I think, we could save a lot of time and make KDE more usefull with adding some rather often used functions to the popupmenus from konqueror. I saw WindowsXP in action with the bar on the side in "My Computer". There are buttons for "Copy file", "My Documents", "My network places" and so one. I think this is generaly a good idea, but we are all able to copy our files by drag&drop. But some more options in the popupmenu could realy be usefull:
-> touch -> upload to ftp -> submenu with often used ftp-servers -> send by mail (should be inteligent enough to pack file when usefull, maybe when sending folders, more than one file or large uncompressed file formats. On the other hand, it should not pack a single ogg or jpg) -> submenu with all people in the adressbook -> entry "Adress by keyboard..." -> entry "Adress from clipboard" -> send by icq -> submenu with all online friends
-> Run with arguments -> Run as Root -> Run as different User -> Submenu apearing with all Users on the system
-> Copy to musicdir -> Play, append to playlist -> Play, clear playlist
-> New... -> New C++ Project (launching KDevelop and lets you selecting a template. Today, KDevelop wants to create a new directory, but some people first make a new dir for their project, writing their ideas down in a textfile, an then start kdevelop) ->
-> Use as background -> Copy to gallery (something like My Pictures in XP) ->
There are also some things that belong to the distribution, but I write them also down here:
- Konqueror should open Gimp XCF-Files with "gimp-remote -n ". How wants to have 20 instances of Gimp running for editing 20 Files? You are not able to select the right Gimp Mainwindow for the current open file. They all look exactly same. - Konqueror can open textfiles in it's embedded textviewer, but asks me for a programm when I wanted to open a file named README or INSTALL or COPYING altough these are textfiles.
There are some other things that would improve usability: - KPackage should show an InstallShield-like wizzard when an rpm was opened that is not already installed - KFontinstall should do something similar although there isn't a need for such a tool in the XFree, New users don't know that the font-files have online to be copied in ~/.fonts. The wizzard could do this job for them and showing them in a QLabel how to install a new fontfile by hand. KPackage could also tell the user that an rpm can also be installed with "rpm -i ". Maybe a controllcenter-option could tell all applications that they should show the user the commandline-commands for doing their job by hand - Iconthemes for KDE are tgz-Files. If we would rename them from crystal.tar.gz to crystal.icons, konqueror would identify them as iconthemes and could provide a preview with an installbutton
I'm using Mandrake 8.2 with KDE 2.2.2 so some of these ideas might be allready implemented. Im sorry, but I'm not able to install Mandrake 9.1 until I bought a new CD-drive to check wich point are allready there.
Please excuse my bad english, because im from germany but I thought to try it in english so more people would understand my ideas. Suggestions and corrections are welcome
(No homepage yet, the link is only to my page)Last changelog:
I'm already making major changes to kfontinst. I'm planning (and have almost completed) changing it to a kio slave. There'll be an entry in knoqueror's side-bar called "fonts", this would then enter the URL "fonts://" - so you can just drag-n-drop fonts into this to install them. This would then configure them for fonconfig (i.e. basically just putting them in ~/.fonts (for non-root)) *and* configure them for standard X programs. This way it will also work for non-fontconfig enabled systems.
I'm also planning to leave and entry in KControl so as to remain consistent - but this would just be another interface to the ioslave.
1. Version 2.2.2 is 17 months old, so it doesnt make much sense to add feature requests based on it. Many of your requests are already possible, like the "Run ..." suggestions
2. Many people will argue that Konqueror's context menu already has too many items, and does not need more
3. Your suggestions have the best chances when you submit them as 'wishlist' items to bugs.kde.org
Though some things will require some additional coding (in the form of scripts) Here is a basic .desktop file that will add a fully functional Touch command to the context menus.
[Desktop Entry]
ServiceTypes=allfiles
Actions=touchFile
[Desktop Action touchFile]
Name=Touch the file
Icon=reload
Exec=touch %F
I like mac osx's solution to ftp sites. The finder (or in kde's case konqueror) mounts an ftp site whenever you go to it on the desktop. So then you can copy files to/from that new folder on your desktop seamlessly from other applications inside kde or from konqueror
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I'm already making major changes to kfontinst. I'm planning (and have almost completed) changing it to a kio slave. There'll be an entry in knoqueror's side-bar called "fonts", this would then enter the URL "fonts://" - so you can just drag-n-drop fonts into this to install them. This would then configure them for fonconfig (i.e. basically just putting them in ~/.fonts (for non-root)) *and* configure them for standard X programs. This way it will also work for non-fontconfig enabled systems. I'm also planning to leave and entry in KControl so as to remain consistent - but this would just be another interface to the ioslave.
If anyone's interested, you can find more details at: http://members.lycos.co.uk/cpdrummond/
1. Version 2.2.2 is 17 months old, so it doesnt make much sense to add feature requests based on it. Many of your requests are already possible, like the "Run ..." suggestions 2. Many people will argue that Konqueror's context menu already has too many items, and does not need more 3. Your suggestions have the best chances when you submit them as 'wishlist' items to bugs.kde.org
Though some things will require some additional coding (in the form of scripts) Here is a basic .desktop file that will add a fully functional Touch command to the context menus. [Desktop Entry] ServiceTypes=allfiles Actions=touchFile [Desktop Action touchFile] Name=Touch the file Icon=reload Exec=touch %F
I like mac osx's solution to ftp sites. The finder (or in kde's case konqueror) mounts an ftp site whenever you go to it on the desktop. So then you can copy files to/from that new folder on your desktop seamlessly from other applications inside kde or from konqueror
Really it isn't hard to create your own service menus. Here is a helpful url: http://developer.kde.org/documentation/tutorials/dot/servicemenus.html