We need to rethink this approach to warning about unloaded extensions. It seems to be causing a LOT of confusion amongst
our
user community, of which the below is representative.
Can it be reduced back to a Console Warning?
Last I heard on Win32, any console warnings result in a console window popping up that users sometimes try to close -- thereby rather ungracefully killing Inkscape.
(which is probably a sign that we need to reexamine console handling there ... didn't we have some sort of console dialog in the works?)
Since I seem to help a number of Win32 users, closing of a console is the number one source of inkscape "crashing". I think that people are ok with seeing warnings and such, but it's just habit to close unused windows or windows you're done with (which is what it becomes once you've read the message). So, a log window as opposed to the console window would be the best solution if possible.
At the moment there are not that many extensions and even so I'd much prefer to be warned at some other time like when I try to use functionality that is not currently avialalbe without the plugin.
At the very least the dialog needs some text explaining the implications for the users so they don't jump to the conclusion that Inkscape is broken.
I still believe it is a problem to be showing (non technical) users such distractions at startup at all.
I'm rather inclined to agree...
I'm inclined to agree as well... however, there are a number of other programs that are commercial that give warnings that you need to "check the checkbox" to not show again. Like most web browsers the first time they're used (you are submitting information to the internet... blah blah). The difference is the context. I think that at startup it comes across as Inkscape is broken, but as Alan said, if it were to warn at the time you try to use the functionality it would make much more sense. If I try to save as an Illustrator file, since it requires an extension, it should give the warning then... not long before that. (the perception changes to "oh, this is broken" not "Inkscape is broken")
-Josh