[Mapbender-dev] Motion to change terminology: "Application" instead of "GUI"

[Christoph Baudson (WhereGroup)]

Arnulf Christl schrieb:
> Hello,
> as discussed earlier on IRC I propose to change the terminology use din
> Mapbender WIki, documentation, presentations, etc. from "GUI" to
> "Application".
>
> Motion to change Mapbender terminology from "GUI" to "Application".
>   

Seconded and +1.

> The rationale is that "GUI" is not a term well known to end users and it
> does not reflect what a Mapbender applicaiton actually is - namely an
> Application.
>
> A "Graphic User Interface" by definition needs to have somethign visible
> to the user. In many cases Mapbender "GUI" do not have an interface fo
> rthe user but are just containers to structure permissions or to be used
> as sources for catalogs. To call this a "GUI" is simply wrong (for example
> wms_africa).
>
> Mapbender is a framework to create, maintain and operate separate
> applications that can use the same services. The idea is that the
> application contains not only graphic user interfaces but also services
> that can be configured individually and functionality that is designed for
> a specific use case - and application.
>
> An application is focused on a work flow or process whereas a GUI is just
> the graphic user interface. Mapbender "GUI"s have links to services,
> functionality and even users, groups and user rights. This is a lot more
> than what the term GUI can convey.
>
> What will this change break?
> All existing users of Mapbender will have to learn that what was a "GUI"
> is now an "Application". But we are well connected to all existing users,
> so informing them is easy.
>
> What good will this change do?
> It will be much easier to explain what Mapbender is good for. Its good to
> build applications. Sentences like "Please open your guigui" or "Please
> open your guiguione" will not bother us anymore. So it will help to
> attract people to look into Mapbender because they know that an
> application is more than just yet another interface.
>
> With Mapbender growing to be more of a management, security and brokering
> system we should get rid of the confining term GUI.
>
> Please take you time to discuss this in detail.
>
> Regards,
>
>   


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