As you may know, I'm new to the team, and as such have been doing a lot of poking at Koha from a librarian's perspective. I've submitted a few bugs and enhancements, but this one requires more than a simple enhancement request, this one needs the backing of a bunch of developers ;) - so here comes the trouble-maker part.
From a first time user and librarian's perspective, the names of some of the system prefs are way too confusing. The prime example (at least that I've found so are) is under OPAC Features and is titled 'reviewson' This preference controls the patrons 'Comments' that appear in the OPAC. Now, how is the average librarian or even the systems librarian supposed to know that 'reviewson' turns on commenting? Shouldn't it be 'commentson'?
My suggestion is either a renaming of system prefs (with librarian or usability expert input) or a way to change the way these labels are displayed to the user. Meaning the system can see 'reviewson' but I see 'CommentsOn'. I'm sure there are many others like this - I just haven't gotten to them yet - so I'm suggesting us discussing changing these in some way to improve the user experience and overall usability of the staff client in Koha. What do you all think? Let the tomato throwing begin! -- Nicole C. Engard Open Source Evangelist, LibLime (888) Koha ILS (564-2457) ext. 714 nce@liblime.com AIM/Y!/Skype: nengard http://liblime.com
Hi Nicole On 2/22/08, Nicole Engard <nicole.engard@liblime.com> wrote:
As you may know, I'm new to the team, and as such have been doing a lot of poking at Koha from a librarian's perspective. I've submitted a few bugs and enhancements, but this one requires more than a simple enhancement request, this one needs the backing of a bunch of developers ;) - so here comes the trouble-maker part.
[snip] My suggestion is either a renaming of system prefs (with librarian or
usability expert input) or a way to change the way these labels are displayed to the user. Meaning the system can see 'reviewson' but I see 'CommentsOn'.
Heck no to renaming the system prefs ... that will only work for the language the usability expert speaks :) So we will end up with system preference names that mean something to US librarians and nothing to the rest of the world :-) But having another column in the database, displayname which is translatable that is used to display to the user. I'm sure there are many others like this - I just haven't gotten to
them yet - so I'm suggesting us discussing changing these in some way to improve the user experience and overall usability of the staff client in Koha.
What do you all think? Let the tomato throwing begin!
Im saving my tomatoes for a salad this weekend :)
Chris
My suggestion is either a renaming of system prefs (with librarian or usability expert input) or a way to change the way these labels are displayed to the user. Meaning the system can see 'reviewson' but I see 'CommentsOn'.
Heck no to renaming the system prefs ... that will only work for the language the usability expert speaks :) So we will end up with system preference names that mean something to US librarians and nothing to the rest of the world :-)
But having another column in the database, displayname which is translatable that is used to display to the user. I think there are compelling reasons to rename all the sysprefs, some of them are just plain illogical (like NoZebra, NoZebraIndexes) ... but I 100% agree
On 2/21/08, Chris Cormack <chris@bigballofwax.co.nz> wrote: that we need a way to translate them for display as well. Another column wouldn't cover it because it wouldn't be able to handle multiple translations ... I'd vote for exposing the syspref names to the template as a variable and wrapping the description in that format so it could be translated using our PO system. Cheers, -- Joshua Ferraro SUPPORT FOR OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE CEO migration, training, maintenance, support LibLime Featuring Koha Open-Source ILS jmf@liblime.com |Full Demos at http://liblime.com/koha |1(888)KohaILS
On 2/22/08, Joshua Ferraro <jmf@liblime.com> wrote:
My suggestion is either a renaming of system prefs (with librarian or usability expert input) or a way to change the way these labels are displayed to the user. Meaning the system can see 'reviewson' but I see 'CommentsOn'.
Heck no to renaming the system prefs ... that will only work for the language the usability expert speaks :) So we will end up with system preference names that mean something to US librarians and nothing to the rest of the world :-)
But having another column in the database, displayname which is
On 2/21/08, Chris Cormack <chris@bigballofwax.co.nz> wrote: translatable
that is used to display to the user.
I think there are compelling reasons to rename all the sysprefs, some of them are just plain illogical (like NoZebra, NoZebraIndexes) ... but I 100% agree that we need a way to translate them for display as well. Another column wouldn't cover it because it wouldn't be able to handle multiple translations ... I'd vote for exposing the syspref names to the template as a variable and wrapping the description in that format so it could be translated using our PO system.
If we are going to do that, then we should go the whole hog and do that with the descriptions too. No point having them in the database. Chris
On 2/21/08, Chris Cormack <chris@bigballofwax.co.nz> wrote:
On 2/21/08, Chris Cormack <chris@bigballofwax.co.nz> wrote:
My suggestion is either a renaming of system prefs (with librarian or usability expert input) or a way to change the way these labels are displayed to the user. Meaning the system can see 'reviewson' but I see 'CommentsOn'.
Heck no to renaming the system prefs ... that will only work for the language the usability expert speaks :) So we will end up with system preference names that mean something to US librarians and nothing to the rest of the world :-)
But having another column in the database, displayname which is
that is used to display to the user.
I think there are compelling reasons to rename all the sysprefs, some of
On 2/22/08, Joshua Ferraro <jmf@liblime.com> wrote: translatable them
are just plain illogical (like NoZebra, NoZebraIndexes) ... but I 100% agree that we need a way to translate them for display as well. Another column wouldn't cover it because it wouldn't be able to handle multiple translations ... I'd vote for exposing the syspref names to the template as a variable and wrapping the description in that format so it could be translated using our PO system.
If we are going to do that, then we should go the whole hog and do that with the descriptions too. No point having them in the database.
Absolutely, I 100% agree ... -- Joshua Ferraro SUPPORT FOR OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE CEO migration, training, maintenance, support LibLime Featuring Koha Open-Source ILS jmf@liblime.com |Full Demos at http://liblime.com/koha |1(888)KohaILS
Yippee :) I didn't upset people - keep the conversation going guys - and then let's see some changes :) hehe Nicole On 2/21/08, Joshua Ferraro <jmf@liblime.com> wrote:
On 2/21/08, Chris Cormack <chris@bigballofwax.co.nz> wrote:
On 2/21/08, Chris Cormack <chris@bigballofwax.co.nz> wrote:
My suggestion is either a renaming of system prefs (with librarian or usability expert input) or a way to change the way these labels are displayed to the user. Meaning the system can see 'reviewson' but I see 'CommentsOn'.
Heck no to renaming the system prefs ... that will only work for the language the usability expert speaks :) So we will end up with system preference names that mean something to US librarians and nothing to the rest of the world :-)
But having another column in the database, displayname which is
that is used to display to the user.
I think there are compelling reasons to rename all the sysprefs, some of
On 2/22/08, Joshua Ferraro <jmf@liblime.com> wrote: translatable them
are just plain illogical (like NoZebra, NoZebraIndexes) ... but I 100% agree that we need a way to translate them for display as well. Another column wouldn't cover it because it wouldn't be able to handle multiple translations ... I'd vote for exposing the syspref names to the template as a variable and wrapping the description in that format so it could be translated using our PO system.
If we are going to do that, then we should go the whole hog and do that with the descriptions too. No point having them in the database.
Absolutely, I 100% agree ...
-- Joshua Ferraro SUPPORT FOR OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE CEO migration, training, maintenance, support LibLime Featuring Koha Open-Source ILS jmf@liblime.com |Full Demos at http://liblime.com/koha |1(888)KohaILS
-- Nicole C. Engard Open Source Evangelist, LibLime (888) Koha ILS (564-2457) ext. 714 nce@liblime.com AIM/Y!/Skype: nengard http://liblime.com
Joshua Ferraro a écrit :
No point having them in the database. Absolutely, I 100% agree ... +100% from France = already 200%
Translating syspref is a pain for instance. and a <TMPL_IF name="thesyspref">This syspref is useful to do this and that</TMPL_IF> should not be a pain do code. Just need someone to do it (going to bed now) -- Paul POULAIN http://www.biblibre.com Expert en Logiciels Libres pour l'info-doc Tel : 04 91 31 45 19
participants (4)
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Chris Cormack -
Joshua Ferraro -
Nicole Engard -
Paul POULAIN