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List:       kde-debian
Subject:    Re: Again on KControl
From:       Frans Englich <frans.englich () telia ! com>
Date:       2004-03-04 22:35:22
Message-ID: 200403042335.22081.frans.englich () telia ! com
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On Wednesday 03 March 2004 15:42, Davide Ferrari wrote:
> I was wondering why we have 2 kind of system-related administration
> tools: the ones like KUser which are in the KMenu, in a stand-alone
> application, and the one like the Linux kernel config that are KCMs.

FYI, as Jamethiel points out, this have been discussed before, search 
kde-usability bodies for "KAdmin".

>
> My opinion is that we should take a decision. And manage this kind of
> things in one way.
> IMO the best is grouping them CLEARLY all as KCM modules, but they
> should anyway reside in the kdeadmin package. (I don't know where admin
> KCMs reside now..)
>
> Having these tools outside of KControl is frustrating and non-sense in
> my opinion, cause KControl is the heart of a KDE-box configuration. And
> if we want to leave space to distro-related tools, well, then we shall
> not implement at all these admin-tools. (anyway I think that the Linux
> kernel KCM is completely useless, I think noone uses it. if someone
> wants to compile manually the kernel, well, he/she is for sure skill as
> much as necessary to do a make menuconfig or make xconfig. The same for
> LILO config KCM, IMO)

You highlight some problems which IMO are true and relevant. These are my 2 
cents on why we need "a" KAdmin.

Why KAdmin & the Usability aspect
---------------------------------
KControl is not designed for housing administration functionality - it is 
designed for displaying small units of _configuration_ options. 
Administration functionality, such as managing big numbers of users, setting 
up router tables, mail servers etc. _requires_ widgets and functionality 
KControl doesn't have, nor can be extended to have. For example toolbars and 
menus.

Administration functionality, such as the examples given above is not very 
similar to configuration - the way the user works with it is entirely 
different.

Putting administration functionality in KControl would be like trying to 
squeeze an elephant through an keyhole - KControl would be over crowded and 
thus degraded, as well as the administration modules would not be done in an 
optimal way, they wouldn't be able to have toolbars etc.(and that's why we 
got apps like kuser).

The only similarity between KControl and the imaginary KAdmin is that they are 
umbrella apps - they host a set of modules(be it KCModule or something else).

Having KAdmin would also help in other aspects - we wouldn't have to have an 
individual app for each administration issue, thus saving code as well as 
KMenu entries.


Implementation
--------------
KAdmin should allow switching between the different "modules". These modules 
should be able to have toolbars and menus(as well as a main area). This makes 
KParts the only option, right?
Capability to load KCModules could also be a good idea, so (legacy) 
administration KCMs can be loaded.

Any volunteers? I got plenty to do :))

What do the kde-debian think in this matter? Would an KAdmin duplicate their 
work? Is it an good idea? (CCing)


Cheers,

		Frans





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