[kde-doc-english] [request] Usability opinion on using KShortcut(i18n("Ctrl+N"))

[Jarosław Staniek]

Is this good idea to translate shortcuts in order to make them dependent on 
locale? Namely, is it good idea to, for instance, use i18n("Ctrl+N") here ?

KAction* action =...
action->setShortcuts( KShortcut( i18n("Ctrl+N") ) );

It's used for instance in "file_import_certificates" action in KDE PIM

See void MainWindow::Private::setupActions() at 
http://websvn.kde.org/branches/work/kdab-post-4.0/kdepim/kleopatra/mainwindow.cpp?revision=750139&view=markup

possible problems as I can see this:
- different shortcuts on different locales

- translaton of documentation is harder

- people performing GUI translations have to know that Ctrl+N have to be in 
format accepted by Qt, and not written using, say, chinese signs. Thus we'd 
end up with explanation like in i18n("shortcut for File->New Certificate", 
"Ctrl+N"); this is rare case when _translation_ affects behaviour other than 
appearance...; they also need to pick a shortcot nonconflicting with existing 
shortcuts

- users that prefer to use two locales depending on computer or application 
(e.g. because they have no usable translation yet) have inconsistent set of 
shortcuts; there is _no_ way to use non-english gui strings and "english" 
shortcuts as we know them


I'd like to ask for a sentence in HIG related to this, whether it is 
recommended or prohibited.
Using "allowed" is probably not an option as we'd end up with random set of 
translated shortcuts.

-- 
regards / pozdrawiam, Jaroslaw Staniek
  Sponsored by OpenOffice Polska (http://www.openoffice.com.pl/en) to work on
  Kexi & KOffice (http://www.kexi.pl/en, http://www.koffice.org/kexi)
  KDE Libraries for MS Windows (http://windows.kde.org)