Simplicity vs. Customizability in Desktop Design
Linked by Allen Boyles on Mon 7th Nov 2011 09:46 UTC
Graphics, User Interfaces In the commercial software world, user interfaces are generally designed by one group. Like Microsoft for Windows or Apple for Mac OS. Those desktop environments were designed by one company who did things like user testing and statistical analysis to try and make the desktop they thought would work best. Linux is different. Large groups definitely DO perform user testing and statistical analysis, but one group can also say "Here's what we want" and, if they have the ability to code it, their idea comes into being. It's pretty amazing, when you think about it. Linux lets people create what they want. If you don't like what's out there, fork it! Or start from scratch! You're in control!
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simplicity AND customization
by Damnshock on Mon 7th Nov 2011 16:04 UTC
Damnshock
Member since:
2006-09-15

What's wrong with having both?

KDE it pretty close to that. I feel like I have full control over my desktop and at the same time the defaults work pretty well for everyone. I set different accounts for my friends if they ever come home and need to check anything and all of them feel comfortable with the default configuration of KDE.

And for those(like me) who need control? You can alter practically everything: you don't want taskbar? just get rid of it. You want the panel on the right monitor on the right side? Set it! You don't like maximizing on double click? change the behaviour... and that's a never ending story of things you can change

Reply Score: 3

RE: simplicity AND customization
by cfgr on Mon 7th Nov 2011 17:03 in reply to "simplicity AND customization"
cfgr Member since:
2009-07-18

Exactly! I want simplicity, but I want simplicity my way. I'm a great fan of fluxbox but I think KDE looks a bit better, so I've removed all functionality I don't need and made it look like my fluxbox desktop (but with prettier eye-candy). All I have is a taskbar (with tray and clock) and a few keyboard shortcuts. I did have to replace the ALT-F2 launcher with fluxbox's though, KDE's launcher is completely useless to me without tab completion. The result is simplicity for me.

If you do customisation well, it's perfectly possible to build a sane default configuration for your target group (i.e. let the distros do the job). KDE does it right, although I think Gnome3 took an interesting path as well with their javascript customisation (see http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1851). Let's give them some time to get things right, Rome wasn't built in one day, nor were Gnome2 and KDE3/4.

Edited 2011-11-07 17:05 UTC

Reply Parent Score: 3