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List:       kde-bugs-dist
Subject:    Bug#19490: Konsole is Dangerous, Confusing and user-UNFRIENDLY!
From:       maarizwan () hotmail ! com
Date:       2001-01-31 20:17:28
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Package: konsole
Version: 2.0.1
Severity: critical

Since KDE 1.1.x Konsole User interface hasn't changed a bit... Still Konsole is \
better than other X-Terminals, even it is potentially dangerous, confusing and \
unfriendly. I am not flaming you, but here are the facts:

1. Konsole is DANGEROUS: well not literally, but it is potentially dangerous and \
doesn't prevent a user from damaging his/her work.  How? What will konsole do when a \
user runs "rm -rf *"? Nothing! This was for a normal user. But what about Super User \
who is using Konsole and mistakingly entered "rm -rf /"? Konsole has no way of \
preventing damage to the file system by the user! Or  root switches run levels by \
"telinit 0" or "init 3" or "halt" or "shutdown -h now", what kind of prevention \
konsole provides? Nothing again! 

Doesn't this makes Konsole a mere bash (shell) with a beautiful window and \
decoration? For now, this is true. But this has to change. I am not flaming you. Here \
are the suggestion I have for Konsole's threats:

1. Don't let the user run such damage prone commands. You can have this as an Option \
"Don't execute potentially dangerous commands" checkbox in Preferences. Which should \
not allow "rm -rf", "telinit", "init", "halt", "shutdown" etc. commands to get \
executed. You should set this as default checked-option.

2. Ask the user 2 times (twice) "Are you sure you want to run this command, which can \
<message>", the <message> example could be "irrecoverably delete [foldername] \
folder?" and a suggestive question "Are you sure you are not losing any important \
files/folders?". May prevent some damages. Again you can set this as a default \
enabled checkbox in Preferences.


2. Konsole is Confusing: quite literally :), the submenus are real headache for a new \
and an average KDE users. Advanced Linux/Unix user won't complain but the other two \
(new and average users) definitely complain about the menu  items and their labels. 

Like some apps (KWrite, Konqueror) Konsole is not given any second thought to \
consistency in Menu Entries. Here are the points:

1. Konqueror should have the 'File' menu Konsole should have 'New' or 'Terminal' \
menu. 

2. Both 'File' menu and 'New' press button has same menu entries or options. What's \
the use of having exactly similar menus with two different names 'File' and 'New'? \
So, just remove the 'New' button and rename the File menu to 'Terminal' or \
vice-versa.

3. Konsole should have a "View" menu, which should have the "Show Menubar", "Show \
Toolbar", "Show Frame", "Scroll Bar" submenu, and the "FullScreen" option in it.

4. Konsole should also have an "Edit" menu, which should have "Rename Session..." \
item. Since "Renaming" is more like "Editing" than "Sessioning" ;) isn't it?

5. Quite making it more confusing, "Rename session..." is placed at 2 places in the \
"Options" menu and in "Sessions". So, simply put it in "Edit" menu please.

6. The "Sessions" menu should show the current running sessions, and nothing else.

7. Breaking the KDE commitment to be consistent in User Interface Konsole uses \
"Options" menu instead of "Settings". Which other application has "Options"  menu? If \
konsole got to have "Options" instead of "Settings" then all other application should \
also get the label "Options" which can be set by KControl's  User Interface module \
(if created) making it consistent, rather than odd.

8. The real _Headache_ Send Signal submenu: A new to an average KDE user can't \
understand at all what the Fine entries are there. That's really TOO TECHNICAL and \
that is not English! I am disappointed by these entries. I want English not Technical \
stuff (Garbage I would say, if you don't mind). Even the User's Manual doesn't have \
clear explanation of such signals...

9. Konsole must and should have "Process" menu, which should have the following \
(err... all) entries of Send Signal Submenu:

     1. STOP        1. Stop the running process. (or something in English)
     2. CONT        2. Continue the Stopped Process. (or something like 
English)
     3. HUP         3. Hands UP, you are under arrest!? (something similar to 
English)
     4. INT         4. Interrupt, we are busy talking :)? (same as above but 
it should be more like English)
     5. TERM        5. Terminate or End the running Process.
     6. KILL        6. End (the running) Process at Once or something more \
understandable.


3. Konsole is user-UNFriendly: Why konsole should be user friendly? the answer is a \
question, "What's special in Konsole than other X terminals for a New or an Average \
KDE user?" or "Why use Konsole when there are other Xterms  available?". I am not \
criticising but Konsole being a very important application of KDE it should be user \
friendly. How?

1. Auto-Complete: Konsole should have Auto, semi-auto, and no autocomplete options, \
which make it somewhat user friendly. Using the Autocorrect mechanism.

2. Aliases for Dos users: The reality is Most of the KDE users will be from \
DOS/Windows background/environment. A new DOS/Windows convert to KDE/LINUX struggles \
with UNIX's cryptic and stupid/funny looking commands. Once learnt  these Unix \
commands are great. But for the Newly Initiated ones Konsole can do a BIG FAVOR by \
providing DOS aliases. And having an Option in its Preferences called "Enable DOS \
command Conversion to Unix/Linux commands". Here are some  of the commands I can \
think now:

_DOS_COMMAND_            _Unix_Equalent_
1. DIR or dir or Dir     1. 'ls -l'
2. dir/p or DIR/P        2. 'ls -l | more'
3. dir/w or DIR/W        3. ls
4. cls or CLS            4. clear
5. help or HELP          5. khelpcenter (since help command sucks)
6. help <anycommand>     6. khelpcenter <anycommand>
7. <anycommand>/?        7. <anycommand> --help
8. MD or md              8. mkdir
9. ren or REN            9. mv
10. DEL or del          10. rm
11. and other such frequently required commands...

When the user has entered the full command, konsole should rephrase it like:

user enters:
1. ren aa.txt bb.txt

konsole rephrase: (after the Enter key press)
1. mv aa.txt bb.txt

This will teach a new user the equivalent command for Unix/Linux. Konsole can help \
learn Unix commands to a newbie. And if the user enters "COPY myfile.txt  a:" simply \
replace it with "mcopy myfile.txt a:" which will do the job. And from a dos floppy to \
folder "COPY a:\hello.txt /home/myfolder" with "mcopy a:\hello.txt /home/myfolder". \
That's it.

Yes, an administrator can have the above aliases in /etc/profile. but don't you think \
all new Linux users should prefer KDE for its friendliness and ease of use, which \
other Desktop environment Gnome, Motif, Nextstep, etc., can't dream of? 

You can execute "alias ls=dir" once (when konsole starts) and export it and unalias \
when konsole exits. That's quite simple for you to implement.

Regarding to the DOS/Windows hating people. (some people loathe windows so much that \
they don't even want to accept a feature request which is present in Windows). I \
would say, Users are not bad though the operating system was bad  (unstable). Atleast \
some of them are good people using DOS/Windows because of their Job or since they \
can't have a user friendly desktop environment like KDE before! KDE should \
respectfully woo them by making KDE easy to use, and  the Shell is what a very \
different thing for a new DOS/Windows user. Isn't it?

3. Autocorrect mistakes: Autocorrect is used to ease the user by automatically \
correcting the common mistakes done by the user. I for example, type sometimes \
'ls--help' for 'ls --help' (missing space) or 'ls-l' for 'ls -l' or 'ls_l' for 'ls \
-l'. Just to show the need for autocorrect in konsole. It can have a autocorrect list \
for users, like KWord. Yes for ease of use...

4. Assisting in system commands: when a user types "Shutdown" or "halt" or "init 6" \
or "init 1". Konsole should ask "Do you want to logout and shutdown the computer?" \
for "shutdown", "halt", "init 0" or 'telinit 0' command.  Konsole should ask "Do you \
want to go single user mode?" for "init 1". you got my point? Konsole should not \
ignore any command either it should execute it or should help in executing such \
commands. Wouldn't it be nice?

5. What's this missing: where the useful "What's this?" item in Help of Konsole? \
Atleast you did the right thing by not including it, since most other KDE 2.x \
applcation have it (what's this) but it has no use (not giving any  information).

6. Quick help: like run (alt+F2) way of using help "man:ls" or "man:/bash" should \
also be accessible from Konsole.

Lastly I thank the KONSOLE team for implementing one feature which is unique and \
excellent, and no other KDE application has that feature...And the feature  is \
"SCROLL BAR" submenu, the options are real user friendly. Only konsole tried to bring \
ease of use by allowing to place scroll bar on left or right  side of a window. Not \
even konqueror has this! A big Thank you for this! This feature should be a part of \
KWin!

Okay, I tried my best to inform you what can be done to make konsole a bit secure and \
a little more user friendly. It's upto you, what to implement, and what you think is \
right for KDE's future. Thanks again.

Yours truly,
Rizwaan.


(submitted via bugs.kde.org)


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