[usability] Rename nodes / repositories to something more easily understood

[Bugsbane]

Hey there,

Amongst the geek set such as us, phrases like nodes and repositories are well understood. For most people though, this kind of language makes Syncthing vastly harder to understand than things like Dropbox and Bittorrent Sync.

I suggest that in the user interface, we change the name of "nodes" to "devices" and "repositories" to "folders" or at least something like "sync folders".

A simple little change like this would make a world of difference to first time users in understanding how Syncthing works, and sticking with it long enough to get it up and running.

[jpjp]

folders sounds better, but devices? Is that more understandable?

[AudriusButkevicius]

Peers?

[calmh]

I agree the current terminology is a little awkward. My original thinking behind "repository" and not just "folder" or similar was that a repository is a separate entity that has various properties, with the folder it currently resides in being just one of them. I'm not sure the distinction is worth anything at this point. As for node/device/host/peer/... I don't know, whatever is the most common I guess.

[jakschu]

If I'd had to explain syncthing to my dad I would say devices for nodes

[AudriusButkevicius]

I agree, since you'd rarely want to keep the same device in sync, hence its a sync process between devices.

I agree that a repository is more than a folder, but by the end of the day, the attempt is to sync a set of files within the folder so the thing you care is the folder, not all the internal bits that syncthing holds about the folder.

Also, folder is probably not the right word as explained here:

Directories are one type of folder, namely, folders which correspond to file system locations. There
are other types of folders, such as Control Panel or Network Neighborhood or Printers.

From the end users perspective it probably makes more sense to call it directories.

[fliiiix]

I'm not a native speaker, and I like the proposal from @Bugsbane to change "nodes" => "devices"

For repositories I personally prefer "folder" or "sync folders" instead of directories.

[101100]

From the end users perspective it probably makes more sense to call it directories.

My experience with less experienced users is that the term "directories" is not always known or understood. For that reason, I'd vote for "folders" or "sync folders".

I like "devices" over "peers" since it can be used for single person sharing and "peers" might be misunderstood to mean people, not computers.

[Cathryne]

+1 for "sync folders" and "devices"

[Bugsbane]

Heh. I just looked at BT Sync. "Shared folders" and "devices".

[marclaporte]

Directory can be mixed with user directory, so +1 for "folders" or even better "shared folders"

As for node/device/host/peer -> I prefer "device"

Thanks!

[AudriusButkevicius]

I guess this is UI only, we are fine to keep the old names in the code?
The problem I see is that a lot of translations would get screwed :/

[fliiiix]

we are fine to keep the old names in the code?

I guess yes, because the terms are very clear for technical users.

[WhyNotHugo]

The TLDR version: (1) we can't really have two different things called folder in a same context (repositories and directories). (2) We shouldn't push windows-centric-terms into non-windows, because that confuses users who don't come from windows.

"folder" sounds too windows-centric, IMHO, since everything is called a folder in windows (eg: directories are folders, mailboxes are folders, etc). It sounds to alienish on Linux, where we have directories, not folders. Directories are only called folders on windows (I've no idea about OS X).

I also think it will be confusing on windows: a folder (repository) will by synced into a folder (directory). For example, if a user says "Go ahead and delete the folder", does he mean the "repository"? Or the "directory"?
The term is too ambiguous, and two different meanings are used in the same context, which can only lead to trouble.

[Bugsbane]

I've used Linux exclusively for over a decade. I can't say "Folder" sounds Windowsish to me at all. Currently I'm in XFCE, it's default menu on the File Manager says "Open Folder". In Dolphin in KDE if I right click and do "New" It gives me the option "New Folder". I can't speak for Gnome, but KDE and XFCE clearly use the term folders.

[kiranos]

+1 for "directory and devices"

[rom1504]

I think you are a bit after the war. The renaming to devices/folder is
already done.
Le 11 oct. 2014 09:27, "Stefan Eriksson" notifications@github.com a écrit
:

+1 for "directory and devices"

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[AudriusButkevicius]

Exactly my point. I don't think we will ever come to a consensus that satisfies everyone.