** Description changed: Idea #10196: Idea to "fix the .desktop problem " + (from Ubuntu Brainstorm) Idea on how the "fix the .desktop problem" might be solved. The ".desktop problem" is when a PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE a MENU LINK when it installs (some might also include the failure to provide a desktop icon as this problem). Idea for Solution; Two options - 1) Work-Around 2) Fix Both the work around and the fix start in similar way; 1) For the Work-Around Method (in common for fix and workaround) ===== A User could report programs with this problem to some control center (say launchpad - better name is Bug Report, or Ubuntu), fill in a checkbox or drop down select which has option "this is a desktop or menu bug". State the program name. The name gets put on a list. The bug repair team may, or may not choose to make a repair to the program. But it gets listed. Anybody can access the list, make a fix or work around, let Ubuntu and/or the program manufacture know the fix. And provide the fix on the list (when/as it becomes available). Then For the work around; ============ Ubuntu Users could manually create their own desk top link, or menu link, upload those work arounds to the list control center, so they get shared. (anybody can move those shortcuts to where they want through the menu system, or drag to toolbars) OR 2) For the Fix Method (in common for fix and workaround) ===== A User could report programs with this problem to some control center (say launchpad - better name is Bug Report, or Ubuntu), fill in a checkbox or drop down select which has option "this is a desktop or menu bug". State the program name. The name gets put on a list. The bug repair team may, or may not choose to make a repair to the program. But it gets listed. Anybody can access the list, make a fix or work around, let Ubuntu and/or the program manufacture know the fix. And provide the fix on the list (when/as it becomes available). For the fix; ====== Then in each case we wait for the fix to come out with a future update of the program. The program fix"ers" may make use of info on manually created shortcuts, as an indication on where users would like to see the program placed in the menu. It may not happen fast, but it is better than nothing happening at all. All that is needed is a mechanism to do it, and a willingness to do so, and it will eventually progress towards many programs no longer having this problem. This idea is aiming for an easy efficient approach to reporting the menu issues of some programs. Note; ==== The ".desktop problem" may elsewhere be defined as not adding a desktop icon (but not here), although a similar process could be applied. The handling of desktop-icons has been included in the example, not because it "should" be done, but because it "could" be done if desired. Some additional benefits of having newly installed software make a desktop icon are ; 1) It is clear confirmation of the installation success, both immediately and thereafter for all the PC users to see. 2) Until they find where it is in the menu (especially if it has gone into the Debian menu somewhere), they have easy access to it. 3) They can delete it if they want, anytime. 4) They can drag it to a panel/toolbar very easily. Right Click on program in folder (/usr/bin/) to choose an option to place in the menu. It allows you to choose where you want it in the menu, and does the rest. This process might also ask if you want to send your menu location to Ubuntu. Ubuntu adds it to the statistics for user choices (like votes), to make an eventual decision as to where a sensible default menu location should be for the program. Some tools may be found at ; http://packages.ubuntu.com/feisty/desktop-file-utils which also has a list of related programs. Maybe some of these could be used to help present the user with options on what to do if no menu entry is detected. Useful resources at; https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PackagingGuide/SupplementaryFiles + + Note; + === + I have now discovered (after having this bug-report invalidated) that apparently the launchpad system triagers assign a "desktop-file" tag to a bug report that reports a missing menu item. + This relies on the triagers always remembering to do so (which was not done in This case). + The current process also requires that the user knows to even file a bug report (rather than send an email, or use Brainstorm - or try to figure out some other way). + + If Ubuntu wants to be helped, it Really Must make it as easy as possible + for the user to do so. + + The current system would work smoother if the bug report (with "desktop- + file" tag) was placed more obviously at the user's convenience - as per + the suggestions above.
** Tags added: desktop-file general solution -- Idea #10196: Idea to fix the ".desktop" problem - missing menu info - using incremental approach https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/254172 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
