GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 735761
Remove .desktop file
Last modified: 2016-07-20 19:43:25 UTC
As the default shortcut doesn't launch any window, it's not an application. Instead, we'd add a keyword to gnome-control-center's a11y page so people can still type "orca" in the shell overview. We'd complement that with a timeout starting the screenreader in that page. It could also simply be disabled in GNOME. See: https://mail.gnome.org/archives/orca-list/2014-August/msg00459.html
This would also fix bug 617666, and make sure that the screen reader setting in the panel and in the shell actually follows the status of orca's enablement.
I was leaning towards removing it but am waiting for the "oh noes!". :) You have a strong opinion either way, Bastien?
(In reply to comment #2) > I was leaning towards removing it but am waiting for the "oh noes!". :) You > have a strong opinion either way, Bastien? I'd remove it once we've implemented bug 735700. So in 3.16. Adding it back if it causes major problems is easy enough.
I agree it should not have a desktop icon in GNOME because Orca does not display any window. It's a core OS service, not an application. Chatting with Joanie, we agreed to keep the desktop file and just add NotShowIn=GNOME; as otherwise this would be a problem for other desktops. Let's wait for bug #735700, though.
I think Peter Vagner's comment in the bug 735700: [...] screen reader users will not be able to navigate to this pannel without screen reader active so the most natural way for screen reader users to activate screen reader is by using its toggle shortcut key. By default this is alt+super+s . Is pretty accurate - it's not *completely* true in that you can type "<super>universal<return>" and get to the panel, but the shortcut key both seems easier to document/describe and much simpler for someone to use once they know about it. So I think we could just go ahead and add the NotShowIn right now.
Created attachment 312577 [details] [review] Don't show Orca in GNOME In other desktops this might be considered an application, but in GNOME, applications must have windows and must not affect any other application. In GNOME, Orca is core functionality of the OS, not an app. Activate it using System Settings or Alt+Super+S.
Comment on attachment 312577 [details] [review] Don't show Orca in GNOME Ok. If you think this needs to be in 3.18.1, go ahead and commit now. Otherwise, please wait until after I branch and then feel free to do so. Either way, mind modifying the commit message summary to something reflecting the use of NotShowIn? Thanks!
Created attachment 312600 [details] [review] Add NotShowIn=GNOME; to the desktop file I'd personally also vote to save this for 3.20, but it'd be fine either way....
Comment on attachment 312600 [details] [review] Add NotShowIn=GNOME; to the desktop file I've branched, so committed. Thanks again for the patch!
The NotShowIn=GNOME isn't working for us as it doesn't keep the app out of GNOME Software, which we don't want to change as per https://github.com/hughsie/appstream-glib/pull/117 I see two solutions: a) Recommend that distros keep the desktop file in a subpackage, as Fedora already does for Epiphany. Remove NotShowIn. b) Delete the desktop file. Any preference on this, or alternative suggestions? The advantage of (a) is that it allows orca to be launched easily in other desktop environments, but it's bad because orca doesn't show a window when launched and is *really* not an app, and also because it's strange to have a desktop file in a separate package from its corresponding binary. (b) avoids these problems, but challenges desktops to create their own way to launch orca. That's what they really ought to do, but it could be quite inconvenient for users in the meantime.
The thing is.... Real Orca users won't be launching Orca from a desktop file. Because in order to launch Orca from an application's menu or a desktop environment's search functionality, that menu or search functionality needs to be accessible to the Orca user. And the way it becomes accessible to the Orca user is through Orca. Given that this one silly file continues to be a source of debate and discussion, and given that my chief concern is for users who require Orca to access their environment, I think this file needs to go.
(In reply to Joanmarie Diggs (IRC: joanie) from comment #11) > The thing is.... Real Orca users won't be launching Orca from a desktop > file. Because in order to launch Orca from an application's menu or a > desktop environment's search functionality, that menu or search > functionality needs to be accessible to the Orca user. And the way it > becomes accessible to the Orca user is through Orca. > > Given that this one silly file continues to be a source of debate and > discussion, and given that my chief concern is for users who require Orca to > access their environment, I think this file needs to go. https://git.gnome.org/browse/orca/commit/?id=500d4ca4a9