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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: global shortcuts
From:       Ellis Whitehead <kde () ellisw ! net>(by way of Ellis Whitehead <kde () ellisw ! net>)
Date:       2001-06-11 20:48:55
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I'd like to propose the following:
	1) I add fives lines to kdebase/kwin/kwinbindings.cpp and
	   kdebase/kwin/workspace.cpp for "Window Close (alternate)" and
	   family.
	2) For the next version of KDE, I'll add in a more elegant 'secondary'
	   shortcut binding (e.g. Windows users could have their Ctrl+Insert
	   back).

This would get everybody their Alt+F# bindings back.

General Target Groups:
---------------------
1) Key-binding-hardend KDE and Windows users
2) People who will be using both MS Windows and KDE interchangably
3) New users who will primarily be using KDE
4) Other KDE users

For group 1: The 3-modifier bindings are better.
For group 2: The 3-modifier bindings are often better. Minus Ctrl+Tab,
             Ctrl+W, Alt+F3. How about if I add a
             ./share/apps/kcmkeys/global/windows.kksrc to the default
	     installation?
For group 3: the new settings are IMO much better, but I would think that
             they are usually a small minority. In the less developed
	     countries where linux is being deployed, such a group might
	     likely often be the majority.
For group 4: There are of course those who would enjoy a more logical binding
	     scheme. As an anecdotal example: I sat my aunt (an MS-Windows
	     user at work) down at my linux box and asked her to try out the
	     keybindings for while (after I briefly explained them).  She
	     exclaimed, "Now that makes sense to me!". Ctrl+Escape closes a
	     document, Alt+Escape closes a program, Meta+Escape closes KDE.
	     Ctrl for documents, Alt for programs, and Meta for KDE stuff.
	     Compare this to Ctrl+W, Alt+F4, and Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

Arguments Against New Bindings As Default:

1) Violating defacto standards is poor practice
2) Everyone is used to Alt+F4 (etc.)
3) Windows uses Alt+F4 (etc.)
4) A user makes a clean KDE installation and suddenly the key settings of an
hour ago don't work anymore.

These are all very valid, and I agree that it is dumb as hell to take Alt+F4
away. Sorry. I hope my proposal as the top could address the most serious
part of this problem.  Really only 5 lines of code in two files (once to make
the definitions, once to connect them).

--------

> A major UI change like
> this shouldn't have been committed without notice this close to
> a release anyway.

and

> ... all the known keyboard shortcuts have been simply
> remapped without any further notice ?

Well, I've been posting about this for a month and in various incarnations
it's been in CVS for a week... however, maybe you mean there is no notice
during a clean install, and that's bad for current users.

--------

> > The only reason we have it is probably because Windows has it this
> > way.
>
> Which is a very good reason.

I agree.  Could I submit a ./share/apps/kcmkeys/global/windows.kksrc to
connect Ctrl+F4 => Close and such?
It wouldn't be a modification of any code, just an optional config file...

Regards,
Ellis

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