Scary error dialog when tracker can't be started

Binary package hint: tracker

Like I alluded in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/tracker/+bug/148118/comments/14, the error message when you type in a search but trackerd can't be started probably violates a good olde imperial tonne of Human Interface Guidelines.

I can't quickly come up with good pointers, but http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/hig/2.0/windows-alert.html#alerts-error is a start.

A possible replacement for the current text might be something along the lines of "A lock file is preventing this operation from proceeding. This may indicate that another Tracker process is already running."

The HIG guys will kill you slowly and painfully if you display the path to the lock file in question, although I think it would be useful for intermediate-level users.

(I don't know if it's feasible for the front end to see whether there is a locking problem; perhaps trackerd should communicate more clearly, and the user interface simply relay any error message from the back end. Sorry if this doesn't make sense; I have no idea whatsoever whether my mental model of the architecture is at all in touch with reality. I don't think I had ever heard about Tracker until yesterday.)

[Is there a way to link directly to a particular comment in another Launchpad bug without pasting the full URL?]