GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 131289
[UI-REVIEW] Background properties should use the term background not wallpaper
Last modified: 2005-05-07 20:30:38 UTC
As is documented here[1], background is the correct term to use not wallpaper. [1] http://developer.gnome.org/documents/style-guide/x3891.html#term-desktop-background
I changed the window title and the menu item to say "Desktop Background". However, I left the label for the list of wallpapers as "Desktop Wallpaper". The main problem being that as defined in the style guide, the term is "Desktop Background", and refers specifically to the image that is on the desktop. I think it would be much more useful to separate the image and colors more correctly and refer to them as "Desktop Wallpaper" and "Desktop Colors", while still referring to the combination of the two, as "Desktop Background". It seems like this helps to clearly separate what the colors and the image are, yet allows them to both be joined together, rather than just trying to say "Desktop Background" to mean any random thing on the desktop, which seems to be what we are trying to do, currently.
No more feedback -> Fixed.
It's not really fixed, it needs style guide updation or it's still a bug. I'd advise mailing the docs list about it.
FWIW, I agree with the idea that the combination of both image and colors should be referred to as the "Desktop Background" and actually even suspect that it was meant to be used that way in the Documentation Style Guide even though it says image there. When it comes to the individual terms though, I'd personally prefer "Background Image" to "Background Wallpaper"; the reasons are a) that people dont usually have any wallpapers on their (RL-)desktops and b) that the background image only has an effect similar to a wallpaper when it's tiled. If there's no objection (anyone faster than myself) I'll soon write a mail to the Gnome doc list, refering them to this thread...
Lars, I think your suspicion is correct. When we wrote the definition for desktop background, we did not mean to exclude the color sense of desktop background. So I will modify the definition from "the image that is applied to the desktop" to "the color or image that is applied to the desktop". For arguments against using the term wallpaper in the UI, see bug 98914.
The only relevent piece of text from that bug that mentions "Wallpaper" is this: ------- Additional Comments From Eugene O'Connor 2002-11-24 11:21 ------- Re: Tile/Wallpaper The AHD defines wallpaper as "A picture or design covering the background of a display screen." The definition of tile that I will shortly add to the Recommended Terminology is "To cover an area with objects that do not overlap." I agree that Tile is the correct term to use on the Background preferences tool. Wallpaper is really just a type of image that is specifically designed for a desktop background. The options on the tool are actions that are performed on the selected image. An argument may be made for wallpaper as a verb, but I think it would still be incorrect - the options on the tool are actions that are performed on the selected image, not on the desktop background.
This is an argument against using the term Wallpaper to mean Tile in the verb sense, as an operation on the image itself. Where, you actually stat the the definition of Wallpaper means exactly what it is being used for in the new current capplet. Desktop Wallpaper == image on the desktop background. Desktop Color == colors on the desktop background. Desktop Background == combination of colors and image that are displayed on the desktop. So, I'd say this is fine then, and we need to change the style guide to reflect these definitions, no?
How does one move this to being a bug against the style guide, so that we can get it updated?
The style guide [1] has been updated to reflect the new changes to the terms background and wallpaper. desktop background Definition: The image or color that is applied to the desktop. [...] wallpaper Do not use this term. Use the term desktop background. Lets make this capplet consistent on the term background removing references to wallpaper. [1] http://developer.gnome.org/documents/style-guide/gnome-glossary-desktop.html
When was the style guide "updated"? My guess is about 6 months ago, if not more.
It doesn't matter, this is a bug against the background capplet not following the style guide. If you want to file a bug against the style guide I'd suggest you do that. Until the style guide is changed this capplet needs to conform to it's recommendation.
Rodney : Lets renname things. It make the translators and docuementers live's easier.
Again, where exactly does one file bugs against the style guide? There doesn't seem to be a Product of "Documentation Style Guide", which should probably have part of its content moved to the HIG anyway, in bugzilla.
Dead-end debate, and no response for almost a year. Closing.