Some Suggestions

Some Suggestions

by Sarveswaran Kengatharaiyer -
Number of replies: 9
Picture of Translators
Dear All,

When we analyze the Moodle menus, we found that they can be optimized further.
For example - Take Moodle 1.8+ admin menu. (Attached)

There if we take "Accounts" menu, the first option is "Browse list of users".
But I think instead of having that lengthy phrase in Moodle, we may say "User list".
Another important think is, this kind of sort names in the menus helpful for localization. For example if we take the Indic languages, most of the time menu names are not fit into the given space.
We also nowadays involving in localization. We also having this problems. What we do is, we analyze the context and functionality and then come up with a suitable sort word / phrase.
So what I suggest is, if Moodle can come up with sort name as possible for menus then we can keep consistence in all languages. Otherwise difference languages may use different terms. This may lead for inconsistence among languages.

Also the Moodle menu (English) also have some inconsistencies. For example take "Permission" menu .
  • First option is "Define roles",
  • second is "Assign global roles"
  • 3rd is "User policies".
The first 2 are order/commanding phrases but the 3rd is not. So I think what we can do is, we can simply define,
  • 1st option as "Roles"
  • 2nd as "Global roles"
  • 3rd as "User Policies"

I think now Moodle in a top level. So i think these kind of small (May be silly) also should be considered.

I dont know whether this is proper place to post. If so I am sorry

Thanks,
Sarves





Attachment Moodle_Menu.JPG
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In reply to Sarveswaran Kengatharaiyer

Re: Some Suggestions

by Chardelle Busch -
Picture of Core developers
Hi Sarves,

No, it isn't silly, you make valid points. You should put an issue into the tracker about the too long menu names for some languages. That way, it will be much easier for the Moodle developers to see it and to keep track of the problem.
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In reply to Chardelle Busch

Re: Some Suggestions

by Séverin Terrier -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Testers Picture of Translators
Hi,

i think that short is good, but too short is bad...

The user interface has to be comprehensible, and users shoulnd't have to guess what they will have clicking on a link.

"Define roles" is explicit while "Roles" isn't, same for "Assign global roles" compared with "Global roles" : create ? assign ? show ???
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In reply to Chardelle Busch

Re: Some Suggestions

by John Isner -
I think the current menu texts are as short as possible. Shortening them further will result in ambiguity. Mixing nouns and verbs is common practice. Here's the Firefox File menu.

Attachment Firefox_file_menu.png
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In reply to John Isner

Re: Some Suggestions

by Chardelle Busch -
Picture of Core developers
Actually, the site admin interface shouldn't be in a block at all. It has gotten so complicated it really needs it's own main page.
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In reply to John Isner

Re: Some Suggestions

by Joseph Rézeau -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers Picture of Translators

I quite agree with you, John and Séverin. Actually, the English language lends itself perfectly to computer menu texts, with its facility to use the same word either as a verb or a noun. In the software I use I always prefer to have menus displayed in English rather than in French (my native language) because English menu texts are so much concise and easier to understand.

Sarves, I really do not understand your point. English menu texts in Moodle are mostly OK as they stand. If you want to localize Moodle in Indian languages, then you are quite free to create your own translations and make them as long or short as you wish.

Joseph

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In reply to Joseph Rézeau

Re: Some Suggestions

by Sarveswaran Kengatharaiyer -
Picture of Translators
Hello Joseph,

Take "Browse list of user" menu - We thought that, "List" is enough. Because it is coming under the "User" menu, so anyone can understand that it is "User list".
In some other language it may be interpreted as something else, say "Browse".

When users from differnt langauges need to communicate using English, one user may refer "Browse list of user" menu as "Browse" and other one may say "User List". This may lead for confusion among users from different language.

But if Moodle uses small names (But definitly it should be meaning full), this inconsistancy problems may not occur.

Thanks, Sarves





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In reply to John Isner

Re: Some Suggestions

by Sarveswaran Kengatharaiyer -
Picture of Translators
Hi John, Séverin and others,

Please take "Browse list of users". Is this short? I think "List users" or "User List" will be sufficient.
Also we have to check/look the menus always with the parents. (Eg. When we check "Permissions", we should consider the its parent menu - "User" too.)

Some more examples :

Add/Edit courses - Beuase it comes under the Courses, we can omit Courses part and just say "Add/Edit".
We can approach this in other way too. ok.. If you want to have "Add/Edit courses", What about Enrollments? It should be "Course enrollments" isnt?

Assign global role - Because this comes under the permission, user will definitely understand that this option is somethings with permission. So I think "Global role" is enough.

Even I think "Roles" gives sufficient information as "define roles". Because "Roles" is under the "Permission" and "Permission" is under the "Users". Therefore users can understand that it is something with User role permissions.

-Sarves





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In reply to Sarveswaran Kengatharaiyer

Re: Some Suggestions

by Sarveswaran Kengatharaiyer -
Picture of Translators
I don't know whether you all misunderstood me - Because no one is answering.
I just suggest this.. and I am not against Moodle, We are running Moodle with more than 3000 users... Also wotking on Moodle localization in Sri Lankan Tamil language.

~Sarves
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In reply to Sarveswaran Kengatharaiyer

Re: Some Suggestions

by Joseph Rézeau -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers Picture of Translators
Hi Sarves,
You cannot say that no-one is answering you. You had 5 answers from 4 different users. The reason why you are not getting more response to your post is maybe that we don't understand what you want. If you feel that the wording of some menus in Moodle does not suit you or your users' needs, then you can customize or localize your own version of Moodle by editing the language files (in English or in any other language). What more do you want?
Joseph

Attachment image00.jpg
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