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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: PROPOSAL: "Mac" menubar as default
From:       Rik Hemsley <rik () kde ! org>
Date:       2000-04-28 8:08:43
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#if Andreas Pour

Um, I was talking about 'user' apps.

Anyway, all of these look and feel different to each other, some are
replaced by KDE apps and some don't have a top-of-window menubar.
 
> 	* Netscape -- email, browser, composer

Motif, konqy replaces Navigator, kmail replaces Messenger

> 	* Mozilla

Something wacky.

> 	* RealPlayer

Athena ?

> 	* StarOffice

Not sure.

> 	* WordPerfect

Looks a bit like Motif, but it's different.

> 	* wxftp

WxWindows, presumably. Konqy does ftp.

> 	* linuxconf

GTK. Does it have a menubar ?

> 	* ImageMagick

Um, not sure. Pixie covers most of the functionality.
No top-of-window menubar.

> 	* gimp

GTK. No top-of-window menubar.

> 	* Canvas

Never heard of it.

> 	* electriceyes

GTK. Pixie again. Does this have a menubar ?

> 	* xmms

GTK. We have plenty of media players.
No top-of-window menubar.

> 	* gvim

Motif, Athena or GTK. Not a 'user' app. Menubar is useless anyway.

> Timewise, if you exclude konsole, I spend more time using these apps
> than KDE apps at the moment (excluding the desktop ones, of course). 

Ok, personally I don't use any GUI apps, unless you count gvim, but
remember we're talking about users here.

> Not to mention the risk of negative publicity -- KDE will likely be
> accused of making itself incompatible with other applications, which
> could hurt "mindshare", and of being difficult to use.  (You may have
> noticed that most reviewers come from a Windows, not a Mac, background,
> and if they find it confusing I'm sure they won't hesitate to say "KDE
> is hard to use, confusing and inconsistent").  I would be much happier
> with this if at least Gnome apps were compatible.

Well, I doubt we will be accused of being incompatible when there's
a big switch to set the menubar to top-of-window mode, but I see your
point.

> Personally, I think the move will be a public relations blunder.  On the
> other hand, I'm pretty sure the point is rather moot since most likely
> distros will change the default away from the Mac menubar.

You could be right there. IMHO though it would be nice if we could
have _some_ creative freedom, rather than being constrained by
compatibility every time we want to do something 'better'.

Rik

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