[Panel-devel] The ALI: do we really need or want it?

[Janne Ojaniemi]

On Tuesday 10 January 2006 15:49, Björn Balazs wrote:
> Am Montag, 09. Januar 2006 23:19 schrieb Nicholas Kaye-Smith:
> > The goal of a user is to:
> > Handle data in a productive way.
> > or Make it possible to handle data in a more productive way.
> > generally speaking (where the word productive means the eventual
> > satisfaction of the user).
>
> That is true - and leads me to one conclusion: Users do not primarily want
> to use applications. They just have to use apps - because they are the
> framework in which a user can productivly handle content.

I'm reminded of a blog-entry I made a while ago. I posted my ideas to 
kde-devel as well, but the reception wasn't that enthusiastic. Instead of 
pushing you guys to my blog, I'll just copy/paste the text here:

===================

The Desktop is The Application 

Why do we use separate apps to carry out simple, everyday tasks? Couldn't 
there be a simpler way to carry out those tasks? What I'm proposing is 
somewhat radical, yet very simple in everyday use. Namely: The Desktop is The 
Application.

More detailed description: How do we use our systems these days? What do I do 
when I decide to type and send a mail to someone? Well, after I have decided 
that I want to send some mail, I launch Kmail/Kontact. Using the app I then 
type the mail, and send it. But why do I need to launch a whole app just for 
something as simple as that? What if I want to read some website? I launch 
Konqueror. What if I want to copy some files around? I launch Konqueror. And 
so forth. Do I really need separate apps to do those tasks?

What if we had a plasmoid in the desktop that allows me to do those tasks, 
without having to launch separate apps to do them? Allow me to clarify: 

The plasmoid would consist of a textbox (similar to location-texbox in 
Konqueror). Next to the textbox would be an area for handful (3-5 at most) of 
buttons that could be used to carry out the task. Underneath the textbox 
would be an area for actually carrying out the task. And that's it.

How could I use that plasmoid? Well, I could type an URL in to the textbox 
(either in the web, or in the filesystem). Contents of that URL would be 
displayed in the area underneath the textbox. The control-button in 
browsing-mode could be Back, Forward, Up and Home (for example). Or if I 
wanted to send an email, I could simply type the address of the recipient, 
and I would then get a text-area underneath the textbox where I could type 
the message. The control-buttons could simply be (for example) "Send" and 
"Attach". Additional buttons aren't really needed for everyday mailing. The 
app could also be used to read mail, but I'm still working out the details of
that :).

As you propably noticed already, the capabilities of the plasmoid would be 
limited. But it would still allow the user to carry out most everyday tasks, 
without having to launch separate apps to do those tasks. If the user wants 
more features, the full-blown apps would still be available.

Now, why have something like this? Well, not all users need all the features 
Kmail, Konqueror etc. offer, so having an simple alternative would be ideal. 
Also, since the user doesn't have to launch separate apps for his tasks, it 
helps keep the system tidy and manageable. Didn't David Faure say that no-one 
wants to do windowmanagement? Well, in this case, no windowmanagement is 
required, because the desktop is the application :). The app is always there, 
right on the desktop. If the user wants to quickly do something, he could do 
it right in his desktop, without having to launch separate apps. Also, every 
time we introduce new apps to users, we require him to learn new stuff. That 
would not happen with this proposal, since there would be no apps to learn 
really.

Of course, the user could run as many of these plasmoids as he sees fit. But 
the fact remains that one plasmoid could only be used for one task at a time. 
So the user couldn't really surf the web and write an email at the same time, 
using the same plasmoid. But this system is not meant for something like 
that, this is meant for quick and simple tasks. Of course, the user COULD use 
the plasmoid for his primary email-client, and he could use it as his primary 
web-browser (for example). But then he would lose some of the advanced 
features Kontact and Konqueror offer (tabs etc.). Although in case of email, 
all the filters the user has set up would still be applied to messages. And 
typing email-addresses could be automatically looked up from the Kaddressbook 
etc. those things wouldn't really make the app more complex to use. But the 
plasmoid would not have any way to configure options related to those 
features for example, since that would make the app more complex than it 
needs to be.

The examples I have mentioned (web-browsing, email, filemanagement) are simply 
a tip of the iceberg. Developers could simply write plugins that added 
functionality to the plasmoid, like they do now with KIO-slaves. I could see 
the plasmoid being used for playback of music and video, and doing some 
simple text-editing.

==================

I short, the plasmoid is simply about "doing things". When typing and sending 
email, instead of launching email-app, using it to type new email and then 
send it, the user simply types the mail. No apps to launch, just content he's 
working on.