RE: Suggestion: Improving language

Actually subclipse uses some pretty confusing (to someone used to SVN) terminology, like "Share this project" for import.

Regards,
David

________________________________
From: Bob Archer [mailto:Bob.Archer_at_amsi.com]
Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 9:01 PM
To: users_at_tortoisesvn.tigris.org
Subject: RE: Suggestion: Improving language
Importance: Low

The terminology also needs to be consistent across multiple svn clients also. I shouldn't have to learn a whole new bunch of terminology if I move from TSVN to svn.exe to Subclipse, etc. They all should call checkout, "checkout", they all should call update, "update", commit should always be "commit". Same with diff, switch, relocate, import, export, merge, etc.

What I always fail to understand is how people expect to use and understand a piece of software, like subversion without at least reading the basic overview and daily usage docs. When they don't do that and it doesn't work the way they think it should, or like cvs or PVCS they start saying it is not intuitive or think menu options should use different words.

I can almost always tell when someone posts question on the list and they haven't read those first two chapters. They usually call their working-copy a repository or they are trying to put files into the repository file system, etc. When you suggest they read the docs they answer "I don't have time" or other silly excuses. I guess they figure everyone on the list has time to read their message that doesn't even convey their problem because they are using the wrong terminology and don't have a basic understanding of the basic usage.

Sorry... rant over.

BOb

From: Daniel Becroft [mailto:djcbecroft_at_gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2010 4:47 PM
To: users_at_tortoisesvn.tigris.org
Cc: users_at_tortoisesvn.tigris.org
Subject: Re: Suggestion: Improving language

TSVN is a GUI client for SVN. The terminology needs to be consistent for the major functionality.

Sent from my iPhone.

On 04/12/2010, at 11:13, Eric Mitchell <Eric.Mitchell_at_flysfo.com<mailto:Eric.Mitchell_at_flysfo.com>> wrote:
I use Tortoise/SVN rarely enough that there is always a very real risk that I will overwrite my code. The language it uses is not intuitive.

Whereas "Import into SVN" would be clear, "Import" by itself is ambiguous. To most people, "import" means "to bring into my local area"; my first impression is that I should use this to bring code *from* SVN *into* my computer. "Export" would mean the opposite, although it would be an odd choice of words. When limited to one-word menu options, I would suggest words like "Upload" and "Download" that indicate direction from the user's point-of-view. "Put" and "Get" would be familiar to many, but "Deposit" and "Withdraw" would fit nicely with the idea of a repository.

The "Add" menu choice is pretty ambiguous - especially since the dialog box says "There's nothing to add...". One is left wondering "Add what to where?". There's space in the menu for more-intuitive verbage.

"Commit" is perfect, but "Update"? "Update local" would be a step in the right direction.

There's space in the menu to make "Switch" and "Relocate" more self-explanatory. We all hate stopping to RTF - especially when every menu choice has to be looked up.

Everyone loves intuitive software and Tortoise could be more so. As it is, Tortoise tends toward the risky end of the spectrum.

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Received on 2010-12-07 12:19:15 CET