[Usability] Lightening up the XDG menu

[Havoc Pennington]

Hi,

We have some patches along these lines in rawhide - I think we'd love to
get them upstream.

Havoc

On Sat, 2004-03-27 at 13:13, Frans Englich wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> 
> We all know how important the XDG menu specification is for integration 
> between the various desktop environments. But, unfortunately it creates a 
> usability problem when for example both GNOME and KDE is installed on one 
> computer - the menu becomes overcrowded. For example, in KDE's KMenu there's 
> a lot of applications which are either irrelevant or duplicates 
> functionality.
> 
> Usability wise I do not think this should be under estimated. Several 
> usability reports and articles mentions the problem in KDE although the 
> causes is so many more than only this. The sheer size is a problem as well as 
> it is confusing since many entries are identical or irrelevant.
> 
> The problem in the bigger picture is that the specification is not very 
> attractive to implement as well as installing multiple desktop environments 
> since it brings these usability issues. Thus hindering the the purpose of the 
> specification - integration.
> 
> 
> The solution I proposes is rather simple - with the help of the NotShowIn 
> desktop directive programs are made available only where they are useful.
> This is of course a sensitive issue, and that is why I have left out various 
> types of applications which would lead to too much discussion. 
> 
> 
> NotShowIn=GNOME;
> ----------------
> Sound Server Control
> Audio Filter Designer
> aRts Builder
> KMix
> Menu Editor
> Menu Updating Tool
> Configure Panel
> Desktop Settings Wizard(kpersonalizer)
> Wallet management Tool
> Screen Resize & Rotate
> Printing Manager
> System Log
> Print Jobs
> Desktop Sharing
> Info Center
> 
> NotShowIn=KDE;
> ------------------
> Bug report tools
> Volume Control
> Recording Level Monitor
> Sound Recorder
> GDM Configurator
> New Login
> New Login in Nested Window
> Configuration Tool
> Screensaver 
> 
> Similar, but listed so their counterparts are more clear.
> 
> Text Editor(gedit)		KEdit/KWrite
> Eye of Gnome ImageView	KView
> gThumb Image Viewer		KView/Konqueror
> Terminal				Konsole
> GGV Phostscript viewer	kpdf/kghostview
> CD Player				kscd
> GNOME Control Center	Control Center(kcontrol)
> Floppy formatter		Floppy Formatter(kfloppy)
> Calculator				KCalc
> File Roller				Ark
> Hex Edit				khexedit
> System Monitor			KSysGuard, kdiskfree
> Dictionary				kdict
> Character Map			Character Selector
> 
> One could of course object to all these, for example claiming that KEdit 
> should also be  available in GNOME etc. and vice versa. Then one should 
> perhaps consider what the implications are in the broader perspective and 
> also ask if it is not ok if the desktop environments profile themselves by 
> making these applications unique for themselves, thus choosing a desktop 
> environment means choosing a set of applications(which it in practice already 
> does).
> We should also not forget that some of these applications are surprisingly 
> similar, and that some does not even work when not run in their native 
> desktop environment.
> 
> To the contrary I most likely have gone to far, or missed crucial 
> applications, aspects or even major flaws in the idea itself. And that is why 
> comments, suggestions and discussion over this idea is highly appreciated.
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> Frans Englich
> KDE developer