------------------------------------------------------+
 | Package list out of date                                     |
 |                                                              |
 | Your package lists have not been updated from the server for |
 | more than 48 hours. It's recommended to reload the package   |
 | lists regularly to keep you informed about important updates.|
 |                                                              |
 | Do you want to  reload the package lists now?                |
 |                                                              |
 | [ ] Remember the answer                                      |
 |                                     <Cancel> <<Reload Now>>  |
 +--------------------------------------------------------------+

> Do you (and the list) think this is clear? Or should be change the
> text/wording?

I'm working as desktop linux consultant for home and business desktop users.
I've noticed, that word 'package' isn't understable for most of simple users,
so I think we should avoid this word where it's possible. Also I think,
that word "Reload" isn't "the best" in this situation, because usually
reload does nothing important, like in web browser, majority of people
never use Reload function in sofware, look for simillar oppinion at this 
email - http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/synaptic-devel/2004-10/msg00017.html 
I agree with Steve Salazar and think, that "Update information" or maybe
"Renew information" would be better, than Reload (in button label and in
dialogs). For example we can use "list of available software" instead of 
"package list" or maybe "sofware repositories", because synaptic already 
uses word repositories instead of lists (look at Settings->Repositories)
and "update" instead of "reload" :

 +--------------------------------------------------------------+
 | Information from sofware repositories is out of date         |
 |                                                              |
 | Information from your sofware repositories have not been     |
 | updated from for more than 48 hours. It's recommended update |
 | (renew) the information about available software regularly   |
 | to keep you informed about important updates.                |
 |                                                              |
 | Do you want to update the sofware repositories data now?     |
 |                                                              |
 | [ ] Remember the answer                                      |
 |                                     <Cancel> <<Update Now>>  |

I think "from the servers" shouldn't be used, because repositories can
be not only on the servers, but also on local computers, cdroms, etc.
Btw, at first you suggested to use shorter message, like this:

 | Your sofware lists is older than 4 days.           |
 | In order to know about security and other updates, |
 | you should update the lists of available software. |

Maybe this form is more clear for simple people ? (I'm suggesting
replace word "lists" with "repositories", like in previous example and
to do a small pool in synaptic mailing list :)

Also I've found several other bugs in 0.55 SVN version:

1. Some .glade (and it seems also .png) files are missing in Makefile.am
files in gtk and pixmaps directories. Ex. there are no 
dialog_update_outdated.glade and because of this synaptic crashes when 
I'm trying to start after installing.

2. synaptic 0.55 doesn't install recommended packages by default when
doing "Smart upgrade" (In Preferenced checkbox "Consider recommended
packages as dependancies" is enabled). Also there is no possibility
to see the recommended and suggested packages for all marked packages at
once (for example after choosing "default upgrade"), similar as apt-get 
install lists recommended and suggested packages.
Maybe it's possible to create some filter, which displays Recommended
and another for Suggested packages (for packages, which are Queued) ?

3. Sometimes the installation of packages doesn't work properly, when 
there are several alternative recommended/dependent packages (separated by
vertical bar (pipe) symbols |). Synaptic's behaviour differs from apt-get
and aptitude: sometimes synaptic wants to remove one or more of installed
packages, while apt-get and aptitude can install new software without 
removing existing packages. For example I have postfix installed, which
provides mail-transport-agent, but when I'm trying to install nms-ffa
package, synaptic wants to remove my postfix and install smail, while
aptitude installs nms-ffa without removing postfix (autoinstalling of
recomended packages are enabled in aptitude).

4. Lithuanian translation of menu (.desktop) file. It would be nice if
you add these lines:
Name[lt]=Programinės įrangos tvarkymas (Synaptic)
GenericName[lt]=Paketų menedžeris
Comment[lt]=Įrankis programinės įrangos tvarkymui 
(įdiegimui/atnaujinimui/ištrynimui)

Btw, don't forget, that after installing menu file should be in
/usr/share/applications

-- 
Good luck,
Mantas Kriaučiūnas <address@hidden>      Jabber ID: address@hidden
Public organization "Open Source for Lithuania" - www.akl.lt