Hi Theo, On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 14:31, Theo Schmidt<[email protected]> wrote:
... > Now we have KDE 3.5 (still my choice for productive work), a very well > developed > Gnome, XFCE as a slightly leaner version, and many other leaner ones coming > along nicely. And you forget a lot of other window managers and shell managers out there :) > With KDE 4 we have a super new thing surpassing Windows Vista and > perhaps MacOS for effects. And all the add-ons like Compiz, Cairo-dock, etc. Hm, CairoDock is a Gnome application... > And now Gnome is threatening to do the same as KDE, a major new rebuild! > While this > is all pro-choice and pro-freedom, I think it is getting too intimidating and > may put people off Linux. I think you are wrong, it is called evolution and progress, we have been behind schedule long enough on new desktop technologies, now we are taking the lead and trust me, from the response I get when presenting the new KDE 4.3, it's all "wanna have!" BTW, I hardly use the desktop effects, besides some transparency and windows switching, and having all this technology at hand doesn't mean you actually *have* to use it. I have been using KDE4 for everyday productive use since version 4.0, even if I had some serious graphic glitches back then. But graphic glitches never stopped me having a usable computer :) Just don't forget that once you get used to the change, you can hardly imagine how you did before differently. And, as usual with new things, one has to get used to, regardless it being a new car, a new phone or a new desktop. > Therefore it *would* have been nice for Gnome and KDE > to get together, so that we have only one and not two "advanced Desktops". Well, as I said, unless Gnome is switching to Qt, I doubt this might ever happen. >> Everybody can use KDE applications in Gnome and Gnome applications in >> KDE, so there is no big problem there, besides the look not being very >> harmonized. > > Yes, that is a great thing and the basis of Swiss Remix. The unharmonized look > has a bit to do not just with the toolkits, but that Ubuntu *wants* a > different > design for each "family", whereas others try to make them look the same. FWIW, Kubuntu very much looks and behaves like upstream KDE intended it to do. There is simply not enough manpower behind Kubuntu to customize it. So if one wants a 'pure' KDE, Kubuntu is the choice to go with. > > >> [rant] >> Criticizing Free Software to be this or that and not how *you* would >> like it to be exactly, while one really has enough choices, is >> something that makes me angry, especially when it comes from people >> who have the knowledge to take part in the development cycle and/or >> influence design decisions. I don't think I have to remind you that if >> you don't like it, make it better, make something yourself or pay a >> developer to do so... > > This is of course exactly what I'm doing to the best of my abilities. I like > *ubuntu a lot, but don't think much of the standard install-CDs. Hence the > Remix. However developing KDE applications is quite outside my ability, so > all I > can do criticise on lists like this and hope to influence some developers. Well, I think you should choose your words differently then, not a single developer will ever even read a critic calling something "dreadful". Constructive criticism is always welcome, but to change Konqueror back to what it was in KDE 3 you are simply far too late: the first planning of KDE4 started at Akademy 2005, coding started roughly 3 years ago and design decisions have been taken long before you discovering Konqueror 'new style'. But then, KDE 3.5.10 code is still available and always will be, so if you can find enough people to continue to maintain that code you might well always have a running KDE 3.x. But, to be honest, all developers who had this intention so far gave up very fast and switched to KDE4, the code base is so much better and leaner, it's a bit like continuing to run a vapor train fueled with coal when you can have a Shikansen/TGV/WhateverHighSpeedTrainThatDoesntRuinTheOzoneLayer FWIW, usability is a big theme in KDE4, and people are always welcome to give a hand in all the other departments that do not write code. I for myself learned a lot doing just bug triaging and helping at booths, correcting translations, following the various mailing lists and so on. It's difficult not to get dragged in :) Regards, Myriam PS. Not going to be that responsive in the next weeks, my health resuming and a lot of work waiting for me. Also I will be off for holidays around the end of August, but back in time for planing the release parties of the fall :) -- Protect your freedom and join the Fellowship of FSFE: http://www.fsfe.org Please don't send me proprietary file formats, use ISO standard ODF instead (ISO/IEC 26300) -- Ubuntu-ch mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ch
