Make kde 1st class in fedora

[Avi Kivity]

Olivier Galibert wrote:
> On Sat, Nov 18, 2006 at 08:37:16AM +0200, Avi Kivity wrote:
>   
>> Users want to configure using a gui.
>>     
>
> That's a common misconception.  Lots of users are perfectly ok with
> text configuration files, and even often like them more, because:
>
>   

How many of these users are IT workers or computer enthusiasts?

> - it's easier to find a file in a specific place than to find the
>   configuration-application-of-the-day
>   

It's only easier for developers.  Users know how to open Tools|Options.  
They have no idea where the config file sits.

> - it's easier to find what you want in it, especially when your setup
>   is nonstandard in any slight way.  Things hidden in the new tab of the
>   day which appears only when you click on allow advanced in a dialog
>   box coming from a menu can be quite frustrating.  In other words, the
>   interface part of a text configuration file is much harder to fuck up.
>   

If the configuration file is of any size at all (postfix, apache) you 
have to read a huge text file to find something.

If the configuration file omits some of the options, you have to read 
the manual page.


> - you can google using its contents
>   

Shouldn't you try the application's help first?

> - you often have useful comments in them, where the GUI equivalent
>   requires a number of manipulations to access
>   

Context-sensitive help?

> - you can grep a bunch of files to help finding where is the
>   configuration concerning <x>
>   

I'm a user.  What's grep again?

> - it's way easier to talk about it in email
>
>   

Especially for developers who dislike html mail.  Users don't want to 
talk about options, they want to change them.

> - you don't need to leave the keyboard for all your configuration and
>   

A good GUI will allow you to do everything through the keyboard (yes, 
I've used one that does).

>   you can see all the configuration options on one screen
>   

Again, assuming a short file, in which case the options dialog will be 
short as well.

> Of course, that breaks down if your "text" file is actually
> computer-oriented xml crap with a randomly generated name hidden 3
> levels down in a dot-directory.
>   

In that case it's probably designed for machine writing.  Hopefully 
there's a GUI for it.

> Debutant users don't want to configure, period.  Advanced users want
> efficiency.  Efficient GUI configuration tools are extremely rare.
>   

Efficieny for configuration?  Do you measure it in configs/sec?

A configuration task is usually one for which you don't know all the 
details, since it is rare.  In that case the most efficient interface is 
one that has visible hierarchical grouping so you can learn your way 
through it.

An example:  Thunderbird's Edit|Preferences|Display, "Plain Text 
Messages" group, 'Wrap text to fit windows width' checkbox, vs prefs.js 
mail.wrap_long_lines (it isn't there, you have to google for it or look 
in Thunderbird's config editor)

[yes, it's easier to type in an email.  but you'd get unwrapped text 
much. much sooner with the GUI]

For system administrators and developers, text files are fine.  For 
normal users, let them have their GUI.

-- 
Do not meddle in the internals of kernels, for they are subtle and quick to panic.