+++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #1694511 +++

Not sure if parts of this happened already (we don't have the Settings/Preferences split across OSs anymore). I found at least: https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/rev/538569c63ffb17d590c51df66f9fff790dd7431e/browser/locales/en-US/browser/preferences/preferences.ftl#122 which should be ported to our corresponding searchResults.inc.xhtml

Pushed by geoff@darktrojan.net:
https://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/rev/f02a87055daf
Replace "Preferences" with "Settings" in various places. r=mkmelin

Just as an heads up, Richard and I worked on removing the Preferences/Options platform separation in bug 1702731, and landed on sticking with "Preferences" instead of "Settings" do to the fact that we know have in the App menu:

• Account Settings
• Settings

Here's the explanation from that bug:

With these changes now we have these 2 menu items one after another:

• Account Settings
• Settings

Firefox doesn't have this problem.
I wonder if it might be confusing for the user and using Preferences for the general TB preferences might be more appropriate.
It's also easier to distinguish and we avoid the possible confusion when offering support, like "Access the settings, no, not the Account Settings, just settings..."

Anyone else thinks this might be a problem?

I totally missed this butted heads.

For the reasons you state, I too land on the side of preferring "preferences". (Although, in the Windows world, I think "settings" is more widely used.)

I agree it's slightly awkward to have the two similar menus.
Though generally I think using Settings seems like a step forwards. I'd suspect if we don't do it now it will not age well, and we'd want to do it later.

Account settings and Settings (Preferences) link to each other nowadays and both are in tabs. I wonder if we could get away with not having both menu items but simply the Settings? If you actually want account settings you'd continue from there. Or use the per-account settings which are available from the context menu of the account for direct access.

https://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/rev/f02a87055daf#l16.16 is wrong. Will update. Looks like "e" is available

Another small issues is that our folder is called preferences/, as well as the main files being called preferences.xhtml/js.
If we want to stick with calling everything "Settings" I think we should rename all folders and files for consistency and easier greppability.

I think we should decide what Thunderbird menu and menu items look like and have one set regardless of platform. I have been busy and trying to get the KB articles updated to use preferences is not a trivial action. If you want to change them again, I suggest getting with the editing. There are hundreds of references, most still referring to the options window with tabs. The project has no volunteers doing the KB on any regularity, so I find myself doing it, and that is not pretty. Now someone wants to change it again. I am done with it.

When you work out what you want to call options/ preference/ settings. There are about 300 articles in the KB awaiting edit. It is great to just close bugs because of the maintenance burden that adopting changes and offering user choice entail, but I am starting to think support and user information are not considered at all in development cost benefit decisions.

Perhaps the next hire needs to be a technical writer, so there is someone to write documentation for the changes being put out by developers. I have been advised of a number of volunteers in support that have decided to just abandon the kb because it needs too much work. I think I will join them. I will just go back and write blog posts for the thing that are important to me.