Opened 14 years ago
#7965 new defect
Remove confusing geeky-internal VirtualBox snapshot language from GUI
Reported by: | grof | Owned by: | |
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Component: | GUI | Version: | VirtualBox 3.2.12 |
Keywords: | non-geek simplify GUI | Cc: | |
Guest type: | other | Host type: | other |
Description
On forum I have noted several questions about deleting and restoring snapshots. All what I see the cause is just a geek speaking language in VirtualBox snapshot GUI which is not needed and makes non-geek users very confused. I think that messages should be more non-geek friendly.
When deleting a snapshot there is a message: "Deleting the snapshot will cause the state information saved in it to be lost, and disk data spread over several images files that VirtualBox has created together with the snapshot will be merged into one file..."
Above information is too geeky. On forum I have read several threads, the last one is:
http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37552&p=168674#p168674
that people are thinking that data from two snapshots are going to be merged. They are confusing logical snapshots from physical vdi file restructuring.
I think that VirtualBox is not a geek system anymore and some little cosmetic changes should appear in VirtualBox snapshot GUI text messages. It does not bother me, I am using VirtualBox for years and I understand all this virtual-geek terminology, but new non-geek users are starting to use virtualization technology, because it became easy to use.
I think the above text should be changed, to something like: "Deleting the snapshot will cause the state information saved in it to be lost, and disk data spread over several images files that VirtualBox has created together with the snapshot will be restructured..."
Second problem is, what is also too geeky is the length of message itself, it is so lengthy that you have to remember several things like "losing data from snapshot", "long process of image restructuring" and some confusing info related to "merged" word. It would be nice if message would be simplified, way simplified.
Third problem, if the process of deleting snapshot is lengthy there are some other info displayed like "merging", "differencing image" etc, this all all geeks info that non-geeks gets a lot of confusion and wrong impression that some snapshot data from logical point of view are merged. Instead of this "merging/differencing" messages, just give a message: "Deleting snapshot..."
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The similar problem appears when you try to restore a snapshot, the message is: "Are you sure... This will cause you to lose your current machine state, which cannot be recovered."
You are restoring and getting some info of "deleting" this is strange. So user has to click on Cancel, create a snapshot of current state (to avoid losing current state data) and then go back to restore and click on restore snapshot. This is way too confusing for non-geek user.
I think this dialog should be changed. Message should be something like: "You are going to restore a snapshot."
Bellow add checkbox with text: "Save current state before restoring old snapshot" and make it by default checked.
In this case no fearful message of deleting/losing a current state is posed to user that is trying to restore a snapshot. And current state snapshot is automatically created (to avoid losing current state information), because of the checkbox.
It would also be nice if state of checkbox is preserved, so if checkbox is unchecked then unchecked state of checkbox is preserved when next restore is executed - this will make geek users happy - that they don't need to uncheck every time.
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I suggest that for new release like v4.1 you try to remove geek language from Virtualbox snapshot GUI. You know VirtualBox is getting so popular that non-geek masses are using it.