[gcompris-devel] Gcompris usability problems and other bugreports

[Bruno Coudoin]

Le ven 06/02/2004 à 18:38, Mantas Kriaučiūnas a écrit :
> Hi,
> 
> We (my wife and me) are Lithuanian translators (and bug reporters :) ) 
> of gcompris. Gcompris has already reached 5 version, which should assure 
> high stability and user-friendliness, we think. Pitt, but in some cases 
> gcompris 1.0 was more user-friendly than 5.0 :(.
> 
I hope you are kidding. It's not fair to me and to all the others that
worked to make gcompris what it is today. Anyway, feel free to keep
gcompris 1.0 if you prefer it. No security bugs discovered by now, no
reason to upgrade ;)

> Noticed bugs, which we believe have to be fixed before next stable version:
> 
Not sure, current 5.0 has several major bugs that needs to be fixed
soon.

> 1. Usability bugs in activities with side panels (yellow area at left) - 
> "Discover the Computer"->"Baby Shape Puzzle", "Amusement 
> activities"->"Place the lands", "Board activities"->"Make the puzlle" 
> and "Reading activities"->"Image Name"
> 
>   * Why only one figure is displayed at first side panel (yellow area at 
> left) and all other 5 at second? We think, that first side panel should 
> be full and only not fitting in figures should be placed on the second, 
> etc side panels.
>   * Why the second panel (with 5 other figures) isn't displayed 
> automatically when last figure from first side panel is used (moved from 
> the side panel to white forms)? We think, it is no meaning to display 
> empty side panel without elements - this only misleads kids.
> 
I agree with you but it's a mess to code. I don't plan to get into this
soon. Feel free to send me a patch. The code is in shapegames.c

> * When the figure is moved back to side panel, it simply disappears if 
> not its native side panel is chosen on the left.?
> 
Same answer.

> In gcompris 1.x was only one side pane with all items and because of 
> this it was easier to understand for kids, look at these screenshots:
> http://www.ofset.org/gcompris/screenshoots/babyshapes.jpg
> http://www.ofset.org/gcompris/screenshoots/imagename.jpg
> http://www.ofset.org/gcompris/screenshoots/paintings.jpg
> 
True but it's still the case when there is less items to display than
the side pane can contain. You cannot always put all the items on one
side.

> * Btw, in the game "Place the lands" the names of the countries should 
> be displayed when country is placed on the map. Now it's very hard to 
> place the lands, even for adults. Look at attached screenshot with empty 
> side pane.
> 
That's a smart not that easy thing to do but I will look at it.
Especialy good since we don't have country names for all the country.
But note that when the sounds are there, you here the country name.

> 
> 2. In Configurations:
> *It would be much clearlier if the word 'Language' was added besides 
> language selection buttons. (often it's hard to guess, that the name of 
> foreign language is the setting to change language).
Hum, I am not convince. What could it be else in a config dialog ?
g
> *Text "You need to restart gcompris for language change" should be 
> displayed when user changes a language.
Well, we could simply reload the translation from the boards in XML and
have it completly dynamic. That would be cool.

> *When the language is changed from user default to ex. English and the 
> program is restarted, the language doesn't change.

It's bugged in 5.0

> *Explanations to buttons - Exit, About Gcompris, Configuration, Help - 
> should be added when mouse is on them (like we see explanations for 
> activity or menu icons).

In well supported language there is a voice that explain the button's
role. If you did your job by providing voices for Lithuanian, you would
know ;)

> *Just after the start of the game some welcome notice or explanation 
> like "Choose the icon to find lots of interesting games and activities" 
> should be added.
> 
To you believe kids are that dumb? Perhaps you mean a message for the
teacher or the parents...

> 3. In About GCompris
> 
> *The translators of selected have to be mentioned, so the users could 
> contact them, if they find incorrectly, unclearly translated or 
> untranslated items or just wanna talk or say suggestions about gcompris 
> in native language. This is very easy to realize - just add a string 
> "Translator Credits" to a gcompris.pot, like all gnome programs (look 
> for example at nautilus.pot file)
> 
I agree. I'll have a look at how to do this.

> 
> It would be just wonderful if these bugs are fixed before 5.1. Won't be 
> good if serious bugs of user-friendliness would appear there, I guess.
> 
What bugs. Except the locale issue, I don't see anything major. 
The shape list issues are rather complex to code and so I prefer to make
a release now that fixes the broken 5.0 and take the time to code big
changes without pressure.

> Perhaps we need to report bugs?
> 
No need, you did it there.

> Btw, approximately when new version of gcompris will be released? We 
> have translated quit a lot of Gcompris 4.2 version to Lithuanian, but 
> haven't sent it to developers. Current Lithuanian translation status is 
> very low - look at :
> http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gtp/status/gnome-2.6/lt/fifth-toe/index.html

> Would be great if you tell us the exact date of the release (and 
> approximate hour :) ), so we would send the translation before that date 
> (even if we won't finish all translation). It will much improve the 
> current situation of the translation in any case.
> 
I can release a new version saterday. I accept po submition before
20:04:50 CET. Is this precise enough ;)

> If I understand right, latest (gcompris 5.1) Lithuanian .po files are at
> http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gtp/status/gnome-2.6/lt/fifth-toe/index.html
> 
> aren't they ?
> 
Seems correct.
Hehe, you are at 50.83%. Take care I don't speek to translators that are
under 50%. Hurry up ...

Bruno.