Re: Usability: Technical details in package descriptions?
On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 22:51:11 -0700, Dustin Harriman
<dustin@annexia.ca> said:
> Wouldn't it make sense that debtags and Package Descriptions not do
> redundant work of each other?
But Debtags information is not yet integrated into the
package selection front-ends, like the description is. I use aptitude,
and every packages description is shown to me when I browse the new or
un-installed package lists; the debtags information is not present.
> I propose that by a simple split in the use of the Package
> Description and debtags between the "internal world" (ie. relative
> to the computer) and "external world" (ie. relative to the end
> user's real life apart from their computer), respectively, I think
> we can make the best use of volunteer effort as they review the
> Package Descriptions and create debtags.
Firstly, this is an artificial distinction; my selection
criteria for installing new packages does take into consideration the
so called technical facets of the package.
> I think that the Package Description should be (re)written using
> language intended at your grandma. This way she can intuitively
> find packages also without needing to learn about the debtags
> system. Learning how to use the search button in Synaptic is work
> enough for her, let alone learn and play with debtags to do wild and
> crazy searching (with logical operators no less).
I strongly oppose such discrimination against techinically
competent people. We should not not make package selection harder for
a group of people we do not consider the "desired" target audience by
removing information they use in there selection criteria.
I am all for clarified descriptions that make package
selection easier for every user; but deliubrately removing
information, based on the arrogant view point that our users are too
dumb to understand, or presuming to decide that their selection
criteria could not possibly be the same as us elite developers, is
both silly and counter productive.
Integrating debtags into package selection and browsing
front-ends may mitigate the need for duplicating the information, but
we are not there yet.
manoj
--
Most people's favorite way to end a game is by winning.
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
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