[Usability] Re: Lightening up the XDG menu

[William Leese <william leese nl>]

Frans Englich wrote:

> We all know how important the XDG menu specification is for integration 
> between the various desktop environments. But, unfortunately it creates a 
> usability problem when for example both GNOME and KDE is installed on one 
> computer - the menu becomes overcrowded. For example, in KDE's KMenu there's 
> a lot of applications which are either irrelevant or duplicates 
> functionality.
>
> Usability wise I do not think this should be under estimated. Several 
> usability reports and articles mentions the problem in KDE although the 
> causes is so many more than only this. The sheer size is a problem as well as 
> it is confusing since many entries are identical or irrelevant.

[snip]

> Similar, but listed so their counterparts are more clear.

Keep into consideration that these menu's are often, from a user point 
of view, a listing of all (be it graphical) the applications available 
on their computer. So hiding either gedit or kedit based on which 
desktop is being used would be more confusing than anything else.

Consider a user who one day decides to take a look at this 'GNOME' 
thing. Suddenly he has no (apparent) access to the applications he/she 
once used.

  -- William