KDE 3.0 Screenshots 359
Lawrence Teo writes: "The screenshots of the upcoming KDE 3.x are out! More treats for you screenshot-loving people and I-need-my-desktop-to-look-perfect types. :-)" Frankly, they look a lot like ... previous KDE desktops :) That by itself says a lot about how mature KDE has become.
Why no animated window widgets? (Score:2, Funny)
Oh wait, these are just screenshots. Perhaps I just can't see all of the glorious animation? That must be it.
Still needs Customized GUI. (Score:1, Funny)
Beware... (Score:3, Funny)
"Friendly tips", eh?
Beware... the PaperClip also started like this...
Kind of a let down... (Score:1, Funny)
What the hell kind of interface is that? What do click on to get to the program menu, the "H" or the "T" (and which "T"?)?
Re:Still needs Customized GUI. (Score:4, Funny)
Oh yes, I totally agree. I don't know how many times I've thought "Y'know, Mozilla is really in the way of my terminal window. If I could just reshape my terminal window so that it resembled a big L that would really help my workflow!" Plus, if we were able to change windows into whatever shape we wanted it would certainly allow for some boasting rights over M$!
I just want to know if X could even be extended to support this.
Ooh! Ooh! You know what ELSE would be cool? If you could have windows that morphed all on their own! We could have Lava-Gnome or Lava-KDE or whatever. The artsy-fartsy types would flock to Linux from their wimpy Macs, and usability can just go fuck itself!
Wow. A whole new world of possibilities has just opened up before us. But would this be a cathedral or bazaar model for development? That's the important quetsion.
- Rev.Re:Still needs Customized GUI. (Score:2, Funny)
I want a circular terminal window with the cursor in the middle. As you typed, words would travel along a spiral that grew towards the edge. Scrolling back would be a simple matter of inserting a key into the middle and unwinding.
Re:Question... (Score:3, Funny)
Boy, talk about Freudian slips... :-)
Re:Why no animated window widgets? (Score:3, Funny)
Try M-x dancing-midgets-mode
Re:arrggg (Score:3, Funny)
Not (in all seriousness) to knock on anything that provided you with an epiphany but -- that's what perspective _is_. It's like saying that your position changes whenever you move.
Re:KDE == Windows?? (Score:3, Funny)
Have you ever seen Windows? Have you ever used KDE? Comparing KDE to Windows is like comparing kumquaats to mangoes. I mean, sheesh, it's another fruit. Can't they do anything original? Here I am tired of kumquaat tarts and what's my alternative? Mangoes! I want something different. How about dead rats?
Most of the features of windows are copied verbatim (ie. taskbar, "start" button, same keyboard shortcuts).
taskbar: GNOME has a taskbar. IceWM has a taskbar. Even MacOSX has a taskbar. Kicker is different though. You get icons (launchers, menus, special), desktop switcher, tasks, applets, etc. You can make it growable. You can even choose not to run it at all (try that with winblowz).
"start" button: Ever see that funny footprint in GNOME? It's called a root menu. Every usable environment has a root menu. Sometimes this root menu is on the RMB on the root window, and sometimes it's on a panel. If you don't like it on the panel, remove it and remap it to the RMB.
keyboard shortcuts: If you don't like them, change them. Use the CDE shortcuts instead, or create your own. The last thing KDE needs is to create a whole new standard. I've been using these exact same shortcuts since OS/2 Warp, and I have absolutely no desire to learn a new set everytime I try a new windowmanager or desktop.
However, it would be nice to see something a little bit more revolutionary in it's design instead of rehashing the same old crap.
The WIMP interface is "windows, icons, menus, pointers." Okay, here's revolutionary: round windows, replace all text menus with animated images, replace all icons with new and improved keyboard shortcuts. We'll get rid of the mouse altogether and make everyone buy a touch screen.
Re:KDE == Windows?? (Score:4, Funny)
Personally I am glad that Gnome and KDE are "borrowing" tried and true methods. If the people posting on this topic were left to "innovate" an interface we would almost certainly end up with a Windowing system that consisted entirely of round and triangle shaped Windows with pornographic themes. This interface would, of course, be voice enabled, but it would only accept commands in Klingon. Gnome hackers would be working on a patch that would also allow you to use High Elvish.
It would look cool, but it would be counter-intuitive as vi and as straightforward to learn as Emacs. Every time that Slashdot had a new story it would flash a painful succession of colors.
Personally I tend to use minimalist window managers. The eye candy only gets in my way. On the other hand, both KDE and Gnome should be commended for building a component platform that brings Unix desktop development to the next level. That's the truly interesting stuff. The fact that it looks like Windows is immaterial. The really important fact is that it is becoming possible to script together applications from ready built components (like Windows, except without the myriad downsides).
Re:arrggg (Score:3, Funny)
Wow. Bright girl, that tori amos. I remember another poignant quote she had: "When you close your eyes, you can't see anything. Always keep your eyes open to see."