Bug 438909 - Multinegation in “Inhibit automatic sleep and screen locking” checkbox confuses me.
Summary: Multinegation in “Inhibit automatic sleep and screen locking” checkbox confus...
Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Power and Battery widget (show other bugs)
Version: 5.22.1
Platform: Neon Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Kai Uwe Broulik
URL:
Keywords: usability
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2021-06-19 12:46 UTC by Laura David Hurka
Modified: 2021-08-27 04:36 UTC (History)
4 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
The “Inhibit automatic screen locking” checkbox in the battery panel. (33.19 KB, image/png)
2021-06-19 12:46 UTC, Laura David Hurka
Details

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Description Laura David Hurka 2021-06-19 12:46:19 UTC
Created attachment 139513 [details]
The “Inhibit automatic screen locking” checkbox in the battery panel.

SUMMARY
I think the label for this checkbox changed recently, but it still confuses me.

This checkbox is negated the first time by “inhibit”. It could be un-negated by calling it “Enable automatic sleep and screen locking”. 

It is negated the second time by the additional label below it, which appears only when I uncheck it. It says “Falkon inhibits...”. So if I uncheck the checkbox it does inhibit, but when I check it it does not inhibit anymore?

I want to disable screen locking. -> Uncheck “screen locking” -> wait, it is negated? -> Check “inihibit screen locking” -> Wait, I checked it and the message disappears? Is it no longer inhibited, i. e. screen locking is now enabled? -> Uncheck that weird checkbox. -> Now it writes “Falkon inhibits screen lock”, i. e. I don’t have screen lock. Wait, I unchecked that, i. e. I have screen lock now?

Double negation is common in my mother tongue, but this is to much for me...

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
No.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: KDE neon 5.22
KDE Plasma Version: 5.22.1
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.83.0
Qt Version: 5.15.3
Comment 1 Laura David Hurka 2021-06-19 12:48:31 UTC
STEPS TO REPRODUCE
Ah, yes:
1. Play a video in a video player or web browser.
Comment 2 Alois Wohlschlager 2021-06-23 13:39:12 UTC
I don't see multiple negation involved here. The screen normally locks automatically, which can be prevented under 2 circumstances:
* The checkbox you mentioned is checked.
* An application requests it (e.g. when video is playing).

Given your description, I can see 3 potential problems:
* The wording and placement of the label and its behavior when the checkbox is checked can confuse users.
* When an application requests to inhibit the screen lock, there is no way for the user to re-enable automatic screen locking anyway.
* "I want to disable screen locking." - given this premise I think there is a different bug that actually prevents the inhibition from working. The screen should not lock in any case while the video is playing.
Comment 3 Nate Graham 2021-07-28 21:13:52 UTC
There aren't any double negatives in the text anymore, so I'm not sure what you mean by "multi-negation".

The problem with the proposed text "Enable automatic sleep and screen locking" is that that wouldn't an accurate description of what it does; this would imply that it is a way to turn on these things if they have been disabled from the KCM, which is not the case.

The text used to have the word "manually" in there to emphasize that the checkbox is a manual toggle, but it was removed because the translated text was too long in other languages.

Other suggestions are welcome.
Comment 4 Bug Janitor Service 2021-08-12 04:36:13 UTC
Dear Bug Submitter,

This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least
15 days. Please provide the requested information as soon as
possible and set the bug status as REPORTED. Due to regular bug
tracker maintenance, if the bug is still in NEEDSINFO status with
no change in 30 days the bug will be closed as RESOLVED > WORKSFORME
due to lack of needed information.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures please read the
wiki located here:
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If you have already provided the requested information, please
mark the bug as REPORTED so that the KDE team knows that the bug is
ready to be confirmed.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 5 Bug Janitor Service 2021-08-27 04:36:43 UTC
This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least
30 days. The bug is now closed as RESOLVED > WORKSFORME
due to lack of needed information.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures please read the
wiki located here:
https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!