Cutesy snippet names?

I just wanted to say that I’m not sure I like the recent trend in giving cutesy names to snippets such as Newsfeed (now Ditto) and DropMenu (now Wayfinder). Of course what I "like" may be influenced by habit I suppose, but mentally taking a step back to look at the big picture I’m still not sure the new trend is a good idea.

I think when new people come aboard to MODx it helps usability for these snippets to be named with names that point more obviously to their functionality. DropMenu (or possibly something like MenuTree, TreeBuilder, etc) was quite a bit easier to deduce when compared to Wayfinder, which to me sounds more like a site map or a search engine. Then there’s Ditto which I’ve yet to talk to anyone who knew what that meant without an explanation.

Obviously self developed snippets can be named whatever the designer wants, but for core snippets I think it’s a better idea to make things obvious. The external name is fine to have catchy trademarkable names. But vague gimmicky sounding coding names, in my opinion, are not a help. This would be almost akin to a DVD player having buttons named Energize (Power), Activate (play), Warp Ahead (skip forward), Super Speed (Fast Forward), or some similar concept.

Maybe this gimmicky idea was dreamed up to go with the Tattoo naming concept I don’t know. But I just felt like I should point out that it might be taking a step backward in usability rather than forward.

I disagree completely, but thanks for the feedback.

Ditto came from NewsListing. Why not keep "News"? Because it can summarize a lot more than just "News" articles. News is too restrictive. Product Catalog pages for ecommerce sites comes to mind. Bio listings etc.

Ditto (repetition not inteneded) for Wayfinder. "Menu" seems to imply only useful for menus. What about FAQ listings, Sitemaps and more?

There’s actually quite a bit of thought that goes into the naming of the pieces, but to each his own.

Interesting.

Quote from: jbjones at Aug 16, 2006, 05:38 PM

This would be almost akin to a DVD player having buttons named Energize (Power), Activate (play), Warp Ahead (skip forward), Super Speed (Fast Forward), or some similar concept.

Analogy fails.
You are comparing user interface buttons with programming routines. And indeed, a DVD was originally Digital Video Disc but became Versatile Disc to indicate the broader range of uses. Blu-Ray discs have a fancy name, but will still use established user interface button names.

Further, have you seen the names of software routines in your average DVD player or PlayStation? They have silly names. But the end user doesn’t have to know.

Names can result in a tunnel-vision for developers. It is entirely possible to use Wayfinder to list blog entries and Ditto to produce a menu. I agree that simple functions should have simple names. "Play" can only be used in one way. Similarly "DateTime" outputs a date. That would be counter-intuitive if named "Bobbysocks". But if it could be configured to output the weather, the number of days to Christmas and what song was number 1 this day 50 years ago, then "DateTime" would be a poor name and "Bobbysocks" would be better.

Also, "cutesy names" keep the field open for other competing snippets to do the same thing, without being stuck for a name. Which is more confusing : MenuCreator, MenuMaker, MenuX, PageLister or Wayfinder, Ditto, ReigningMenu, Herbie?

Quote from: jbjones at Aug 16, 2006, 05:38 PM

Obviously self developed snippets can be named whatever the designer wants, but for core snippets I think it’s a better idea to make things obvious.

That’s just not how things work. Ditto and Wayfinder are both user-developed snippets which are being put into the 0.9.5 core because they are good. Yes, they are both created by team members who are able to share development expertise, but the point of MODx is that it is modular. There happen to be snippets bundled with the core distribution.

I think that as long as there is a description next to the snippet, the name is irrelevant. It can always be explained.

Also, it is worth pointing out that while TreeBuilder is obvious to us English-speakers, there is a sizeable community using MODx in their native tongues.

Quote from: jbjones at Aug 16, 2006, 05:38 PM

Then there’s Ditto which I’ve yet to talk to anyone who knew what that meant without an explanation.

Did these people figure out what Ajax meant, or what MODx meant, or what Firefox meant, or what PHP meant, or what MySQL meant, or what Dreamweaver meant, or what Minesweeper meant without an explanation?

Interesting indeed. I see most of those points above. In my original post my vision of snippets was not as much like that of a brandable plugin for say Photoshop, but more of a constantly used features such as a DVD player button.

We’re not saying you’re wrong or we’re right, honest! Just different strokes for different folks... that’s all.

The thing about a DVD player button though is that it ONLY does one thing (for the most part): starts the movie. The same MODx snippets can be used to accomplish many things.

Basically I’ll agree with you jbjones: it will be simpler if names correspond to functionality. But with a repository full of information on snippets&co I think it’s a little task to find "what the hell this Ditto-named thing does".
Sure no one searching for a news lister will digit "Ditto", but if the programmer writes good documentation I think no one can miss it and his functionality.

And sure PaulGregory is right when he says
Quote from: PaulGregory

Names can result in a tunnel-vision for developers. It is entirely possible to use Wayfinder to list blog entries and Ditto to produce a menu.

A tunnel-vision is dangerous for users too, it limits the use they can do with this software, losing the great flexibility we find in MODx.

Aside this, I think everyone can name his software as he want: it’s a reward for the work. You do it, you name it.

If Ditto would be named NewsSystemListener or whatever News, other (starting) modx resource developers might not get the idea that it can be also used systems like GoogleMapMarker or DittoCal, etc..

And Wayfinder can also be used to do the same thing, I look at them as a "MODx Query Tools" what I can use in other snippets/plugins/TV’s to gather data from modx for various different purposes.

Also, I know many users use Ditto to build their navigation menus, and some use Wayfinder to list archive of old (or recent) news, why should Ditto be called a news system and Wayfinder menu system?

Anyways, if the name of resources is the only think you have to "complain" about them, I take that as a very good sign indeed!

Well, I don’t look at it as a complaint as much as maybe a philosophical discussion toward reaching CMS perfection (reguardless of who’s correct), but yep that’s about the only thing I have to complain about. MODx is great.

Except maybe that whole rummor that v0.9.5 would be out at the end of May. Man was that off a bit.

We have a policy of releasing software "when its done". Rumors are just that--- rumors. Not facts.

jbjones, what do you mean off a bit, we’re going to crush that May 2007 deadline!

(In all seriousness, the 0.9.5 we’re gonna release will be a lot closer to 1.0 than the original one which was released as 0.9.2... a release took place, just with a different version number way back when and we’re making 0.9.5 very much right)