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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: Applets?
From:       Torsten Rahn <rahn () astrophysik ! uni-kiel ! de>
Date:       1999-05-14 15:46:07
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Kurt Granroth wrote:
> 
> Torsten Rahn wrote:
> > Concerning apps in the panel we have:
> >
> > 1. Docking,
> > 2. Swallowing
> > 3. Applets
> >
> > which look all the same to me from the point of the user. "Whatīs the
> > difference?  Why three names for something that looks all the same to me?"
> > => Irritation!
> 
> I disagree that they look the same (well, maybe to "some" users).  Docked

To most of the users ... youīll see!

> widgets are always in the little docking panel on the right of the panel ala
> Win9x.  Applets allow the app to run in the panel but NOT in the docking part.
> Swallowing allows legacy apps to run in the panel.

People who donīt know about the technical KDE-things wonīt see the
docking-part
as a seperated area if you donīt tell them! 

> > Is it possible to convert all docked apps to applets? Any disadvantages? 
> It would probably be trivial from a programming point of view.  However, I

Hey great -- so why should we stay with docking when it isnīt necessary 
anymore?

> like the idea of the docked widgets.  To me, they are all indicators.  KBiff,

Yes, that may be how you would like it to be, but be honest:
You can control kppp with the docking-icon (disconnect, restore) you can 
change the volume by clicking on the speaker-icon. klipper is even for 
control only (no indication at all!), the kscd icon makes it possible
to control even more: play, pause, track ... !  . And applets will 
be for control & indication also!
So what? Whereīs the real difference? Itīs too hard to explain it to the 
user in a few simple words and they will look too much the same 
("Applet? Docking-icon? -- well that was the thing which makes it 
possible to control the program that runs in the panel or is being 
enlarged when you click on it .... !"). And donīt think that theyīll
RTFM. 

I fear that it will be very confusing to have both ...
And if one of them is superfluous wouldnīt it be much better to drop it?

Torsten

> --
> Kurt Granroth            | granroth@kde.org
> KDE Developer/Evangelist | http://www.pobox.com/~kurt_granroth
>          KDE -- Putting a Friendly Face on Linux

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