[Xfce4-commits] r29004 - in xfce4-mixer/trunk: . panel-plugin xfce4-mixer

[Jannis Pohlmann]

Am Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:06:28 -0800
schrieb "Brian J. Tarricone" <bjt23 at cornell.edu>:

> Jannis Pohlmann wrote:
> > Am Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:25:04 -0800
> > schrieb "Brian J. Tarricone" <bjt23 at cornell.edu>:
> > 
> >> Just a few notes..
> >>
> >> Jannis Pohlmann wrote:
> >>
> >>>        message = g_strdup_printf (_("Could not execute the command
> >>> %s. "
> >>> -                                   "Perhaps you need to adjust
> >>> the PATH variable."), 
> >>> +                                   "Perhaps the PATH variable
> >>> needs adjustment."), mixer_plugin->command);
> >> This is a minor nitpick, but... probably a better phrasing would
> >> be simply "Ensure that the PATH environment variable includes the
> >> location of the command" (I don't like the last half of that, but
> >> the phrasing is better").  Why?
> >>
> >> 1.  It notifies the user clearly that they may need to do
> >> something. 2.  It is precise -- "variable" is ambiguous,
> >> "environment variable" is not. 3.  It tells the user what kind of
> >> adjustment is necessary.
> >>
> >> Of course, if they get to this point, the average user won't really
> >> have a clue what to do anyway, no matter what the dialog says, so
> >> it might be a moot point.
> > 
> > How about something like the following?
> > 
> >   "Could not execute the command %s. Ensure that either the
> > location of the command is included in the PATH environment
> > variable or the full path of the command is given."
> > 
> > Not sure about the "given", but providing the full path of the
> > command is an alternative to fiddling with PATH at least.
> 
> Yeah, that sounds good.  Maybe reverse that last bit to "... or
> provide the full path to the command."  I dunno, I constantly go back
> and forth in my head on the whole passive voice in dialogs thing.  I
> think in this instance it's more appropriate to be active.

Could you have a look at the latest revision?

> Also for consistency, I'd say surround the %s with double quotes.

Done.

> >> Maybe I wasn't really clear on the whole "avoid addressing the
> >> user directly" thing.  It's more about not using "you" sentences
> >> and being a little more target-neutral.  
> > 
> > Target-neutral, like considering another userbase besides
> > humans? :p I mean "you" is pretty much target-neutral already. 
> 
> Haha, no, not non-humans.  Let me try to put it in a different way...
> if you're phrasing a request of the user in such a way that you need
> to use the pronoun "you," try to find another way to say it.  "You
> should fill in the box." -> "Fill in the box."   "Foo won't work if
> you don't enter Bar." -> "Foo won't work without entering Bar."

Ok, I see.

  - Jannis
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