Re: [RFC] localechooser: template changes
On Monday 02 November 2009, Christian Perrier wrote:
> > --- a/packages/localechooser/debian/localechooser.templates-in
> > +++ b/packages/localechooser/debian/localechooser.templates-in
> > @@ -11,9 +11,8 @@ Template: debian-installer/locale
> > Type: select
> > Choices: ${LOCALELIST}
> > # :sl2:
> > -_Description: Choose a locale:
> > - Based on your language and country choices, the following locale
> > - parameters are supported.
> > +_Description: System locale:
> > + Select the default locale for the installed system.
>
> I'd just recommend "Please select" which is the style we generally
> push in dle reviews (avoid imperative form).
Using the imperative form is wrong in the *short* description (which was
the problem in the old version), but IMO in a lot of cases it's fine for
the *extended* description. I did not add the "please"s on purpose,
basically because they've started to annoy me.
For the extended description we should distinguish between text that is a
*request* and text that provides *instruction*. In the first case
adding "please" is fine (even needed), in the second case it's IMO
redundant.
Example of a a request is "Please check that your CD is inserted
correctly." Without "please" there is a clear difference in the tone (it
becomes a command instead of a request).
Making it a request instead of a command is partly needed because it's far
from certain that the problem is in how the CD is inserted.
This template is an example of providing instruction, so we can do without.
> > Template: localechooser/translation/none-yet
> > Type: note
> > @@ -141,16 +140,25 @@ Type: select
> > # :sl1:
> > __Choices: ${SHORTLIST}, other
> > # :sl1:
> > -_Description: Choose a country, territory or area:
> > - Based on your language, you are probably located in one of these
> > countries - or regions.
> > +_Description: Country, territory or area:
> > + Select the country where you live. The selection will be used for
> > example to + select a default locale and time zone.
> > + .
> > + Choose "other" if your country is not listed.
>
> That one is more tricky. Using "where you live" implicitely assumes
> that the user installing the system is the one "owning" the machine,
> which is not well suited in all cases. Also, the user might be living
> somewhere but installing the machine elsewhere. Of course, what
> matters here is probably more the place where the machine is
> living..:-)
>
> The former template had the same "problem" of course.
>
> Please select the country where the installed system is used.
This is a lot less clear.
My proposed text is fine for the general case where users install their own
systems. People installing systems for others will know how to "translate"
the request for their situation (and even then the selection will be "the
country where they live" in >95% of cases).
Saying "the country where you live" is IMO the simplest way to avoid the
reports from users that they did not get the correct time zone.
It is also more logical for the situation where a user installs a portable
system while on holiday. And remember that portable systems can and will
be "used" all over the world.
> The selection will set the default locale and time zone.
The selected country does more than that, so the "for example" is IMO
necessary.
> Choose "other" to get the full list of countries.
Problem is that you don't get a "full list of countries", you get a list of
continents...
> > Template: localechooser/supported-locales
> > Type: multiselect
> > Choices: ${LOCALELIST}
> > # :sl2:
> > -_Description: Choose other locales to be supported:
> > - You may choose additional locales to be installed from this list.
> > +_Description: Additional locales:
> > + A locale determines character encoding and contains information on
> > e.g. + currency, date format and alphabetical sort order. Based on the
> > selected + language and country, the default locale selected for the
> > installed system + is '${LOCALE}'.
> > + .
> > + If you wish to use a different default or to also have other locales
> > available, + you may choose additional locales to be installed. If you
> > are unsure it is + best to simply stick with the default.
>
> After discussions in dle, we concluded (mostly others than me as I'm
> of course polluted by Latin) that "latin" abbreviations such as "e.g."
> are not highly wished in English. "such as" would then be recommended.
Fixed.
> Apart from that, everything is fine, except maybe the length of the
> two paragrpahs, that takes a lot of spaces and leaves few romm for the
> list on 80x25 systems.
It still leaves 10 lines for selection with vga=normal, so it's not that
bad. But I've now moved the first sentence to a separate "help" template;
this saves 2 lines, so now 12 lines are displayed.
> > @@ -111,8 +114,8 @@ print TOUT "Template:
> > localechooser/continentlist\n"; print TOUT "Type: select\n";
> > print TOUT "#flag:partial\n";
> > print TOUT "__Choices: ", join(", ", @regions), "\n";
> > -print TOUT "_Description: ", gettext("Choose a continent or
> > region:"), "\n"; -print TOUT " ", gettext("The continent or region in
> > which the desired country is located."), "\n"; +print TOUT
> > "_Description: ", gettext("Continent or region:"), "\n"; +print TOUT "
> > ", gettext("Select the continent or region in which the country where
> > you live is located."), "\n";
>
> "Please select the continent or region in which the country this
> system is used is located."
See above.
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