GSoC proposal - Network management for PA

[Sebastian Kügler]

Hi Jan,

On Monday, April 22, 2013 20:08:37 Jan Grulich wrote:
> I would like to join to GSoC and I have my own idea. Since we are
> working on a new plasma network applet I think it would be great to
> improve this applet for Plasma active because the current applet is not
> simply usable. I've already talked about it with Lamarque on the solid
> sprint but I need also some co-mentor from Plasma active (if somebody
> like this idea).
> 
> The idea is:
> *Network applet for Plasma applet written in plasma2:*
> 1) Customize our applet for Plasma active and use plasma2

Or maybe an alternative applet, which shares most of the UI. This should be 
possible with Plasma packages, which can then also be shared with an active 
settings module, or even a KCM. (In the future, it would make sense moving 
both to QML, to be able to share even more code.)

> 2) Write some basic editor in QML instead of using QWidgets and drop
> support for unnecessary devices and properties

Yes, that makes sense.

> 3) Maybe some KCM for Plasma active

As Lamarque pointed out, there's Active Settings. Those are "KCM light done in 
QML". You can basically ship either a pure QML package, or a QML package along 
with a C++ plugin (which is in fact just a QObject subclass). More info here:

http://techbase.kde.org/Development/Tutorials/Plasma/QML/ActiveSettings

> 4) Add support for activities

Why? What use cases do you have in mind? (I'm not saying it's nonsense, just 
that it does not directly pop up in front of my virtual eye what will happen 
here.)

> 5) ???? if you have any other ideas

I think getting these pieces right would be wonderful. I'd rather see a 
smaller set of well-working pieces, than a lot of bells and whistles.

One more thing: As you probably know, Plasma2 and Frameworks5 is very much a 
moving target right now. Before you commit to some kind of timeline, have a 
good look at how much work needs to be put into porting dependencies before 
you can actually start on the NM UI. That (and probably most of your other 
work, too) will benefit also the desktop version (as it often happens with 
Plasma).

As I said, I could co-mentor you for Plasma, or Active related questions. I've 
written a fair part of the NM UI (still have cut wounds on my arms from 
wrangling NM and QGraphicsWidgets, I can only imagine how fantastic your 
experience must be compared to that ;-)).

Cheers, and good luck with your proposal!
-- 
sebas

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