Touch interface development

[Marco Martin]

On Monday 07 July 2014, Benedict Yappy wrote:
> Hi Plasma developers,
> 
> I'm a new linux and KDE (Sabayon) user on a touch-enabled laptop (Ideapad
> Flex 14), and also learning to code (could use some tutor :p). My
> touchscreen was recognized well.
> I'd like to discuss/ask about the current development/implementation of
> touch support.
> I have tried Plasma Active, but I still need to use my laptop as a
> full-fledged desktop where touch is simply an additional input device.
> 
> I found that my touchscreen is treated like a desktop mouse taken to the
> screen with immediate switching of cursor position. Such approach has some

this happens on every platform, even if hidden by the mouse cursor not being 
visible

> notable drawbacks compared with touch interface in other platform:
> 1. High accuracy necessary to register a double click. Double click in
> touch devices is prone to mevement of the pointer. Some tolerance in double
> is necessary for proper smooth operation. In android, single press is
> launching.
> 2. Touching and dragging is equivalent to click and dragging, which moves
> an item, not scroll the screen. To scroll purely using touch screen, touch
> users had to resort to dragging the scrollbar.

there is always the problem of scroll views that have items that are 
interactive, if for instance the item can be dragged, it precludes the 
possibility of flicking

> 3. Long pressing does nothing different with holding a click.

long press is recognized as an event, but i'm not sure things should manage it 
directly.

> Although applications are still not developed to be touch friendly, I
> believe some compromise can be made to accomodate touch users.

yes, I agree completely

> As touchpad is treated differently with desktop mice, maybe touch screen
> can be made as a separate input device. Such then, two options are
> available:

I think things like presision in double click or long tap behavior should be 
some kind of globas system config (I'm not sure if Qt has anything like that 
at the moment tough)


-- 
Marco Martin