Data Views: Rename 'View Options` control to 'Screen Options' about gutenberg

[jameskoster]

Although not fully implemented, it's also worth noting that users will eventually be able to add/manage custom views. To that extent the "View options" label has contextual meaning – it provides access to options for the current view.

"Custom screens" doesn't read very well to me.

[tyxla]

To me it looks like the problem came from the word "view" being understood as a verb, rather than a noun - a common issue when creating strings. Instead of changing the string, I'd recommend adding context that makes it clear that "View" is used as a noun here.

We have similar cases with the "View" word already, FWIW, which is why I'm recommending this approach:

gutenberg/packages/editor/src/components/more-menu/index.js

Line 60 in cf45f45

<MenuGroup label={ _x( 'View', 'noun' ) }>

This change would invalidate the translation and make it fuzzy, so the translators should fix it now that it has the right context.

I've also suggested that in #63031 which attempts to fix this issue.

[jasmussen]

View options reads substantially clearer to me, as it's affecting your view.

[afercia]

Yes the context parameter could help.
I'd like to have some design feedback though. In the future, the data views are expected to replace the classic admin pages based on list tables. For years, the UI with settings for these pages has been called 'Screen Options`. I'd rather keep this name because it's the most familiar for users. What is the added value in changing it to 'View Options'? How this change helps users?

Screenshot for references:

Cc @WordPress/gutenberg-design

[afercia]

View options reads substantially clearer to me, as it's affecting your view.

Le me try to be more clear.

• Users are used to the 'Screen Options' terminology.
• Why we have to change it?
• Unnecessary changes should be avoided or, at least, be A/B tested to validate they are actual improvements.

[tyxla]

I feel like what's currently suggested in #63031 is the best compromise, and it will help fix the original issue, which to me is mostly a mistranslation problem.

I personally consider this a different setting, and not necessarily correlating to the "Screen options" we have in the original admin. So I don't view this as a change, but rather as a new string for a new use case.

I may be a bit biased by my native tongue (but maybe not, because I have lots of experience with translation, as a matter of fact I'm currently a General Translation Editor for Bulgarian), but in Bulgarian, "View" and "Screen" have very different meanings ("изглед" and "екран") and "View" does make more sense in this context. I won't argue about the validity of the pre-existing core "Screen options" string, since it's been there forever, but to me, it's a clear indication that "View" is better even in that context, because even "Screen options" is currently being translated as "Настройки на изгледа", which actually translates more accurately as "View options" in English (consider that "screen" is still "екран" according to the official Bulgarian glossary).

Another reason why I feel View makes more sense is because there eventually may (and will) be multiple views on the same screen, and then "Screen options" just won't make sense from a functional or user experience perspective.

Just my 2 cents, of course.

[t-hamano]

I also vote to keep the "View option" and add context.

The word "View" feels more fitting for something more dynamic and reactive, like Google Maps Street View, so I feel like this word is appropriate for the Data Views too.

[afercia]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and feedback. Fair enough 🙂 I defer to the prevalent opinion, let's keep 'View Options'.

Just a general note: I may agree that the old 'Screen Options' isn't maybe the best wording but my point is about unnecessary changes to terminology users are familiar with since years and years. Any change introduces cognitive load and a learning curve. As a general principle, I'd think this load should be reduced as much as possible and WordPress should avoid unnecessary terminology changes.

[tyxla]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and feedback. Fair enough 🙂 I defer to the prevalent opinion, let's keep 'View Options'.

Sounds good, thanks for the consideration! I'll move forward and get the related fix reviewed and landed.

Just a general note: I may agree that the old 'Screen Options' isn't maybe the best wording but my point is about unnecessary changes to terminology users are familiar with since years and years. Any change introduces cognitive load and a learning curve. As a general principle, I'd think this load should be reduced as much as possible and WordPress should avoid unnecessary terminology changes.

I can see how it comes as confusing if you think about "View Options" being responsible for the same functionality as "Screen Options" from the old pages list. And I agree with you - if this were a terminology change, I'd be against it, just like you. However, as a few more folks pointed out above, this is a new different functionality, one where the user will have multiple views, which is radically different from what we had with the good old "Screen options". With that in mind, it makes little sense to see it as a change to terminology - it's rather a new term.