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To be honest i dont see the problem and i doubt it will change
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youre right, of course!
its not a "problem" but it is confusing for customers. as i said from a "usability perspective" its wrong.
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I never heard any one complain on the forum so i think users perfectly understand the setting
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`Black
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I think the problem is if skinners use mixed options, so one option is "Hide ..." and the next is "Show ...". As a user you don't have a quick overview by looking at the radio buttons which options are enabled (= they are visible) and which disabled (= they are hidden). I must say I also never really thought about this in my skin but I might change that.
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2012-12-21, 17:38
(This post was last modified: 2012-12-21, 17:45 by AnalogKid.)
It's not 'double negation'. Double negation is a logic term to describe a phenomenon where a 'not' (negative) is applied to an existing not (thus becoming a positive / true). Computer science using this term is simply adopting it from logic.
Nor is this issue an example of double negation in any way, nor does the inability to 'unhide' something quality as an example of double negation.
It beggars belief that an open source project that's been running for many years and developed by some highly skilled developers might need to be instruction on 'double negation'. I don't mean to sound rude, really I don't - but think about it. The odds are, most of the developers are fairly well aware of computer science terms - and most of them wouldn't ever user the phrase "in computer science...". It just makes eyes roll!
Now, onto matters at hand:
Enable / Disable
On / Off
Activate / Deactivate
Show / Hide
these are simple and self explanatory terms for users, but the choice of which terminology to use is usually chosen to best describe the effect to users.
We commonly use the term Volume Up / Down instead of Volume Louder / Quieter because it's common parlance to say "turn it up".
In the same way, we turn a light 'On or Off'
In the same way, we 'Enable or Disable' features.
In the same way, we 'Show or Hide' UI elements.
There is no right or wrong way to describe an option like 'Weather'. However, if you say "Enable Weather' what does that mean? does it mean that weather functionality is enabled, or does it mean a Weather widget should be shown?
By using the term 'Show' and 'Hide' it at least helps the user to understand it's related to visibility and not some behind the scene functionality.
You'll often see something similar when dealing with permission options. 'Allow' or 'Deny' are more appropriate, and easily understood terms.
There are many things in XBMC UI that need improvement, and a number of paradigms are highly suspect (to put it mildly) but in the grand scheme of things, the terminology issue here is extremely minor.
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MassIV
Skilled Skinner
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2012-12-22, 17:25
(This post was last modified: 2012-12-22, 17:35 by MassIV.)
This can also have to do with the XML language used.
As some of these settings rely on setting a skin string.
On first install these strings never exist.
So things sometimes use backward logic to be on by default.
Not saying you can't use it the other way. Just depends on from what way you look at it.
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It's that way because of default settings. Settings added by the skinner always default to false on first install or after skin reset. So if a skinner wants something on by default it has to be that way. Skinners can't define what state should be default.
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Hitcher
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If we want something on by default we can define it's condition in the <selected>...</selected> tag.
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The terminology is a bit odd, I will agree, but after playing with some settings I understand them now.
There will always be debate on what terminology is easiest to understand.
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PatK
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XBMC speak for default 'on', the lingo used is of a kind that is unique as the skinners.
BEER is a word which has more of a commonality with XBMC hide the user.
should be in the language file - then we call all "BEER" certain settings.
