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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Desktop Icon 'Home' -> 'Personal Files (Home)'
From:       Mikolaj Machowski <mikmach () wp ! pl>
Date:       2003-08-20 17:19:09
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On Wed, Aug 20, 2003 at 03:20:49PM +0200, Craig Drummond wrote:
> > I don't think "home folder"is the right term, as it is actually a
> > directory.
> > The consense in KDE is to name all directories as such, and only non-fs
> > related things such as KMail vfolders as folders.
> What's the real difference between directory and folder? Its easier for
> users to think of their documents being stored in folders. KDE also uses a
> picture of a folder to represent a directory/folder. So, why bother using the term
> "directory" at all? They both have the same meaning, and we already displays
> pictures of folders...

I think thats not so important folder or directory. Much important is
consistency. Thus use _everywhere_ name folder OR directory. Difference
between folders for mail and directories for files is hard to grasp for
end-user. It should be the same name everywhere. No matter which.
I would prefer directory - this is the *nix world and everywhere in
non-KDE documentation will be directories.

Quotation from Relevantive report:

In addition, difficulties in terms of terminology were not all predictable.
After all, a reasonable wording requires usage tests. Even though we had enough
experience to be able to anticipate and avoid many pitfalls in the wording,
several did not emerge until the tests. The most striking example of this is
the term ,,Verzeichnis" (directory). To 46% of all test subjects it was unclear
whether ,,Ordner" (folder) and ,,Verzeichnis" (directory) were synonymous.
Consequently, they had problems with the task which asked them to create a new
folder. It should also be known that their handout explicitly mentioned the
,,persönliche Ordner/Verzeichnis" (personal folder / directory). In terms of
our results, this means that the Linux system would have increased its rating
and performance with optimal wording.

It looks partially "guilt" of R. Users tend to make things thoughtlessly
following on-screen hints. If task would be: Create new Directory. Users
wouldn't have doubts what to create.

BTW two things: 

1. Why Create New is in Edit menu? I was expecting it in
Location is really Edit more popular choice?
2. When opening dialog for naming new directory dialog has hint:
"Directory...". Maybe change it to "New Directory"?

m.
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