Susan Bugher wrote in said:
The numbered groups are just a way to sort program subcategories by
something *other* than alphabetical order. Take a look at the Graphics
subcategories - I wanted the graphics tools to be in a group. Rather
that name the subcategories:
Graphics tool: color picker
Graphics tool: Plug-In Filter
etc. etc.
I used a numbering system:
5 Color Picker
5 Plug-In Filter
etc. etc.
Thank you for explaining. I think this is how I understood it in the
first place. What had me confused.. well...: to immediately understand
and make sense of the numbers when browsing the PL pages - one has to
know what they represent. To do that perhaps one also have to
"intuitively agree" with the reasoning behind (that it makes more
sense (prima face) to list program X in category Y - than to list same
program in a different category). Else the numbers might confuse the
reader, even if one understands that "numbers" stands for a general
category as such, that sub-categories prefaced with the same number
belongs to the same general category.
When this is said, I much prefer
Graphics tool: color picker over
5 Color Picker
The latter says very little, unless I am very familiar with the PL web
site. The former I immediately understand on the other hand. It also
makes it easier to navigate a page/pages - since the long name (like
general category: sub category) will always tell me where (in which
category) I am (when scrolling a page) compared to a number which
prima face only tells me I am scrolling within the same category -
what ever that is.
Use of numbers might simplify your editing of pages, and/or the
handling of nominations and votes, and make descriptive headings
shorter, but for navigational purposes (and for discussions) I suggest
using the "long" versions - and only use numbers for internal
purposes if needed.
The second part of the *groups* discussion is about finding the *best*
subcategory name for *each* program - without concerning ourselves *at
that point* with how that might effect the final selection of programs.
It's advance notice to the group that if subcategories overlap (zip vs.
zip & unzip) they may be considered as a group during the final
selection process.
IOW being the only program in the unzip subcategory and receiving 2
votes would *not* mean an *automatic* selection for PL2004.
I disagree with your zip unzip example, but only because there may be
substantial differences to consider here. Example: Say a user never
needs to ZIP a program, but she needs to UNZIP all the time. Now if a
UNZIP utility is simpler/less complex/more intuitive to use than most
ZIP utilities, she might prefer the simpler to use alternative over
the possibly more complex and feature rich ZIP alternatives. And
consequently, she would probably like to find the "best" unzip
program listed on the PL pages, compared to "just" the (assumed to be
more complex and feature rich) all purpose zip&unzip programs. The
above is an argument to keep the UNZIP category - also when counting
the votes.
I think this can also serve to illustrate another point:
While <
http://www.pricelessware.org/2004/2004proceduresPL.htm> states
that
"The programs picked are not meant to be an exhaustive list of the
best available Freeware, but rather an answer to the often asked
"which _____ is best?"
I take it this does not mean that the PL should not make use of as
many sub-categories as *needed*. It only means that the PL does not
aspire to list every possible freeware in every possible category.
In other words, it should *not* be seen as a goal for the PL to keep
the number of sub-categories to a minimum *as such*.
On the other hand, trying to avoid overlapping categories should of
course always be a goal. Clarity and order over confusion and chaos
and so on. Not in any way a simple task, still something one should
aim for, as an overriding aspiration one knows can never be completely
satisfied in the real world.
What constitutes separate categories - when new sub-categories - or
removal/inclusion of existing ones are called for, sometimes warrants
carefully consideration and discussion. Other times it may be pretty
straight forward, provoking nothing more than silent nods of approval,
if any reactions at all.
I am counting on help to finalize the subcategories - especially the
Programming and System Utilites subcategories . . .
I will try to find some time and look at the current categories and
maybe suggests some changes, hopefully before the discussion phase
ends....
I wrote this in a bit of a hurry ...hope it makes sense and that my
English is at least understandable
All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen
Choosing the final selections took a *lot* longer.