[tde-users] Re: LWN.NET: Trinity keeps KDE 3 on life support

On 5/20/24 3:14 PM, Mike Bird via tde-users wrote: Today the article became available to non subscribers. Please read before replying. :) Possible helpful points: "None of the major Linux distributions have an official TDE spin or include its packages in their official repositories...." The Q4OS folks officially support TDE, but Q4OS probably is not considered a major distro. Does having a "Tubuntu" spin improve credibility? That TDE is not part of official repos does seem to raise eyebrows when other "lesser" desktop environments such as MATE, Xfce, Cinnamon, Budgie, LXQt, LXDE, and Enlightenment are supported officially. Would be nice to see TDE receive more positive support upstream, but is being included in official repos important? "Though the Trinity web site claims compatibility with newer hardware, it had some significant issues with a high-resolution (HiDPI) laptop display and external monitors over Thunderbolt connections." Outside of KDE and GNOME, a lazy web search seems to indicate none of the other "lesser" desktop environments provide a Thunderbolt management front-end. "For example, on a 13" laptop display with 2256x1504 resolution, TDE's user-interface elements were too small to use comfortably." A 13" inch display seems small. Maybe not. In today's world where many computer users wear eyeglasses, how many people can "comfortably" use a 13" inch display at such high resolutions? How do other desktop environments or window managers fare in that same environment? High resolution support probably is something that should be addressed in TDE, but this complaint seems to be a nit pick outside an area of how many people use computers. "Trying to use the network settings utility pops up an "unsupported platform" warning, and provides a list of supported distributions: the most recent of which is from 2015. The backend for the network settings is the knetworkconf package, a collection of Perl scripts that are far out of date for managing networking on current Linux systems." Fair enough. Conversely, if the scripts remain functional then should they be labeled "far out of date"? Perhaps as long as this specific backend exists, a tracking item should exist that the visible distributions list is updated before release. At least provide the illusion of being current. "Network configuration is still possible with NetworkManager, but it isn't integrated into TDE." Perhaps the author was unaware of the tdenetworkmanager package. I have not used the package and can't vouch for usability. Does the TDE package function similarly to the KDE NetworkManager front-end or the GTK nmcli-applet? "Users have plenty of configuration options for mice, but no trackpad options at all." The lack of a trackpad/touchpad front-end seems a fair point. KDE has an extensive configuration module for touchpads, while Xfce has a nominal config module. Probably the other "lesser" desktop environments have modules too. There is an active feature request (tdebase 481) about adding TDE Control Center support features. Is this a critical issue? "Konqueror is still a decent file manager, but it doesn't handle modern web sites well at all." Subjective, but Konqueror still rates as one of the finest file managers. Using Konqueror as a web browser has been debated for years, within KDE circles and back in the KDE 3 days. Konqueror remains part of KDE although the underlying web engine has been updated. How well does KDE Konqueror handle "modern web sites"? "The Kopete instant-messaging application offers to connect users to networks and protocols that are either dead and gone (AIM, Yahoo, Windows WinPopup) or well out of mainstream use (Novell GroupWise, Lotus Sametime)." Perhaps the dead and obsolete protocols should be purged from the TDE source code. "Support for more recent protocols, such as Matrix instant messaging, is not to be found." Matrix is a relatively new kid on the block. The first official release was 2019. KDE has an "umbrella" project called neochat. Outside of KDE, most if not all of the current Matrix clients seem to be third-party rather than desktop natives. Possibly a fine feather in the cap, but should TDE developers be expected to provide a Matrix client? "The vintage version of Amarok that is included still lists internet radio services that are defunct, and it immediately crashes when trying to play AAC files." If true then perhaps the defunct services should be pulled from the code. Has anybody confirmed the AAC issue? Personal thoughts: Commenters offered points about interface design and usability requirements for why TDE remains a valid option. Some of the article issues seem reasonable, but mostly I am reminded that articles with these kinds of titles are written and published for click-bait value. Rather than a muckraking article, this article could have been written with a perspective and title of "Trinity Continues the KDE 3 Spirit and Design." These types of articles are not what I expect from lwn.net.

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