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Bug 345619 - UI text for Java settings contains 3 instances of "JARs," which is a typo
Summary: UI text for Java settings contains 3 instances of "JARs," which is a typo
Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME
Alias: None
Product: JDT
Classification: Eclipse Project
Component: UI (show other bugs)
Version: 3.7   Edit
Hardware: PC Windows XP
: P3 trivial (vote)
Target Milestone: ---   Edit
Assignee: JDT-UI-Inbox CLA
QA Contact:
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2011-05-12 12:13 EDT by Laura Willey CLA
Modified: 2011-05-16 05:29 EDT (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:


Attachments
A screen capture of the typos on the Java settings page (681.24 KB, image/bmp)
2011-05-12 12:14 EDT, Laura Willey CLA
no flags Details

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Description Laura Willey CLA 2011-05-12 12:13:28 EDT
Build Identifier: I20100608-0911

A UI panel in Eclipse contains the word "JARs," which is a typo for the phrase "JAR files." The typo occurs in 3 places on the Libraries tab of the Java Build Path settings page (see the attached image). 

Please update all instances of "JARs" to be "JAR files".

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Click File > New > Java project
2. On the Create a Java page, type a project name and click Next.
3. On the Java settings page, click the Libraries tab. On that tab, the typo "JARs" appears in 3 places: a description and two buttons.
Comment 1 Laura Willey CLA 2011-05-12 12:14:22 EDT
Created attachment 195506 [details]
A screen capture of the typos on the Java settings page
Comment 2 Markus Keller CLA 2011-05-12 14:38:21 EDT
"JARs" is not a typo, it's just a plural like JREs, APIs, IDs, CEOs, etc.

The word "JARs" is used in many other places in the SDK, and if we start changing it here, we have to change it everywhere (including all the help docs).

Furthermore, the shorthand doesn't hurt and is even easier to read, so I don't see us changing this.
Comment 3 Laura Willey CLA 2011-05-12 15:14:06 EDT
(In reply to comment #2)
> "JARs" is not a typo, it's just a plural like JREs, APIs, IDs, CEOs, etc.
> 
> The word "JARs" is used in many other places in the SDK, and if we start
> changing it here, we have to change it everywhere (including all the help
> docs).
> 
> Furthermore, the shorthand doesn't hurt and is even easier to read, so I don't
> see us changing this.

"JARs" is incorrect word usage because "JAR" is an adjective, and adjectives cannot be plural. "JAR" should not used on its own, but must modify a noun. For example, "JAR files."

The other abbreviations that you mention are nouns, which can be plural. 

If this change will require too many updates to the UI and docs, I understand your reasoning for resolving the bug.
Comment 4 Sebastian Zarnekow CLA 2011-05-12 15:18:20 EDT
(In reply to comment #3)

> "JARs" is incorrect word usage because "JAR" is an adjective, and adjectives
> cannot be plural. "JAR" should not used on its own, but must modify a noun. For
> example, "JAR files."
> 
> The other abbreviations that you mention are nouns, which can be plural. 

Just out of curiosity: JAR is the abbrev for Java Archive. Why do you think it's an adjective?
Comment 5 Laura Willey CLA 2011-05-12 16:10:26 EDT
(In reply to comment #4)
> (In reply to comment #3)
> 
> > "JARs" is incorrect word usage because "JAR" is an adjective, and adjectives
> > cannot be plural. "JAR" should not used on its own, but must modify a noun. For
> > example, "JAR files."
> > 
> > The other abbreviations that you mention are nouns, which can be plural. 
> 
> Just out of curiosity: JAR is the abbrev for Java Archive. Why do you think
> it's an adjective?

You are correct that JAR stands for Java archive, which is a noun. However, even that term is commonly used as an adjective. For example, which usage is more common: "Java archive files" or "Java archives"?

The reason we use JAR as an adjective is because IBM Terminology forbids the use of JAR as a standalone term. IBM doesn't treat JAR as a noun, and neither does Oracle (see the JAR file spec: http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.4.2/docs/guide/jar/jar.html).
Comment 6 Dani Megert CLA 2011-05-16 04:18:31 EDT
The whole Eclipse SDK uses "JARs" for years now. This would have to be changed at hundreds of places (not just JDT).
Comment 7 Markus Keller CLA 2011-05-16 05:29:54 EDT
(In reply to comment #5)
I think IBM Terminology should adapt to reality here. I see your point confirmed in the original JAR file spec, but that document is old, and its main point is really the file format specification.

In contrast, our references don't deal with the actual file format -- they just need a name for the thing, and everyone knows it's a file. This is common usage in the field, see e.g.
http://www.google.com/search?q=site:oracle.com+"JARs"

Also other documents that don't define the file format but describe the usage of JARs don't always use JAR as an adjective:
http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.4.2/docs/guide/plugin/developer_guide/extensions.html
http://download.oracle.com/javase/1.4.2/docs/guide/extensions/spec.html