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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: Bug#17382: 'Verzeichnis' vs. 'Ordner'
From:       Christopher Willmot <chris () willmot ! org ! uk>
Date:       2000-12-20 19:18:05
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On Tue, Dec 19, 2000 at 09:23:02PM +0100, Michael Meding wrote:

> > So it would be nice to rename "Verzeichnis" in "Ordner" in the german
> > version. It don't know the different between english KDE and english WIN 
> > (is there anyone?).
> Why should one do that ? More correct imho is Verzeichnis. If Microsoft does 
> a bad job on translations, is it ours to suffer ?

A difficult one.  I agree, but Thomas Deihl puts the other side with the
tale about his mother.  We have a philosophical choice biting here.  On
the one hand people want to make the best desktop environment they can.
On the other is the wish to make a desktop that people will take to
easily and find natural to use.  Most of the time these aims go the same
way, but here they conflict.

It is tempting to ask, 'Which takes priority, then?'  To me, it seems
that from the start KDE wanted to take a more populist line than the
gnome guys who seem to tend towards the 'fine art' view.  Would I be
right in thinking that most would agree with Michael, that Microsoft's
folders are not a very good model for directories?  But equally, it
cannot be disputed that almost anyone new to computing encounters
Windows first, so these are the concepts they learn.

But I think that to take one side or the other here would be a mistake.
Microsoft haven't made their millions as a result of their computing
excellence.  They've made a fortune because of their sense of what
non-specialists want.  It's their great strength, and generally a
weakness in programmers.  So I'd be reluctant to say Microsoft didn't
know what they were doing here.

But that is not to say we should continue their error.  Folders are in
many ways nothing like directories.  I suggest we go for 'Directory' in
any reference that is anything like a title, emphasising what it *is*.
However, any support text which may be considered explanatory (tooltips,
status bar, help files etc.) the term Folder should be freely used.  So
where the menu says 'New Directory', the status bar might say 'Creates a
folder where files can be stored'.  In this way we may educate those
who are just a little further behind us on this particular road.

-- 
Chris Willmot
County DURHAM, England.

Linux:   chris@willmot.org.uk
Artwork: chris.willmot@valleyview.co.uk
 
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