Change name of the Appearance preference applet to Colors

[koki]

Appearance has a broader meaning that implies the ability to adjust settings for color/fonts/backgrounds/etc., and even theming. However, all the Appearance preference applet in Haiku does is allow the user to change the colors of the various elements of the Haiku interface (ie., active/inactive window tab, control background/text/border, etc.).

Given that this is the only functionality this applet provides, calling it Appearance is misleading. Calling it Colors is more logical and representative of the functionality that it provides.

(FWIW, this applet is still not functional though; see open bug #1089 for details)

[darkwyrm]

This would be assuming that it is intended *just* for colors, which it is not. Currently only the Colors code is enabled. There is also code to choose decorators, hence, Appearance.

[koki]

What you describe sounds very much like theming, which I thought Haiku would never have. Or will this applet consolidate then the Fonts, Menu and Backgrounds applets? Are the features that this applet is designed to have documented anywhere?

[darkwyrm]

Sounds about right -- theming, but not skinning. It would be about the level of customizability as Windows 98 officially had plus the choice of decorators. Ideally, it would combine a number of the other applets, hopefully the Fonts and Menu applets and possibly Backgrounds. It should provide sufficient power to customize for most people. Actual skinning (complete customization of the look of controls) not only sucks up performance, but would also require significant changes to the Interface Kit and possibly the app_server. Everything I'm talking about is already pretty much possible in the system. Full-on theme support (a la BeTheme) is being left for a third part opportunity, though anything is possible for R2. Appearance hasn't been documented officially, but has been discussed somewhat on some of the mailing lists, primarily the Interface Kit list IIRC.

[axeld]

I think if Appearance appears on the R1 as is, it should indeed be renamed to better match what currently is, not what it might have been intended for. But the future will tell :-)

[koki]

DW: thanks for the explanation. You may want to add this info to the Applications team page, as this pref. applet is not even mentioned there. ;)

http://haiku-os.org/about/teams/applications

Axel: why not name the applet Colors now, and then rename it to Appearance when it gains the intended functionality, whenever that may be (pre or post-R1)? Seems more logical and less confusing to me that way. :)

[johndrinkwater]

Replying to koki:

Axel: why not name the applet Colors now, and then rename it to Appearance when it gains the intended functionality, whenever that may be (pre or post-R1)? Seems more logical and less confusing to me that way. :)

Koki, you brought this up in the #haiku channel a few months ago, and I told you why it would be a bad idea; not sure why you want to push it through still. When choosing names for system applications, one should avoid English locali[sz]ation issues. Examples: Control Center, Colors, etc.

By all means, rename the preflet, just avoid calling it Colors!

[umccullough]

Replying to johndrinkwater:

By all means, rename the preflet, just avoid calling it Colors!

Hues!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[koki]

Replying to johndrinkwater:

Replying to koki:

Axel: why not name the applet Colors now, and then rename it to Appearance when it gains the intended functionality, whenever that may be (pre or post-R1)? Seems more logical and less confusing to me that way. :)

Koki, you brought this up in the #haiku channel a few months ago...

Please, forgive this old man with a short memory... :P

not sure why you want to push it through still. When choosing names for system applications, one should avoid English locali[sz]ation issues.

Now I remember. :)

The word "color" is already used throughout Haiku and several of it's applications (ie., Tracker, StyledEdit, Menu and Screen applets, data translators, etc.), so this proposed change per se would not be introducing any localization issue.

I see your point, but I think it is far more important to name applications for what they really do, even if that means slightly inconveniencing the sensitivities of our English friends. I am sure they would understand. :)

[meanwhile]

Still, there's a difference in importance (and visibility) between 'colors' as the name of a Preferences item and 'colors' appearing in the applications mentioned. Colours is spelled 'colors' in HTML and that's also why I find it less annoying when 'colors' is used for defining the looks/layout of a StyledEdit document. (I'm not English :))