kubuntu-kde3.5-users@lists.pearsoncomputing.net

Message: previous - next
Month: April 2009

Re: [kubuntu-kde3.5-users] KDE 3 users: what is missing in KDE 4?

From: Dotan Cohen <dotancohen@...>
Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 00:15:20 +0300
> * System Monitor Configuration Applet:
>
> Other than choosing the network interfaces and a keyboard shortcut (what
> for?) there is nothing to configure. Only plotting method is graph bar and
> the only color available is grey. I used to have monitors for CPU
> temperature, User and system load, incoming outgoing traffic and CPU
> frequency. These monitors had distinctive colors, some of them combined (net
> traffic) and I could immediately see what was going on. Not so anymore.
> Three applets beside eachother look like one piece of of gray modern art.
> Oh, and resizing them is not an option.
>

I will file an issue on that, please create a screenshot of the KDE 3
System Monitor to attach to the issue. If you could label the
screenshot with the important bits it might help the designer
(Probably Aaron, who eventually gets around to everything
plasma-related) get it right the first time.

> What also totally sucks is the relativity of all these applets. In 3.5.* one
> could give ranges for the individual monitors, i.e. 1-100 for CPU load. Not
> so anymore. All you get are relative estimates, but certainly nothing close
> to serious system monitoring. Basically useless and a huge regression.
>

I think that I'll file that as a separate issue. Give me about an hour
to start posting bug reports here.

> * Spacing between icons
>
> Always the same, no difference between starting an application, viewing the
> desktop, and as soon as you got a couple of windows open the taskbar icons
> have just the same size, making the whole panel look like an icon regatta.
>

When you mention icons, do you mean Taskbar tasks? I really don't
understand this, please reword. Thanks.

> * Moving items on the panel
>
> Takes more mouse clicks, needs the additional panel options menu bar and
> simply dragging an application item from the menu doesn't work. Sucky.
>

Agreed. I'll dig up and post links to the issues open on this. I think
they're mostly WONTFIX but more people complaining might get the
message across. This is seriously one of KDE 4's weak points.

> * Visual feedback
>
> Hovering over an application button and then clicking it makes no visual
> difference. Basically you need to wait for the applicatin to start to know
> whether you clicked the icon correctly or not. 3.5.* had a depth change on
> the icons, which I found helpful.
>

Nice catch! Please try and capture screenshots of the different icons
situations. Ksnapshot's timer might help here, but you will need to be
a sharpshooter! Screenshots for these types of issues are important,
as the person designing them in KDE 4 will be doing it from scratch.

> * Configuration cluttered all over the place
>
> Basically all configuration options are scattered among various places, some
> of the in the control center, some of them not (taskbar and panel).
> Counterintuitive and a serious regression from the previous KDE versions.
>

I will try and dig up the issue for this.

> Also, I want that tree view back, seriously.
>

It's back! It should be in Trunk in the next few days, and KDE 4.3 is
a good possibility.

> * Applets/widgets
>
> Whatever you call them. The plug in device thingy is useless. I want to
> mount/unmount a device, not use one specific application for that.

You can do that from within Dolphin, you don't need the plasmoid (ha!
Not applet and not widget!) for that.

> Did I
> mention I find Dolphin a waste of time and screen estate?

I most certainly _was_ in d3lphin and in KDE 4.0. Take a look at it
now, I never though I'd say this but it's already replaced Konqueror
for me. I absolutely love Dolphin now. The dev, Peter, is also very
open to suggestions and bug reports, so if there is anything that you
think should be changed, file it or let me know and I'll file it.

> And I'd like my
> weather applet that I can I can actually read, not some gray on gray thingy.

Amen! Be specific as to what you would like changed, though. Don't
ever leave the dev/designer to guess!

> And I'd like to see which location the applet is using.
>

I'll note that as well, once I know what else you'd like. Please, be specific.

> There's a lot more, but that's it for the moment.
>

We'll get these filed and whenever you find other issues, you can file
them at bugs.kde.org or you can contact me and I'll file them.

Thanks!

-- 
Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
http://gibberish.co.il