[Panel-devel] Future of the KDE desktop

[Alexander Wiedenbruch]

Hi there,

I read most of the posts on the list and Aaron Seigos "Visual Elements For 
Kicker 4.0". I really like what you plan to do in the future and its really 
nice to see people come together and try to bring KDE a huge step forward.

Perhaps it is not the right list for my topic...

As I understand you want to try to add new features, cleanups and eyecandy
to kicker or better to the whole KDE desktop.
But as I understand the basic concept is staying: a "start-button" for apps, a 
task bar, a system tray.

So, why don't try something new? I think that the KDE desktop has an 
opportunity here.

At the moment kicker is "working" like the Windows taskbar.
There is a button for my applications an the left side, the are some icons for 
quick access, a section showing open windows and a system tray.
On the desktop the user usually has icons of applications.
One can say - perhaps a little dramatically - KDE is the Open Source Windows.

But I think it is better for future of KDE to create a new way of handling 
these things. I think KDE needs a new user interface concept.
It has to be different from OS X or Windows. So users can identify, "yes, this 
is a KDE desktop", but is has to be usable and allow easy migration of users.
A new User Interface would also keep away the Microsoft lawyers.
If KDE desktop market share is growing, the will come!

The main disadvantage I see, is that this could be not fully mature and that 
it will annnoy most users.

Now I must admit that I have thought of a new user interface a long time and 
nothing refreshing new came to my mind.
I'm interested much in these things and I think so are others, so I don't 
think that there are no discussions about that. I know that reinventing a 
user interface is a really vast project.
But there is the appeal project, the usability experts are more integrated 
into the KDE development, so I think it is not impossible.
I thought that these ideas already exist, but I was a little disappointed 
seeing that the basic user interface concept is not changing.

Perhaps I am not well enough informed or the development is done behind the
stage, so you are free to ignore me. ;)

I think you have discussed this topic earlier and have good arguments about 
the changes you propose, but I really like to see something new and this mail 
is just a motivation to try something new. I know you will do a good work in 
KDE 4 and I am really looking forward to it.

Thank You
A. Wiedenbruch