Hi Guys

So far so good - installed FC10 this weekend. Still compiling and setting up my fav packages and stuff, but I must confess I really don't like the "new" KDE desktop much. Especially the default tasklist widget.

Coming from FC6 (with KDE 3.5) it was a bit of shock to have to add buttons to the taskbar in such a roundabout way (on the kickoff menu, select "add to taskbar") - why not just click and drag icons onto the taskbar...

Also why the sudden "locking" of icons? What's the point? I find myself constantly locking and unlocking to move icons around and add stuff - it seems like an unneccesary encumberance vs. FC6 and KDE 3.5. The fact that un "unlocked" taskbar has the apostrophe icon that removes quite a bit of horisontal screen space on the taskbar does not help either.

But anyway, much of it is nice, and I still just probably got to get to know it better.

HOWEVER

The default task list widget... it's a disgrace. In FC6 the KDE 3.5 task list behaves -perfectly - grouping similar tasks, and using a small enough font that quite a few tasks can be listed in quite an accessible way. In KDE 4 the tasklist widget appears NOT to group tasks, and its font is so huge that if you have five or six tasks running, it becomes nigh-impossible to see what is running, nevermind selecting a task - you've got an area ten or twenty pixels wide to click on!

Why on earth doesn't it stack tasks vertically as well, like FC6's KDE did?

Furthermore it appears impossible to change the color of the taskbar, you cannot relocate it to the sides of the screen anymore, it cannot "slide" like the KDE 3.5 taskbar etc. etc.? Also its color is horrible, but appears fixed...?

I've looked around but I cannot find an alternative taskbar widget, or better yet a "KDE 3.5 taskbar for KDE 4.2 (?) widget" - does something like that exist?

FC10's KDE is nice, but I think in terms especially of taskbar related functionality it has regressed instead of progressed - it seems MUCH less flexible and configurable...

Any ideas on how / where to get a PROPER KDE 3.5 style taskbar, or failing that, tasklist widget for FC10's KDE version??

Thanks,

update upgrade first

Is 4.2 on your Fedora 10?


Force fonts dpi to 96 ?

Hi

Thanks for replying.

Yep, 4.2...

Ok, so letting the upgrade do its thing will change the taskbar?

Ok thanks then, as soon as I can get that machine connected...

Regards,

rylan76, you are absolutely right, Instead of making things better and flexible KDE on FC10 does a poor job indeed. I would like my desktop to cover the entire screen much like FC8 instead of bothering to pull at the corner of the desktop widget to cover the screen. Things are much difficult now. No drag and drop icon on desktop option, horizontal arrangement (no lineup icon option), moving frequently used icons on the taskbar more difficult, no send to desktop shortcut option, the list is endless...

Time the KDE programmers took notice and did something about this. The whole concept of plasamoid is dumb. They must at least allow user to switch to KDE3.5 until this mess is fixed. The real impact will be felt when more people switch to KDE4.1 and get the shock treatment.

Or better still switch to GNOME

[I switched to Gnome, but it's flakey. Desktops sometimes vanish, shutdown button sometimes doesn't work, ...]

I doesn't have to be this way. Boot a recent kubuntu CD and see if it works better. I found it more pleasant to use - maybe someone has taken the time to smooth out some of the rough edges. If Kubuntu would let me install dual boot with an encrypted FS I'd switch today.

Most of the things you mentioned are possible I think you just need to get comfortable with it.

For grouping just right click the taskbar and select task manager settings. In there are grouping options.

As with locking it is a nice feature really saves accidental drags. If you dont like it then dont ever lock it. You have a small icon that shows up in the right but it is relatively attractive and small.

I am able to drag icons to my taskbar also with no problems.


To move the taskbar just click the icon which pulls up a bar where you can set the height and move the bar all around.

I am using fedora 10 KDE fully update.


I am not a complete fan of KDE 4 but I am also trying it out.