[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Kicker bar maiming
From:       Troels Tolstrup <troels () tolstrup ! org>
Date:       2003-12-21 15:55:59
[Download RAW message or body]

On Sunday 21 December 2003 16:09, Michael Pye wrote:
> This is how I would like to see it. The default install is performed by a
> certain class of user, so surely it should target this group.
>
> Distros choose their own target audiences and can use KDE's great
> flexibilty to please them.
>
> Sensible defaults are important, but I think we should recognise that
> there is generally another step between a KDE release and an end user.

I don't think this is right.

Yes, the distros can, and does to some extend, modify the defaults. And i 
think the kicker icons is probably the heaviest customized part too, but i 
generally think we should set a good example and try to provide the best 
set of defaults for as broad a range of users as possible.

Right now the largest user base is probably technical users, but i think the 
number of non tech users who is using kde is growing rapidly, and from my 
personal experience they have a few problems with stock kde, which are very 
easy (for me) to correct, but almost impossible for them. That is, they can 
correct it once they learn how to do it, but by that point they might know 
enough to not care anylonger.

I think one issue is too many icons on kicker and the multi level kmenu. (i 
personally think the "more programs" is quite broken, and that it is a sign 
that the programs in question should perhaps not be shipped with kde) 
(note, this is not to say that said programs should be removed, but that 
they could maybe be moved to other modules or shipped separately like 
kde-extragear) Yes, i know that this is really a job for the distros, but 
they generally don't do that, and i can't see this change. (debian does it 
to some extend, but i think they are alone)

Another issue is too many toolbar icons still, especially in koffice and 
konqueror. (a default konqueror has 16 icons in web mode, in my install i 
only kept the first 6 as i use those serveral orders of magnitude more than 
the rest) I also think the name of many toolbar icons are way too long, 
which makes having the name below or next to the icons useless.

Context menu issues has mostly been addressed already, and been improved 
quite a lot. (thanks Aaron)

And finally, i think keramik is a bad default style. It is quite large and 
intrusive, which again helps promote the idea that kde is too cluttered. 
This is not that much of an issue, considering all the biggest distros 
changes the style to their own, but i still think something like plastik 
would be a better default. (i personally does like keramik, but i am not a 
first time user)

I personally don't think that KDE is cluttered, but i see a lot of new linux 
users prefer gnome because they think it looks less intemidating, and i 
think this fact is actually quite easy to resolve simply by tweaking the 
defaults.

Mvh
Troels
_______________________________________________
kde-usability mailing list
kde-usability@mail.kde.org
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-usability
[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]