• From: Felton, California, USA
  • Registered: 2011-07-21
  • Posts: 353

Topic: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

I don't mean to wield the Grammar Hammer here, but something that's been irking me on shutdown is a message that says "Shutting down, please standby" after you hit the "shutdown" button.

On this side of the Atlantic, and maybe in Britain it's different, we'd say "please stand by" -- two words -- meaning to wait, as opposed to being on "standby," which is what you do when you have a flight you might or might not be able to make.

It's a very, very, very minor issue -- and again, maybe it's just that we say it differently in American English -- but if that can be changed somewhere along the line (next release, maybe), that would be great.

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  • pvsage
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  • From: Section Six
  • Registered: 2009-10-18
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Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

I think this may be an upstream issue, possibly as far upstream as the Linus UNIX-like kernel itself...

EDIT:  OK, now I see what you mean...it's the message in the OSD before X shuts down...

Last edited by pvsage (2012-01-06 08:55:44)

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  • Zill
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  • From: Lincolnshire, UK
  • Registered: 2009-10-25
  • Posts: 53

Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

Although no linguist, I am inclined to agree with the OP and, as a Brit, I too believe that "stand by", rather than "standby", should be used in this context.

A similar problem has also been picked up by another pedant earlier in this bug report. wink

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dict … sh/standby
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dict … an/standby
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dict … h/stand-by
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dict … n/stand-by

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  • From: inside Ed
  • Registered: 2011-07-25
  • Posts: 2,866

Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

It's true. Standby is a noun, it should either be prepare to stand by or prepare to go into standby.

LVM | Catalyst | Wireless
  • From: Tokyo, Japan
  • Registered: 2010-12-07
  • Posts: 108

Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

I am all in favour of using proper english (although I often miserably fail at it) !

Statler Openbox on overheating Asus U5F  = 8000 Tflops!       ...(or slighlty less).
  • From: The Deep Midlands
  • Registered: 2011-01-28
  • Posts: 96

Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

English grammar is slowly getting banned in the UK as it falls into the too difficult pile. For example, variousUK councils are removing the apostrophe from signs as apparently they "confuse people".

'Stand by' should be used in the context of the op's post. However, you would stand by awaiting your PC to go into standby.

Enjoying a good !#
  • pvsage
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  • Registered: 2009-10-18
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Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

Why not just either "Stand by..." or "Shutting down..."?

HELMET Good. Let's get moving.

SANDURZ Yes, sir. Driver, prepare to move out.

HELMET What are you preparing. You're always preparing. Just go!

SANDURZ Just go.

DRIVER Yes, sir.

SANDURZ Sir, shouldn't you sit down.

The cruiser takes off, and HELMET is thrown in his seat.

tongue

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  • From: Felton, California, USA
  • Registered: 2011-07-21
  • Posts: 353

Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

Sorry, I'm a newspaper editor by profession, and these things sort of have the same effect as scratching your nails on a chalkboard. While it doesn't really affect the performance of the computer, aesthetically it's like a fingerprint on the Mona Lisa.

"Shutting down" would be a good option (and where is that dialogue from, pvsage?).

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  • pvsage
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Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

^ Spaceballs

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  • From: Felton, California, USA
  • Registered: 2011-07-21
  • Posts: 353

Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

"Helmet" -- Of course, it's "Spaceballs." Duh. Could you hand me the pointy cap and I'll just go sit in the corner for awhile?

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  • From: d9
  • Registered: 2011-12-23
  • Posts: 243

Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

lcafiero wrote:

I don't mean to wield the Grammar Hammer here, but something that's been irking me on shutdown is a message that says "Shutting down, please standby" after you hit the "shutdown" button.

On this side of the Atlantic, and maybe in Britain it's different, we'd say "please stand by" -- two words -- meaning to wait, as opposed to being on "standby," which is what you do when you have a flight you might or might not be able to make.

It's a very, very, very minor issue -- and again, maybe it's just that we say it differently in American English -- but if that can be changed somewhere along the line (next release, maybe), that would be great.

Just edit the shutdown section in /usr/bin/cb-exit. Infinitesimally simple. smile

real men play tambourine
  • pvsage
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  • Registered: 2009-10-18
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Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

Still, since cb-exit comes from the Statler repo, isn't this something that Philip could be pestered into eventually fixing when he gets a round tuit?
http://presentoutlook.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/a-round-tuit.jpg

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  • From: Felton, California, USA
  • Registered: 2011-07-21
  • Posts: 353

Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

fortyseven wrote:

Just edit the shutdown section in /usr/bin/cb-exit. Infinitesimally simple. smile

That it is, indeed. So easy a fix, even I could do it, as outlined below.

And should corenominal get "a round tuit" someday, he can use this:


#!/usr/bin/env python

import pygtk
pygtk.require('2.0')
import gtk
import os
import getpass

class cb_exit:
    def disable_buttons(self):
        self.cancel.set_sensitive(False)
        self.logout.set_sensitive(False)
        self.hibernate.set_sensitive(False)
        self.reboot.set_sensitive(False)
        self.shutdown.set_sensitive(False)

    def cancel_action(self,btn):
        self.disable_buttons()
        gtk.main_quit()

    def logout_action(self,btn):
        self.disable_buttons()
        self.status.set_label("Exiting Openbox, please stand by...")
        os.system("openbox --exit")

    def hibernate_action(self,btn):
        self.disable_buttons()
        self.status.set_label("Hibernating, please stand by...")
        os.system("cb-lock")
        os.system("dbus-send --print-reply --system --dest=org.freedesktop.Hal /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.Hibernate")
        gtk.main_quit()

    def reboot_action(self,btn):
        self.disable_buttons()
        self.status.set_label("Rebooting, please stand by...")
        os.system("dbus-send --print-reply --system --dest=org.freedesktop.Hal /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.Reboot")

    def shutdown_action(self,btn):
        self.disable_buttons()
        self.status.set_label("Shutting down, please stand by...")
        os.system("dbus-send --print-reply --system --dest=org.freedesktop.Hal /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.SystemPowerManagement.Shutdown")

    def create_window(self):
        self.window = gtk.Window()
        title = "Log out " + getpass.getuser() + "? Choose an option:"
        self.window.set_title(title)
        self.window.set_border_width(5)
        self.window.set_size_request(500, 80)
        self.window.set_resizable(False)
        self.window.set_keep_above(True)
        self.window.stick
        self.window.set_position(1)
        self.window.connect("delete_event", gtk.main_quit)
        windowicon = self.window.render_icon(gtk.STOCK_QUIT, gtk.ICON_SIZE_MENU)
        self.window.set_icon(windowicon)

        
        #Create HBox for buttons
        self.button_box = gtk.HBox()
        self.button_box.show()
        
        #Cancel button
        self.cancel = gtk.Button(stock = gtk.STOCK_CANCEL)
        self.cancel.set_border_width(4)
        self.cancel.connect("clicked", self.cancel_action)
        self.button_box.pack_start(self.cancel)
        self.cancel.show()
        
        #Logout button
        self.logout = gtk.Button("_Log out")
        self.logout.set_border_width(4)
        self.logout.connect("clicked", self.logout_action)
        self.button_box.pack_start(self.logout)
        self.logout.show()
        
        #Hibernate button
        self.hibernate = gtk.Button("_Hibernate")
        self.hibernate.set_border_width(4)
        self.hibernate.connect("clicked", self.hibernate_action)
        self.button_box.pack_start(self.hibernate)
        self.hibernate.show()
        
        #Reboot button
        self.reboot = gtk.Button("_Reboot")
        self.reboot.set_border_width(4)
        self.reboot.connect("clicked", self.reboot_action)
        self.button_box.pack_start(self.reboot)
        self.reboot.show()
        
        #Shutdown button
        self.shutdown = gtk.Button("_Shutdown")
        self.shutdown.set_border_width(4)
        self.shutdown.connect("clicked", self.shutdown_action)
        self.button_box.pack_start(self.shutdown)
        self.shutdown.show()
        
        #Create HBox for status label
        self.label_box = gtk.HBox()
        self.label_box.show()
        self.status = gtk.Label()
        self.status.show()
        self.label_box.pack_start(self.status)
        
        #Create VBox and pack the above HBox's
        self.vbox = gtk.VBox()
        self.vbox.pack_start(self.button_box)
        self.vbox.pack_start(self.label_box)
        self.vbox.show()
        
        self.window.add(self.vbox)
        self.window.show()
        
    def __init__(self):
        self.create_window()


def main():
    gtk.main()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    go = cb_exit()
    main()
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  • pvsage
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Re: A tiny, infinitesimal point on shutdown

Heck, some of the most recent updates to come down from the Statler repo include relatively minor (IMHO) tweaks to the OB menu...just sayin'...

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