[Bug 661258] Re: Software center doesn't show whether an app is a CLI or a GUI app

[Matthew Paul Thomas]

** Changed in: software-center (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Confirmed

** Changed in: software-center (Ubuntu)
   Importance: Undecided => Low

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/661258

Title:
  Software center doesn't show whether an app is a CLI or a GUI app

Status in One Hundred Paper Cuts:
  Invalid
Status in “software-center” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: software-center

  When considering whether to install an application or not, most users
  find it quite significant whether the application is CLI based or has
  a GUI. As it is now, this information can only be had if the textual
  software description states it explicitly, or if a screenshot is
  available. In this way, this piece of information cannot easily be
  read when browsing the Software Center, and theres no guarantee that
  it is there at all (example given: the 'ftp' package).

  Suggested solution:
  The problem could be solved by adding a boolean parameter to each package, stating whether it is CLI or not. This information can then be communicated to the user by adding a CLI-icon to all CLI-based packages.

  If adding an extra icon to all applications is unacceptable, the following suggestion could offer a partial solution:
  Right now the Software Center has one generic icon for all software packages that lacks their own icon. Replacing this icon with two generic icons (one showing a CLI, another showing some fancy desktop-stuff) will help communicate whether the app is CLI-based or not, at least for all the packages that doesn't come with their own icons. This solution doesn't help much for those that does.

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