Say it ain't so, Seigo.

Story: KDE 4.6 Beta: Finding New DirectionsTotal Replies: 21
Author Content
dinotrac

Dec 09, 2010
12:44 PM EDT
I'm sure all of the little improvements for 4.6 are good things.

And, honestly, it's really nothing to me given that I haven't used KDE in 2 years, but...

Hearing the term "new directions" alongside an upcoming KDE release gives me cold sweats.

That is, after all, how the whole KDE 4 fiasco came about.
Steven_Rosenber

Dec 09, 2010
12:57 PM EDT
I haven't seen Xfce 4.8, but I consider it a hedge against GNOME going bat-@#$ crazy. What's that project preserving KDE 3.x? Could be the same thing for KDE 4.x users.
jdixon

Dec 09, 2010
1:26 PM EDT
> What's that project preserving KDE 3.x?

Trinity. http://trinity.pearsoncomputing.net/
Steven_Rosenber

Dec 09, 2010
2:05 PM EDT
While I'm not a KDE user and have no skin in the game, as it were, this is another example of the power of open source in terms of freedom for the user.
Ridcully

Dec 09, 2010
6:16 PM EDT
You never know, those "new directions" of Aaron and his team might just be: simplicity, speed, ease of use, a revamp of the personal settings menu, removal of developer bias, reduction of the code mass of KDE4 and as far as I am concerned: a single button which if selected, makes KDE4 conform to the essential structures of KDE3.5.

Then, in my very humble opinion, we might have a DE that offers the best to the entire KDE user base: the bells and whistles for those that want them, but for those that don't (and I strongly suspect this is the majority of users) they would have a simple, fast, effective, easy to use DE. I am excessively cynical however.......it won't happen. Increasing complexity rules OK !?!?!?

KDE4 seems to be becoming "developer Nirvana", but is what the team is producing *really* what the user base wants ? Has the user base said this ? And on that note, what is concerning me considerably is that the increasing complexity may of itself prevent me from having later iterations of KDE4 running easily and stably in KDE3.5 mode. And that is where the Trinity project is like a lighthouse in a storm.

PS....for those interested in a minor followup: KDE4.4 (with all bells and whistles removed and set up to resemble KDE3.5) continues to remain quite stable and runs as neatly as I could want. If I could, I would suggest even more loudly, that the "single button to select a KDE3.5 mode" should be an essential part of the KDE4 menu. Oh, and get rid of that stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid "cashew".....From what I can see, it serves no real purpose, but it does provide additional clicks and confusion.

tracyanne

Dec 09, 2010
6:49 PM EDT
I think I'll wait until Trinity has the applications sorted, then maybe consider using that as my default desktop. On the other hand I'm quite comfortable with GNOME as it currently is, and GNOME shell lokk like it has potential, but I suspect they will make it more MID/touch compatable, while at the same time making it less mouse/large screen compatible, when it seems to me, at least they could kill both birds with a simple change of direction.
JaseP

Dec 10, 2010
10:30 AM EDT
I echo Steven_Rosenber's comments. I use Gnome, but certainly not as originally intended. My DE is more a hybrid of a standard Gnome desktop with (get ready to wretch) a little OS X flavor thrown in (courtesy of Cairo-dock), all wrapped up with some optimizations for touch screens (on some of my machines anyway).

I think user choice is key. It's why I prefer Linux to M$ or Apple & prefer Maemo/Meego to Android or Chrome.
ComputerBob

Dec 10, 2010
10:57 AM EDT
IMO, one of Linux's big "selling points" has always been user choice.

But I've always gotten the impression that Aaron Seigo's very limited, paternalistic view of user choice is "my way or the highway."

So I chose the highway (Xfce).
bigg

Dec 10, 2010
11:02 AM EDT
> Aaron Seigo's very limited, paternalistic view of user choice is "my way or the highway."

As I read it, it's more "if you don't do it my way, you're ignorant and don't understand why my way is better".
jdixon

Dec 10, 2010
12:29 PM EDT
> ...you're ignorant and don't understand why my way is better.

Which may very well be true, but is sort of beside the point if you're expecting people to use your product. The customer is always right, even when he's wrong.
dinotrac

Dec 10, 2010
1:08 PM EDT
@ComputerBob, @bigg, @jdixon:

You think?
dinotrac

Dec 10, 2010
1:12 PM EDT
Off topic, but I don't know a better collection of geek types around ---

Do you folks have any good recommendation for portable (as in heating and air guys can use it in their trucks) printers with wireless connectivity?

My one and only live production client is thrilled at the PDF invoices I'm producing for him, but would love to print them out for customers who, umm, aren't up to the 21st century. Something small that can handle regular letter-sized paper and run from small truck power. Ideal would incorporate a scanner, but I think that is a reach.

Thanks, and sorry for straying so far off-topic.

Dean
alc

Dec 10, 2010
1:57 PM EDT
Dean, I believe if you get a power converter that plugs into your lighter,you could use just about any printer/scanner.
dinotrac

Dec 10, 2010
2:07 PM EDT
@alc -

I'm sure that's true. Was just wondering if any knew any that were small/rugged/easy to deal with for this kind of application.

Field techs aren't always the most patient and gentle souls! ;0)
jdixon

Dec 10, 2010
2:46 PM EDT
Dino, take a look at [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010270038 1094919010&name=Mobile&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-Printers-_-NA-_-NA]http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=...[/url] and review the comments for pluses and minuses.
dinotrac

Dec 10, 2010
3:18 PM EDT
jdixon --

That looks like the kind of thing he wanted.

Funny, but he looked at the HP470 before, but the goombahs he was talking to didn't know it could be made to do wireless.

I've forwarded him the info.

Thanks.
Bob_Robertson

Dec 10, 2010
5:30 PM EDT
I'm now on my, what, second week of using Trinity, and seriously it is a drop-in replacement for KDE3.

I am very pleased.
Ridcully

Dec 10, 2010
6:40 PM EDT
Bob_Robertson... Well done and you are a street or two ahead of me. I'm still waiting for an openSUSE version of the Trinity project and I know one is coming.....What did you load Trinity onto ? Did you find it easy ? I'd be very interested in the details on how you did it if you care to put them in print somewhere ?
bigg

Dec 10, 2010
6:47 PM EDT
@Ridcully: http://lxer.com/module/forums/t/31333/
jdixon

Dec 10, 2010
7:55 PM EDT
> Thanks.

De nada.
Ridcully

Dec 10, 2010
10:20 PM EDT
Thanks Bigg..........and thankyou indeed Bob. I am now very seriously hoping for the openSUSE version.
Bob_Robertson

Dec 11, 2010
9:21 AM EDT
Very glad to be of service. Bob is a really useful engine!

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