76648 - All prefs should display Default Values, so user can go back to them later

Status: VERIFIED WONTFIX

(SeaMonkey :: General, enhancement)

Description

[Peter Lairo]

prefs should display Default values, so user can go back to them later.

Oftentimes a user will make changes to the prefs and decide (much) later that
they want to restore the default values. The defaults need to be displayed next
to EACH pref. This should be VERY easy to do, since it only involves addid plain
text to the prefs.

Radio/selection button prefs:
  < > Cascade New Windows (default)
  </> New window appears directly above previous windos.

Value prefs:
  Pages in history expire after [ 3 ] days. (default: 7)

Single selection prefs:
  [/] Show tooltips (default: selected)

Ideally, each prefs page (or section) would have abutton:
  "Return all values on this page to their defaults". [Reset Defaults]

Comment 1

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

If we do this, keep in mind that the default values are different on different
platforms...

Comment 2

[timeless]

Preferences
[e-mail]
For bugs, typos, and usability issues in the Preferences window's user 
interface. If Mozilla isn't saving your preferences, use this component.

Examples of appropriate bugs: Cannot dismiss sub-dialogs brought up from prefs 
panel; Closing prefs window crashes browser; or Double-clicking widgets in the 
pref dialog freezes browser.
--
I'm not reassigning to Preferences because i'm hoping mpt will suggest wontfix, 
however it would seem that preferences is a reasonable destination for this 
bug.

Offhand, I can't think of a ui that does this, I also can't even think of a 
reason to do this.  If the user makes a change, the user can change it to 
something else later.  But does the user really need to know what the default 
is?

Preferences are not supposed to affect architecture -- it's true that we 
currently use the debug panel to do that, but that's a convenience that no 
shipping version should have.

Comment 3

[Peter Lairo]

I can think of many uses for having the default values displayed. 

The "fidgety" user who makes changes and doesn't understand why his PC isn't
running will likely want to see if he made some "dangerous" setting. He could
reset setting back to the default to make him more sure that the error is
originating elsewhere.

Helping a novice user on the phone would be much easier - "reset everything on
the xxx panel to their defaults (neither has to remember what they wer, oh so
long ago.

The experimental user who changes everything just to see what happens, but then
wants the ability to go back to more realistic values (default) for some of his
more "exotic" changes.

Comment 4

[Peter Lairo]

oh, and the fact that most other apps haven't done this (yet) is not a good
reason. We will be leaders on this one - that's a good thing.

I have missed this defaults information in MANY apps for a long time. I believe
that most users will be greateful to have this added information for their use
and reference.

Comment 5

[Zach Lipton [:zach]]

*** Bug 76783 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 6

[timeless]

Bug 76783 suggests a button that would reset all prefs in the current panel.

Comment 7

[Peter Lairo]

... and is therefore not a dupe.

Comment 8

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

I reopened bug 76783, but as for this, this is an easy wontfix. Far too much
clutter for far too little gain.

*   Unless something goes badly wrong (in which case I'll probably just delete
    my prefs file and start over), the defaults are of no interest to me. Why
    should I get them thrust in my face whenever I change the prefs?
*   Whose defaults, exactly? Mozilla distributors (e.g. corporate IT 
    departments) might alter the defaults for many prefs, but they sure aren't
    going to fiddle with the DTD files just so that the correct default is
    shown in the dialog.
*   Mozilla's prefs take up too many pixels, and have far too much text in them,
    already.

If there is any particular option which is a default for a good reason, and
deviating from it could be badly disadvantageous, there should be
`(recommended)' at the end of the text. But apart from that, no extra indication
of the default is necessary.

Comment 9

[Peter Lairo]

Please *reconsider* the wontfix. Here's why:

Your arguments / my rebuttals:
1. Most people (normal users) fear deleting their prefs because it introduces
even more uncertainty (it scares the s..t out of me, and I'm a so called
experienced user). Knowing that the defaults are always available eases the
users mind when he wants to make a change, knowing that he can always go back
later if something goes wrong.
2. Whose defaults? How about making the defaults values display easier to
adjust. Just because something is inconvenient is no reason not to do it.
3. Prefs have too much text: What good are prefs if many don't know (aren't
told) what they do? Anybody besides you guys understand the SSL Ciphers settings? ;)

************************** SPAM BELOW ************************
SPAM: Then how about a chapter in the help file called "Preferences Settings"
which explains each preference in normal laguage and has a textfield for the
default value? I know it's another bug, but what are the chances?

+-Help File--------------------------------------------+
*Preferences Settings*

Category:

- Navigator - This section contains setting that affect the browser part of Mozilla

Category Contents:

Subsection: Navigator (main subsection)

-- When Navigator starts up display (default = Home Page)

--- Blank Page: With this setting, when you load your browser no web page will
be loaded or displayed. All you will see is your browser window with no content
in it ("blank"). This allows the browser to load more quickly for situations
where you don't want to access a web page at first, but might rather want to...

--- Home Page: This setting will load the web page you defined as you "home
Page" (see preference for "homepage" below this setting). If you want you
browser to start on a particular ...
+-------------------------------------------------+

I know this will be a lot of text, but one thing missing in most apps is a
helpfile that explains settings *as they appear* in the app. Of course the help
section should be indexed and searchable. 

This would kill two birds with one stone: (1) display the default values AND (2)
give a location that explains the apps settings, thus restoring the jaded
publics' belief in the usefullness of helpfiles. Waddaya think? ;)

Comment 10

[Zach Lipton [:zach]]

rubber stamp verif for this. note that the qa contact of this component 
takes no responcibility for any result of this verification. 

Comment 11

[Zach Lipton [:zach]]

oh, BTW, if you write the prefs help file (using the same layout as the other 
help files) I'll see what I can do about review and checkin.

Comment 12

[Peter Lairo]

well, i didn't write a help file (no time), but i did file a bug on it ;)

see bug 77040 that request a help file for all prefs ;)

Comment 13

[Peter Lairo]

followoed mpt's suggestion and created bug 77042 "Display Recommended (default)
settings next to preferences that could, if deviated from, could be badly
disadvantageous"

At least that way *some* settings will have the defaults displayed ;) :(