On 5/20/24 3:14 PM, Mike Bird via tde-users wrote:
Sounds like a reviewer had issues with a HiDPI laptop. The article is here
but a subscription is needed to view it before May 30th 2024:
https://lwn.net/Articles/973130/
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out of date for managing networking on current Linux systems."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they be labeled "far out of date"?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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