KDE 4: the ultimate business desktop? (Computerworld) [LWN.net]

KDE 4: the ultimate business desktop? (Computerworld)

Posted Dec 19, 2006 11:27 UTC (Tue) by fergal (subscriber, #602)
In reply to: KDE 4: the ultimate business desktop? (Computerworld) by pointwood
Parent article: KDE 4: the ultimate business desktop? (Computerworld)

Desktop interfaces to system configuration are great but that's not what we have. We have desktop managers of our systems. For example, I plug in a USB key in KDE, kio_media asks me what to do: Open in new window, upload photos to digikam, do nothing and a tick box for "always do this". Turns out do nothing really means what it says, it doesn't even mount the filesystem so let's add another option: mount filesystem but don't open any GUI file browsers. Now I tick the box and select the mount only action. What have I done? Have I set a system setting to automount usb keys? No. If I log in with Gnome or just on the console and insert a USB key, I'm back to square one - I'll get a prompt or I'll get my previously configured Gnome default behaviour or I'll get nothing at all if I'm on the console.

KDE wants to manage my hardware, Gnome wants to manage my hardware too, not so sure about XFCE. They should all just configure my hardware manager leave it to manage my hardware. Same for my power saving (which is even worse because apparently this problem has already been "the right way").

In fairness, printing mostly works this way now.

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KDE 4: the ultimate business desktop? (Computerworld)

Posted Dec 19, 2006 11:58 UTC (Tue) by pointwood (subscriber, #2814) [Link]

Okay, that isn't optimal for sure. I thought that when KDE or Gnome mounted an usb drive, it would be accessible from the command line too. KDE4 will be a big improvement I think. It should provide much better support for the various freedesktop.org "standards".

KDE 4: the ultimate business desktop? (Computerworld)

Posted Dec 19, 2006 12:04 UTC (Tue) by fergal (subscriber, #602) [Link]

If one of them mounts the drive it is accessible anywhere, however if I ask KDE to always mount a drive, I must be logged into KDE for this automounting to happen. If I'm logged into Gnome, the Gnome will ignore any decision I made with KDE.

KDE 4: the ultimate business desktop? (Computerworld)

Posted Dec 19, 2006 12:45 UTC (Tue) by pointwood (subscriber, #2814) [Link]

Okay, I understand your point now (I think :)), and I agree. I think there will be situations where that isn't possible, though I can't really think of any right now :)