<p>> Overriding and hiding in menus is done on the basis of "desktop-file-id", the part of the .desktop name before the dot. If you were to start changing those on a whim, you would break all of the user-specific desktop files in people's .local/share/applications for no purpose.<br>
><br>
> A bad idea, particularly when your starting point is only that it "might be useful".</p>
<p>Okay, but conversely that is a fine reason for adopting sane desktop file names. We're basing some very important, system-wide (sometimes even global) things on simple names that are not being qualified in any way.</p>
<p>The convention right now is to base desktop file names on application names, which means two things: a single application named “mail” is everyone's problem, therefore it's encouraged to use an arcane name like “gletterwriter” in the hope that nobody else will think to use that name.</p>
<p>Heck, look at package names in your nearest Debian or RPM system. This does not scale!</p>
<p>I totally agree with you about the bother associated with switching. Maybe encourage an X-oldId key as a transition for existing desktop files over the next year?</p>
<p>--<br>
Dylan McCall</p>
<p>Sorry if this comes through HTML formatted or something. I still don't trust Android's email client.</p>