Re: Debian Menu policy leads to confusion

[Linas Zvirblis <0x0007@gmail.com>]

Bill Allombert wrote:

> I am certainly interested with your draft, provide you keep backward
> compatibility as much as is practical.  We are just at the right time of
> the release to update the Debian menu sub-policy for Etch.

Here it is (tab indented text file, long lines). As I have already 
mentioned, it is only a draft.

I tried to break up sections that are overused by adding new ones and 
also modified descriptions of many existing ones to reflect the contents 
better. The "Tools" section is the most problematic and, in my opinion, 
should be renamed to something like "Misc". But then again, that might 
cause everything to end up there.

There are also a lot of programs that have no exact section defined 
(screen capture tools like ksnapshot and istanbul could go into 
"Graphics" or "Tools"; istanbul could even go into "Video"), so there 
should be something in the policy that would prevent software with 
identical or similar functionality from going into different sections. 
Not sure what that might be though. The "First one to upload is right" 
rule, maybe?

One more thing on the policy. I did not manage to locate anything about 
the requirement of having a menu entry. It seems that it is completely 
optional. Maybe it should not be? There is no good reason for an 
interactive program not having a menu entry, although some do not 
(eclipse anyone?).

Linas

Draft 0.1 [2005-12-08] (Only covers Apps)

Legend:
	[!] Unmodified
	[M] Modified
	[+] New
	[?] Need more information and/or unsure about what to do with it

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apps (normal applications)

	[+]
	Section:	Admin
	Description:	Administrative and system configuration utilities (that usually need to be run as root)
	Example apps:	aptitude, configure-debian, sysv-rc-conf

	[+]
	Section:	CD/DVD
	Description:	Software for CD/DVD burning and related tools
	Example apps:	graveman, gnome-baker, dvdisater

	[!]
	Section:	Databases
	Description:	Interactive database programs
	Example apps:	openoffice.org-base, [FILL ME], [FILL ME]

	[!]
	Section:	Editors
	Description:	Text editors, word processors
	Example apps:	gedit, nano, openoffice.org-writer

	[?]
	Section:	Education
	Description:	Educational and training programs
	Example apps:	[FILL ME], [FILL ME], [FILL ME]

	[+]
	Section:	Electronics
	Description:	Circuit design tools, simulators and assemblers for microprocessors etc.
	Example apps:	geda, gnucap, tkgate

	[M]
	Section:	Emulators
	Description:	Emulators, virtualisators
	Example apps:	wine, dosemu, qemu

	[+]
	Section:	File managers
	Description:	Tools for file management and archiving
	Example apps:	file-roller, mc, baobab

	[M]
	Section:	Graphics
	Description:	Graphics manipulation software
	Example apps:	gimp, inkscape, imagemagick

	[?]
	Section		Hamradio
	Description:	Anything relating to ham radio
	Example apps:	[FILL ME], [FILL ME], [FILL ME]

	[!]
	Section:	Math
	Description:	Math related programs
	Example apps:	gcalctool, openoffice.org-math, openoffice.org-cacl

	[+]
	Section:	Mail
	Description:	Mail and Usenet readers
	Example apps:	mutt, mozilla-thunderbird, tin

	[+]
	Section:	Modeling
	Description:	3D and 2D modeling software
	Example apps:	blender, k3d, [FILL ME]

	[!]
	Section:	Net
	Description:	Network programs that don't fit elsewhere
	Example apps:	gip, ettercap, iptstate

	[M]
	Section:	Programming
	Description:	IDEs, debuggers, etc.
	Example apps:	anjuta, gdb, eclipse

	[!]
	Section:	Science
	Description:	Scientific programs
	Example apps:	stellarium, earth3d, celestia

	[?]
	Section:	Tools [RENAME "Misc"? REMOVE?]
	Description:	Simple apps that perform only one task and don't fit elsewhere
	Example apps:	[FILL ME], [FILL ME], [FILL ME]

	[?]
	Section:	Technical
	Description:	Technical stuff [STUFF? BAD DESCRIPTION]
	Example apps:	[WHAT GOES HERE?]

	[?]
	Section:	Text
	Description:	Text oriented tools other than editors
	Example apps:	gnome-dictionary [NOT A PACKAGE, WHAT ELSE GOES HERE?]

	[M]
	Section:	Shells
	Description:	Various shells
	Example apps:	bash, ksh, zsh

	[M]
	Section:	Sound
	Description:	Sound players, editors and rippers
	Example apps:	beep-media-player, grip, audacity

	[M]
	Section:	Viewers
	Description:	Software for viewing images, documents and other (not video) media
	Example apps:	gqview, evince, gthumb

	[+]
	Section:	Video
	Description:	Video players, editors and rippers
	Example apps:	xine, totem, kino

	[M]
	Section:	System
	Description:	System information and monitoring tools
	Example apps:	top, hal-device-manager, gnome-system-monitor

	[+]
	Section:	Web browsers
	Description:	Software for web browsing, GUI or console based
	Example apps:	elinks, firefox, mozilla-browser

	[+]
	Section:	Webmaster
	Description:	Web development tools
	Example apps:	bluefish, screem, gphpedit