Thoughts about software-properties

[Mohammed Amine IL Idrissi]

Hi Matthew, thanks for your reply.

On Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 3:52 PM, Matthew Paul Thomas <mpt at canonical.com>wrote:

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> Mohammed Amine IL Idrissi wrote on 04/08/10 17:45:
> >
> > Sorry for the tiny images. Here they are:
> > * update-manager "Repositories" tab: http://imgur.com/zXZyH.png
>
> I think most people, looking at this interface for the first time, would
> ask: "What does it mean by 'distribution'?"
>

True. We could replace it by "Ubuntu updates" (or "Debian updates" if we're
running under Debian)

It also seems messy to have the same operation (selecting/deselecting)
> on very similar items (Ubuntu archives, and other archives) handled at
> separate levels (outside a listbox vs. inside).


The only reason I did this is because we don't know the exact number of
other archives (usually, we should see 4 items for Ubuntu archives, the ones
I put in the mockup).

> * update-manager "Automatic updates" tab: http://imgur.com/d59C4.png
>
> What is the reason for distinguishing "distribution updates" from "other
> updates"?
>

Because of the same reason I distinguished distribution repositories from
other repositories. For me, it's just a way to provide the user with more
means of configuration. No problem with me if you decide to simply remove
it.

> * software-center "Provided by Ubuntu" pane: http://imgur.com/c3EZr.png
>
> Are you suggesting that those checkboxes would be shown all the time?
>

Not at all, just that I haven't found some kind of expander in Balsamiq
Mockups :-)
We could use a toggle button or an expander to optionally show this screen.


> (Also, "Provided by Ubuntu" and "Commercial software" are mutually
> exclusive.)


Yeah, I guess so. Just ignore this.


> > * software-center PPA/authenticated source pane:
> http://imgur.com/kqugQ.png
>
> I don't understand what this is showing. Perhaps you could fill in a few
> more of the details or a bit more of the context?
>

It just shows that the PPA is an authenticed source. But you are right, this
is outside of the context :-) Just ignore this mockup.


> >...
> > On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 4:23 PM, Matthew Paul Thomas <mpt at canonical.com
> > <mailto:mpt at canonical.com>> wrote:
> >...
> >> Splitting it into two is an intriguing idea. It looks like the main
> >> awkward point would be the download server setting -- that's the thing
> >> that's most obviously shared between installations and updates.
> >...
>
> I notice that none of your wireframes show where the download server
> setting would go. :-)
>

We could just put a "Select Server" button in the "Provided by
Ubuntu" screen. When clicked, the usual download mirror dialog shows up.

I was thinking of doing mockups for adding and editing sources in
software-center, but since browsing PPAs is a planned feature of
software-center, I abstained from this :-)
Like I said, please share your thoughts. Those mockups were quickly done
using Balsamiq Mockups, and I'm not an UI designer, so obviously this may be
horrible interfaces :p
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