[kwlug-disc] First observations on Lucid Lynx

[unsolicited]

KDE shows me everything I have, not just what I have selected that I 
might someday be interested in.

The computer is an appliance, not an end in itself.

Raul Suarez wrote, On 05/02/2010 3:13 PM:
> --- On Sun, 5/2/10, Khalid Baheyeldin <kb at 2bits.com> wrote:Any
> Kubuntu users out there who have upgraded to 10.04?
> 
> Any gotchas so far? This is an honest question. Not a rhetorical
> question  or attempt to wakeup the desktop fanboy demons. What do
> you find alluring about KDE? Every now and then I try a K distro, I
> like how it looks, I like the consistency of the apps, but after I
> find the same annoyances that made me switch I go back to Mint with
> Gnome. Knowing that you prefer it: I'd like to know what I'm
> missing. Maybe if I list those annoyances you can show me
> workarounds or just make me realize that I think differently than
> the KDE devs. Please everyone, this is not a critique of KDE, Maybe
> a critique of my self for not having been able to overcome these
> annoyances.

 >  - The menu requires too many clicks to do something.

So what. Make shortcuts, change the menu.

> Hovering the mouse does nothing.

So what. For that matter, stop with the idiotic, obfuscating, mouse 
hovers.

> - Option pages are too cluttered. I
> like having all those options, just not showing them all at the
> same time.

Show me everything, I'll decide what to pay attention to.

I can not pay attention, nor know it's there to be paid attention, to 
if it's not there.

> e.g. For appearance I couldn't find a "Theme" section, I
> must select element by element. I'd prefer to have a "theme" and
> then tweak it if I want.

Themes are irrelevant. Leave it alone.

I learned long ago, since I sit down at far too many different 
computers to help far too many people, go with how it comes, get on 
with it. Don't customize it, or come to depend upon anything different 
being there.

- The Dolphin is too cluttered and font too

Agreed. Go back to Konqueror. Or just load up your favourite and set 
it to the default. Mix your apps Gnome or KDE, however you wish.

> small. When I was in my early 20's I learned that systems had to be
> designed with font "over 40". Meaning that a person over 40 should
> be able to read it without straining his/her eyes. - Back to doing
> ANYTHING, requires too many clicks. Due to the amount of options
> and lack of sensible context sensitive menus.

Get over it.

 From your post, there is a philosophical difference - you seem to be 
saying, I know what I want, and I know what I want to do, let me get 
there as quickly as possible.

For me, show me what's in there, I'll decide what I want to do this 
moment. Don't decide for me what I might like to see - you can't 
possibly know / you will always be somewhat wrong.

I'd almost say 'tunnel vision' vs. I'll keep my own eye on the ball.

If something new appears on a menu, I know there's some new capability 
to consider. Not so if it doesn't appear on a menu.

For some, the excess of choice is overwhelming. For some, there is 
only so much capacity to take it all in at once, so artificially limit 
their landscape. e.g. Internet / E-mail only appliances. [Not saying 
that's true here, merely that I can see the value of Gnome for some.]

For whatever I buy, be it a toaster or a computer, I want to see the 
entirety of the functionality available to me. Up front, no sleuthing, 
no menu changes no nothing. Show me what's here.

It's an appliance. I have no interest in themes, colour schemes, eye 
candy or other useless garbage. It doesn't matter what it is, it only 
matters what it does or produces. Just like I don't paint my hammer.

NB. Above, wherever it says "So what." read, "Not important to me."


I popped over to wikipedia hoping the KDE entry would discuss approach 
but it doesn't really seem to. The Gnome entry seems to address this 
somewhat more. Perhaps someone can post a reference contrasting KDE 
vs. Gnome - not, we have this theme, they have that, they have 
Nautilus, we have Konqueror. The Gnome entry has Aim "The GNOME 
project puts heavy emphasis on simplicity, usability, and making 
things “just work” (see KISS principle). The other aims of the project 
are:"

Maybe that's what it is for me - show me the complexity, I'll pick and 
choose what to pay attention to at that moment.

IMO. YMMV.