On 05/21/2013 09:44 AM, Humdinger wrote:
On Mon, 20 May 2013 22:28:08 +0200 Ingo Weinhold wrote:One of the things I considered adding are information regarding the Deskbar menu items the package would like to add. When installing a package the package manager would then ask the user whether they should actually be created.Whether or not those categories are added to the Deskbar, I'd say to include them in the package format anyway and make it mandatory to choose one when the dev creates the package. That will prevent a mix of packages with/without that info in the future.However, talking to Stippi, he convinced that a simpler, automated approach makes a lot more sense.How about a checkbox "Add shortcut to Deskbar" in the "installer/pm- manager/app-shop" application we'll have? In the window you see before actually installing an app, so you can quickly decide on an app-by-app basis.
That was my initial idea as well. But thinking about it, I wouldn't use that feature at all. I simply want all installed applications to be easily reachable via the menu and I don't want to bother with maintaining anything in there at all. Well, maybe aside from "Favorites" category for applications I use often, but I'd use LaunchBox for that purpose anyway. I would think that the majority of users would be happy with a completely automated mechanism. at least, if there are better categories than there are now.
For users who really can't live with the predefined categories or for purists who only want to see the applications they actually use the option to disable the auto-generated part would allow them to do whatever they like.
If packages are installed not using this "installer/pm-manager/app- shop" application, a little alert to add or don't add that Deskbar shortcut shouldn't be that annoying IMO.
I certainly wouldn't want to be bothered with something like this. There will be enough important things the PM system will have to bother the user with (e.g. conflicts or dependency problems), I really wouldn't add trifles like the Deskbar menu links.
The sorting in those defined categories is one thing that has been requested a lot in the past. Not everyone would like that, so it should be an option in the Deskbar preferences.
There seems to be a misunderstanding. We do already have four categories. The question merely is whether we want to refine them. And yes, we want to. :-) Since we have a lot less available software I don't think it makes a lot of sense to introduce multi-level categories (e.g. Internet/Chat), but ten or so top-level categories should work just fine.
Regarding the ambiguity argument John brought up, I don't think that's an argument for not having more categories at all. The first time you want to start a certain application you might have to check two categories. The next time you'll know where to find it and you'll be faster then having to find it in a long list.
Apps installed outside of the pm-system that don't supply that info (is it an attribute?),
No attribute. Packages will simply provide entries in data/deskbar/menu/. That should work regardless of how the menu is populated in the end.
find themselves under "Un-categorized" in the Deskbar. Users of those apps should contact its developer, if a Tracker add-on to set/change the category of an app isn't possible.
Your complete /bin folder might end up in that category. The list could be reduced to those with an app signature, but beyond that there aren't any good indicators what might be a "real" application.
That being said, packages will be the preferred software installation method. I don't think we should jump through any hoops to make alternatives work as well.
CU, Ingo
