[Mageia-dev] freedesktop spec and categories

Thu Feb 24 19:30:56 CET 2011

On 24.02.2011 18:57, Tux99 wrote:
+> 
+> 
+> Quote: Michael Scherer wrote on Thu, 24 February 2011 13:27
+>>
+>> Le jeudi 24 février 2011 à 10:06 +0100, Samuel Verschelde a écrit :
+>>>
+>>> I don't think so. Several Mandriva releases ago, there was no such
+>>> "More" 
+>>> entry, but real sub-categories in the menu. Then it changed for
+>>> what we have 
+>>> now, but that wasn't a change in the .desktop files, rather a menu
+>>>
+>>> configuration. I guess that was a decision meant to bring
+>>> "simplicity",
+>>
+>> Yes, and that's a choice that can be backed by several studies on the
+>> subject, the working memory have been estimated to be 7 chunks of
+>> information ( between 5 and 9 is a wildly accepted range ). I remember
+>> having seen a studie saying that it was less than this, but I cannot
+>> find it ( and it was on slashdot, so this may have been wrong ).
+>>
+>> So presenting only ~7 chunks of information ( ie ~7 items in menu ) is
+>> better according to the current cognitive model used, such as this one
+>> :
+>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_information_processor_model 
+
+Eh, isn't that a reason to switch *back* to the two-level system, not to
+keep the current system?
+
+I have about 15-30 entries in everyone of Internet, Office, Audio/Video,
+Tools, Tools->System submenus.
+With a two-level system it would be considerably less and closer to the
+~7 you mention.
+
+> The study that estimates the number of chunks of information a normal human
+> can keep in working memory might be correct, but it's applied in a
+> completely unfitting situation here.
+> 
+> Scanning a list of program names has nothing to do keeping chunks of info
+> in the brain.
+> 
+> I'm pretty sure that if we make a survey among Mandriva users the majority
+> will be saying they don't like apps hidden behind "More" as it currently
+> happens, they would want them  in the higher level with all the other apps
+> of the same type.
+> 
+> Every Mandriva user I know (regarless if a complete noob or an IT literate
+> person) finds the "More.." folder confusing and counterintuitive and
+> without any benefit.
+> 
+> I would actually think this is one of those things where a poll among users
+> would make sense, since it doesn't really have technical implications
+> either way.
+> 
+> Another solution would be to make it a configurable user preference, but of
+> course that would require someone to write the necessary code, so that's
+> not such an immediate solution as changing the config.
+
+The code is mostly written (drakmenustyle) as it is already possible to
+switch between mdv and kde/gnome menu styles, but it would be some work
+to create the menu style itself.
+
+> BTW: can anyone tell me where exactly this "More" folder behaviour is
+> configured?
+
+MDV menu style is in /etc/xdg/menus/kde-applications.menu for KDE and
+/etc/xdg/menus/applications.menu for others. Upstream kde4 menu is in
+/etc/xdg/kde4/menus/applications.menu. Upstream gnome menu is in
+/etc/xdg/gnome/menus/applications.menu.
+
+I don't remember which script/config file is used to change the menu
+style used, but this can be configured via drakmenustyle.
+
+-- 
+Anssi Hannula
+