New look for the system settings

[itsik]

I like it's simplicity but a more modern look would be better.

[Fenyx]

Re: New look for the system settings

KDE's System Settings is patterned after Mac OS X Tiger's System Preferences (http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/systempreferences/), minus the metalic look and some toolbar features. So in a way, it is modern. However, it really doesn't look that good in KDE, does it?

But IMHO, System Settings needs more than just a face lift. It needs a few surgeries as well, specially when it comes to handling the individual KControl modules/windows.

I wonder if voices such as ours ever get heard...

[lowey23]

Re: New look for the system settings

Suggest something, then.
It's easy to say something is wrong, suggest a way to fix it. What would you like to see included, what's missing? Am I the only user who is totally happy with their system?

[itsik]

Re: New look for the system settings

First of all a new background other than white (could be the same as in the file browser), maybe the topics (pesonal, hardware...) should be closed by default and a click on them would open what's inside, like most distros.

But if you want something realy new, modern and unique, than maybe a round menu like in the kubuntu logo that inside there would be explanations about the specific topic and whats in it.

[Fenyx]

Re: New look for the system settings

My major issue with System Settings is in how it handles Administrator Modes. It doesn't exit Administrator Mode unless you exit the whole application, unlike KControl. It's not really a big thing. In fact, some might find it to be a convenience, but I think it's quite contrary to what Ubuntu is pushing with using sudo. In sudo, once a command is done, you don't retain root privileges when you run the same command again. Granted you don't have to retype your password, but you still have to type sudo. I think that's how System Settings should work, too.

It also seems that System Settings seems to still be confused when it comes to window sizes. Sometimes it displays scrollbars if content exceeds the window size. Sometimes it expands the window to accomodate the content. It's not very consistent, and makes for a very confusing UI. Again, KControl does not behave like this. It's default is to retain the window size and provide scrollbars instead.

Another thing is that it removed the KDE Theme Manager. If there's one thing KDE lacks, it's a unified theme manager. KDE Theme Manager seeks to address this, but System Settings seems to want to reinforce having separate modules for each control.

Those are the bad part. The good part is that I actually like the layout. It doesn't look as clean as Mac OS X's, but it has grown on me and I find that I like it better now than the default tree view of KControl (which was what I preferred a few months ago). I also like the fact that the Display module now has an GUI to change the driver and display device. However, it's far from perfect (or useful?) but it's a step in the right direction. Of course, we still have to restart X in the end.

Another good thing is that they removed those settings that can be accessed from Konqueror and which is properly Konqueror's settings, basically File Associations and Web Browser settings. It avoids duplication and reinforces the idea of modularity.

As for suggestions, I have some, too:
1. A way to configure which settings/modules are displayed/available. Maybe I don't want to see the settings for Zeroconf or Bluetooth, etc. So maybe I could remove/disable them from view. Something like what we do with toolbars. You have a pool of available choices, you take in or out what you need/want.

2. The backround to be consistent with the desktop color scheme. IIRC, the background remains white, no matter what color scheme is used.

3. If they could actually think of a layout that is truly unique, not something "inspired" by some other OS, that would be truly great. It's not that I don't like Mac, it's just that I think Kubuntu should probably develop it's own visual identity. Imagine using the "Mac-type" panel, Baghira theme, and System Settings, you virtually have OS X. Nothing really wrong with that though. I'm just kinda jealous of SUSE or MEPIS or Ark Linux who have their own styles of control settings (although Ark's looks a bit like XP's).

Damn... I've said too much again...