Bug 116054 - The item "network state" in the KMail file menu is very confusing
Summary: The item "network state" in the KMail file menu is very confusing
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: kmail
Classification: Unmaintained
Component: general (show other bugs)
Version: 1.8.92
Platform: unspecified Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: kdepim bugs
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2005-11-10 12:46 UTC by Oded Arbel
Modified: 2007-09-14 12:17 UTC (History)
0 users

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Description Oded Arbel 2005-11-10 12:46:29 UTC
Version:           1.8.92 (using KDE 3.4.92 (beta2, >= 20051010), Mandriva Linux Cooker i586 - Cooker)
Compiler:          Target: i586-mandriva-linux-gnu
OS:                Linux (i686) release 2.6.12-12mdksmp

When I first opened the file menu, it said:
Network state (offline)

And my initial take on that was that kmail is reporting on its network state, which is offline, and that clicking this item would open a dialog that lets me set the network state.
Then I though - "Why is it offline ?"

So I clicked it and to my horror, kmail (which was online) went offline and my only clue for that was the status text that was change (far far below the menu where I clicked - on the other side of the screen).

Now the file menu had another option instead:
Network state (online).

From a quick glance I didn't even notice this difference (a change of 1 or two letters in a rather long text), but even if it was - I can guarantee that the common (non-techie) user would completely fail to understand what this feature does.

Suggestions to fix:
* You must change text in the menu to make it much more clear to the common user: 
- "Log off from servers", "Go offline" or "Work offline" (like the text in the dialog box when you try to check mail when offline)
- "Log on", "Go online" or "Work online"
I suggest to make the two texts radically different, for example "Work offline" vs. "Connect to the network", so it will be obvious to the common user, at first glance, that the menu item has changed.
* When going off line, and maybe even when going on line, popup a dialog box (possibly transient) that catches the eye of the user and notifies her in a way that cannot be missed that something has happened. It might be even a good idea to make the "going offline" dialog be a confirmation box: "Are you sure you want to go offline" (maybe with a "don't bother me again" check box).
Comment 1 Andreas Gungl 2005-11-10 13:17:42 UTC
3.5 is string frozen, so we can't change it there. However it's fixed in the development branch. Thus I close this report.

BTW as of your suggestions, there is only a two-letters-difference between "Go online" and "Go offline". :-)
Comment 2 Oded Arbel 2005-11-10 14:00:17 UTC
On Thursday 10 November 2005 14:17, Andreas Gungl wrote:
> BTW as of your suggestions, there is only a two-letters-difference between
> "Go online" and "Go offline". :-)


Yes, I know - hence the point I made at the end of that paragraph.

Might I inquire what is the current text for that feature ?
Comment 3 Andreas Gungl 2005-11-10 15:55:25 UTC
rev. 465368   Replace Network state with "Go On/Offline"
Comment 4 Giovanni Venturi 2005-11-10 20:00:08 UTC
Why close this bug?
We can always change it after KDE 3.5.0 release, so the string can be changed 
for KDE 3.5.1. You can't close this bug so.
Comment 5 Thiago Macieira 2005-11-11 02:21:44 UTC
No, the string cannot be fixed for KDE 3.5.1.

But since it has already been fixed where it can be fixed, the bug is solved.
Comment 6 Giovanni Venturi 2005-11-11 20:44:45 UTC
Why the string cannot be fixed for KDE 3.5.1?
KDE 3.5.1 will be a KDE 3.5.0 fix release, why not fix string too?
I really don't understand.
Comment 7 Thiago Macieira 2005-11-11 23:42:39 UTC
Because if you "fix" the string, all the translations get broken.

So we apply the "message freeze": no user-visible strings can be changed. Once a module goes into it, it never leaves. So, KDE 3.5's strings are frozen forever (except for really exceptional changes that got approval from translators).

It's the same with "feature freeze": no new features can be added to KDE 3.5 anymore.
Comment 8 Giovanni Venturi 2005-11-13 20:06:42 UTC
A KDE Italian translator and KSniffer core developer
Slackware GNU/Linux current version - kernel 2.6.14
I know this, but it's not a valid reason to close this bug. A lot of string 
fix was done after KDE 3.3.0 release or after 3.4.0 . It is not possible fix 
bugs and not to fix the strings. If you let me do I'll write to translators 
mailing list after KDE 3.5.0 will be released and ask if I can make this fix, 
so this bug could be closed in the correct way. The bug or in source code or 
int string has to be correct. And this is a usability bug. Me too was 
confused from this KMail string.
Comment 9 Thiago Macieira 2005-11-13 21:00:39 UTC
Right, if the translators agree, then it can be done.
Comment 10 Giovanni Venturi 2005-11-30 00:13:02 UTC
SVN commit 484247 by gianni:

so the bug #116054 it's been backported to 3.5 branch too
CCBUG:116054


 M  +4 -4      kmmainwidget.cpp  


--- branches/KDE/3.5/kdepim/kmail/kmmainwidget.cpp #484246:484247
@@ -1644,11 +1644,11 @@
 {
   if ( GlobalSettings::self()->networkState() == GlobalSettings::EnumNetworkState::Online ) {
     // if online; then toggle and set it offline.
-    actionCollection()->action( "online_status" )->setText( i18n("Network State (online)") );
+    actionCollection()->action( "online_status" )->setText( i18n("Go Online") );
     kmkernel->stopNetworkJobs();
     BroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( i18n("KMail is set to be offline; all network jobs are suspended"));
   } else {
-    actionCollection()->action( "online_status" )->setText( i18n("Network State (offline)") );
+    actionCollection()->action( "online_status" )->setText( i18n("Go Offline") );
     kmkernel->resumeNetworkJobs();
     BroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( i18n("KMail is set to be online; all network jobs resumed"));
   }
@@ -3000,9 +3000,9 @@
     actionCollection()->action( "send_queued" )->setEnabled( kmkernel->outboxFolder()->count() > 0 );
     actionCollection()->action( "send_queued_via" )->setEnabled( kmkernel->outboxFolder()->count() > 0 );
     if ( GlobalSettings::self()->networkState() == GlobalSettings::EnumNetworkState::Online )
-      actionCollection()->action( "online_status" )->setText( i18n("Network State (offline)") );
+      actionCollection()->action( "online_status" )->setText( i18n("Go Offline") );
     else
-      actionCollection()->action( "online_status" )->setText( i18n("Network State (online)") );
+      actionCollection()->action( "online_status" )->setText( i18n("Go Online") );
     if (action( "edit_undo" ))
       action( "edit_undo" )->setEnabled( mHeaders->canUndo() );