[Bug 185309] New: File-menu in the menubar should be renamed to $Appname-menu

[Janne Ojaniemi]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=185309

           Summary: File-menu in the menubar should be renamed to
                    $Appname-menu
           Product: kde
           Version: unspecified
          Platform: SuSE RPMs
        OS/Version: Linux
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: wishlist
          Priority: NOR
         Component: general
        AssignedTo: unassigned-bugs at kde.org
        ReportedBy: janne.ojaniemi at gmail.com


Version:            (using KDE 4.2.0)
OS:                Linux
Installed from:    SuSE RPMs

The name of the "file"-menu in the menubar does not reflect the contents or
purpose of the menu at all. This problem is apparent in just about every GUI
out there, not just KDE. But just because others make the same mistake, does
not mean that KDE should do it as well.

Why should it be renamed to $appname and not something else? this approach
offers several advantages when compared to other candidates:

a) MacOS uses naming-scheme like this, so it makes it easier for Mac-user to
migrate to KDE

b) It makes the name of the app even more prominent to the user

c) It's "generic", so it avoids the problem if having unrelated menuentries in
the menu (the problem file-menu suffers from

d) If the user uses MacOS-menubar, where the menubar is separated from the
user, it helps the user determine which app is currently active by just
glancing at the top-left corner of the screen

e) There is a precedent inside KDE for this behavior: Amarok uses naming-scheme
like this.

The Amarok-devels blogged about this many moons ag:
http://amarok.kde.org/blog/archives/140-KDE4-Improved-desktop-menubar.html

What are the reasons for continuing to use "File"-menu? Only thing I can think
of is "this is the way it has been done in the past, so this is the way it will
be done in the future as well!". That is, historical baggage. The actual
purpose of the menu is not a good reason, since the function of the menu does
not mirror the name of the menu at all. 

Some might be worried that this increases the learning-curvem, but I don't
think so. Most people don't really look at the name of the "file"-menu when
they want to access it, they just go for the first menu in the menubar.

Search your feelings and you know this to be true!

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