https://bugs.winehq.org/show_bug.cgi?id=49250
Bug ID: 49250 Summary: Suggestion for the "Launch" button and the "Start -> Wine" menu group. Product: Wine Version: unspecified Hardware: x86 OS: Linux Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: enhancement Priority: P2 Component: -unknown Assignee: wine-bugs@winehq.org Reporter: bart-wa@tushmail.com Distribution: ---
I'd like to make two suggestions that improve user-friendliness, but that can also avoid negative reviews in the future.
Here's what happened:
I had installed Wine, I clicked the "Launch" button, and nothing happened. At first I thought that Wine didn't work. Later I learned that Wine is typically started from a terminal box.
I'm sure that many other users thought the same and I assume that that's why many of them wrote 1-star reviews.
After I had learned that WINE is started from a terminal box and after I had installed iTunes and WinZip I had two program groups under: Start -> Wine -> Programs
But I was surprised that a program group for Wine itself was missing.
So I have two suggestions: :-)
After installing Wine, or after clicking the "Launch" button (or both), I had appreciated a message somewhere that said: "Wine has been installed. Please check the Wine program group."
I also appreciate it if there's a "Wine" program group under: Start -> Wine -> Programs and if that Wine program group contained programs that came with Wine like Wine File Explorer , Wine Wordpad and other Wine programs. If I can run them, for me that's the confirmation that I need that Wine works. ;-)
Any chance that these suggestions can be picked up?
Of course they are not "carved in stone" and of course they're suggestions only. If I missed anything, please let me know.
And last but not least, many thanks to all the nice people who make and maintain Wine. I'm very happy with it.
PS:
- I'm using Linux/Debian10 with the LXDE graphical interface and Wine-4.0 (Debian 4.0-2)
- A screen copy of the window with the "Launch" button is found in image "Wine1.png". At the bottom it shows a number of 5-star reviews, but even more 1-star reviews.
- Examples of these 1-star reviews can be found in image "Wine2.png". I think that these users thought that the Wine installation didn't work, because nothing happened after they clicked the "Launch" button.
- A photoshopped image of what the Wine group with a Wine program group could look like can be found in image "LXDE-WineGroup.png".
- Right after the Wine installation, and when selecting Start -> Wine the program group "Wine" would be the first and only group there. This program group can show programs that are part of the Wine installation, plus a number of useful Internet shortcuts/links. I added what I could find and what I could think of. There may be more programs or Internet shortcuts/links that can be added there.
- For illustration purposes I kept program groups like "iTunes" and "WinZip" in the illustration. Just like now, these subgroups will be added when installed.
- I decided to use "Wine Internet Explorer" and not "Internet Explorer" because the first is what I get when I run the program and click Help -> About.
- Some of you may think "Why didn't you go to the WINE forum when Wine didn't work after installation?". In 99% of the cases I don't have to go to forums to install programs and to run them. I find a program also user-friendlier if I don't have to go to a forum. For many other users going to forums also seems to be a step too far and a number of them wrote 1-star reviews.
- This may sound like two suggestions, but the message that comes after clicking the "Launch" button refers to the Wine program group that I also suggested.
- I have a few bugs to report, but I haven't found out how to install the latest development version yet.