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Rename ambiguous "database" terms to more clearly refer to media library
Rename ambiguous "database" terms to more clearly refer to media library. There are probably other ambiguous terms that could need some better wording but this is one that've stood out to me when helping people.
"migrate databse" could probably also do with a rename. Some options are manage storage or manage storage location.
@hydrusnetwork i regret nothing (but im still sorry for the ping) 😄
the word Media Files might be better. Migrate Media Files. Instead of Library. easier to read for people that has bad English.
Thanks for this. I agree, so let's nail down what we should do.
I sometimes call the db files + media the 'database' as a combined thing, as well as referring to the SQLite files themselves as a database.
I was referred to @Chad90b saying in discord this:
application = the hydrus program itself database = where the tags, urls, config and stuff are stored media library = your downloaded/imported files. images, videos and such. this also used to be (and may still be) referred to as the database as well, confusingly, especially in old posts and on older hydrus versions, some outdated sections of the documentation etc
I think this is good. The basic change here is I stop ever calling your whole combined collection as 'database' and start calling the media files something nice like 'media library'.
I see three problems:
- I think my only problem with 'library' is it could suggest there's some sort of topic based lookup capability here, whereas this is more raw storage, or warehouse, than library. The database makes it all a library. But that isn't a huge deal.
- What do we call the combined thing? If a user has a backup of their db files, media, and thumbs, which is enough to recreate everything, what's that called? 'Collection'? Is that the 'Library'?
- Third issue is whether we have a different name for thumbnail storage. By default that's stored in the same place as files, the 'client_files' folder, but most advanced users who splay across an SSD and HDD will put thumbs on the SSD.
So, how about this:
Application Database Media Storage Thumbnail Storage
DB + Media + Thumbs = Library?
I at the very least don't think calling the whole thing a library is the right choice considering how many other programs there are that call your media files a library that there are. It's common enough that it was the first choice for both Chad and I. "The Hydrus files" might be a better choice perhaps? While you could read that as including the application it's not like it matters much from a storage size point of view and in the rare cases you specifically want to exclude them you can just do that.
For "media storage" I think Cuddle's suggestion of "media files" is better. You store your media files in your media storage, you store the thumbnails in the thumb storage and so on and whatever.
Adding in 2 cents: since Libraries are a particular feature of Windows and what we are dealing with are decided not Libraries, we should avoid confusing the Windows users. I say +1 to "media files."