Start new session...

[Oswald Buddenhagen]

On Wed, Oct 09, 2002 at 11:37:51PM +0200, Thomas Zander wrote:
> Your idea is admirable; but I'm afraid not well placed.  In my experience
> with users and warning etc; they don't like to be interrupted. Period.
> So; keep it short and very light reading. Otherwise you'll be ignored.
> 
well, ok, forget the virtual terminals and X-servers. but don't try to
abuse some other term.

> > you want to hide the potentially interesting fact, that the driver is
> > the problem. instead of thinking about a driver upgrade the user should
> > think "nah, this f***ing box is crap", or what?
> 
> Telling the user where the problem is is like telling someone smoking will
> 'put tar on the alveoli which will severely deminish its capacity to take
> up nutrients'.
> 
> Now; does that stop you from smoking?
> 
no, as i don't understand a single word. :} oh, and i'm not a smoker
anyway. *g*
seriously, let the user swear as much as he wants, but at least give him
a clue about what the problem _very_ probably is.

> A simple warning is all you can give the user and if the problem
> actually does occur you might be lucky that the user will remember 10%
> of what you said.
> 
after he crashed his box the third time he will hopefully start thinking.

> > > When pressing 'shutdown' in kdm, is there a message?
> > > 
> > no, that's todo. that's not a five-minute-hack.
> > 
> Before or after 3.1 ?
> 
even if i handle the coding part before 3.1, this cannot be done without
breaking the string freeze, obviously. and at the moment i'm not sure
about the exact strings yet, so it's hard to put them in now and do the
coding later. also, it would include merging at least parts of the
make_it_cool branch, as parts of the required architectural changes in
kdm are already done there.
so the bottom line is: most probably after 3.1. :(

> > the only real problem here is, that currently "session" is used for
> > "(saved) session state", which is technically wrong. a session is ...
> > oh, well, see above.
> 
> Fine; but I can't tell a user that what he learned from us in the past
> has to be forgotten.
>
hehe. some mistakes will hunt you forever ...

> Any alternatives?
> 
we could invent some weird terms and claim they are the official naming.
something like "deskion". :)
no, seriously, it's not that bad. i don't see a real problem. this stuff
does not conflict with anything i've seen in kde so far. it "only"
requires the user to understand, that there can be multiple sessions
active at the same time. after all, there is nothing else called "new
session" that would do something with the current session, afaik. in
case of doubt rename it to "start another session" or "start additional
session". or "start simultaneous session"? it all sounds vague.

regarding the alternative names:
- desktop was shot down because of the "virtual desktop" similarity
- workspace might be an idea, but that's only a synonym.
- display is a) too technical and b) too "hardwareish".
- screen is a) too "hardwareish" as well and b) means something else in
  x (think xinerama).
- xserver is too technical.
  also, the last three do not say everything.
- ?

> > -- 
> > Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done.
> Mighty fine job! :}
> 
yeah, i'm honestly proud of me. :}

ok, the current draft for the message:

<h1>You have chosen to open another session.</h1>
<p>The current session will be hidden and a new login screen will be
displayed. You can switch back to this session with Ctrl-Alt-F%1 at 
any time. The function key for the new session is not known yet, but
will usually be F8 or higher.</p>
<p><b>Warning:</b> some computers may crash due to broken video card
drivers when using multiple simultaneous sessions.</p>

greetings

-- 
Hi! I'm a .signature virus! Copy me into your ~/.signature, please!
--
Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done.