Inge Wallin wrote:

> Let me just add that for thin clients, changing large parts of the GUI just 
> because of a shift of focus is a complete no-no!  Some things are nice 
> conceptually and maybe even usability wise, but yet completely impossible for 
> technical reasons.
> 
> Last week I was in Brazil and at one time doing a test for a medical 
> organization.  They have a large number of smallish sites and they want to 
> run the computing infrastructure from a central data center. Right now they 
> are deciding between Linux and Windows and the one most deciding factor is 
> the bandwidth consumption. If more than just the tiniest change is done when 
> the user shifts focus, Linux is out! 
> 
> I picked this case out of many, so don't tell me this is an atypical example. 
> Bandwidth is not a universal resource all over the world. We are not just 
> designing KDE4 for the last generation of fat clients. We also have to take 
> into account thin clients and older or cheaper desktop computers.
> 
> Remember that thin client installations mean large installations.  You 
> wouldn't want to make KDE impossible in these large installations, would you? 
> (and no, I'm not directing this to you personally, Jos, just to 'you' in 
> general.)  Design is good, but it always has to work inside the frames 
> created by available technology and cost considerations.

How true, how true, how true!

+10

Thanks for bringing this aspect to attention again, Inge!

-- 
Kurt Pfeifle
System & Network Printing Consultant ---- Linux/Unix/Windows/Samba/CUPS
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