Re: news item: Introduction of app-alternatives/coreutils

On 3/23/26 10:21 AM, moltonel 3x Combo wrote:
>> The fact that it then confuses users into thinking they might "need" to
>> switch is just making it worse. It is not my primary objection.
>> Nonetheless, allow me to make my opinion bulletproof clear:
> If user confusion was actually the issue, the paragraph could be reworded.


As I posted earlier but maybe need to clarify, the news item should make 
it clear that nothing needs to be done at all.  A user with no knowledge 
of this, like me for example, could read the news item and think this is 
something that needs to be switched to.  After all, news items usually 
only show up for users that need to do something because they have a 
package installed that triggers the news item to be seen.  Basically, 
when I see a news item, I assume that I am affected and that I need to 
take the action in the news item to keep my system running.  I don't 
take news items lightly.  Often times, when I see a news item after 
syncing, I take care of the news item before I do my updates unless the 
news item says to update first. Basically, the news item gets priority.

As a user, I'm not sure why I should be seeing this news item. There's a 
new alternative package coming out.  OK.  Is there going to be a news 
item every time something gets added to the tree now? As a user, if 
someone is interested in using the new package, have a wiki page that 
shows how to switch or even possibly, run the two packages side by 
side.  For the users that have no need of it or desire to switch, why 
should we need to be notified of it?

I'd think this is more for a post on the forums and a post on -user 
mailing list.  I've seen those on occasion on -user.  Sometimes people 
even post patches to things they fixed or a feature added. That will 
notify a lot of people, make it findable by internet searches as well, 
that this new package is available.  Everyone that wants or needs to 
know, likely knows.  Problem solved.  While at it, the forum thread and 
post on -user gives a place for people to discuss any problems or 
suggest improvements as well.  You can't reply to a news item.  The new 
package is announced and you also get a place for feedback as well.

I like the addition of the news item system but not sure if this is the 
right application of it.  A news item where most everyone will do 
nothing just doesn't seem like the right way to me.

Again, this is from a users point of view.  I been using Gentoo since 2003.

Dale

:-)  :-)