what's up about plasma-mid?

Plasma and NetbooksImproving netbooks interfacesArtur Duque de Souza - MoRpHeUzJuly/2009, GCDS

Agenda

• Introduction• Important bits

• Panels• Desktops• Virtual Desktops• Activities

• Conclusions

Who are we?

• Nokia research institute in Brazil - INdT• openBossa - FOSS stream at INdT• Collaborating with Qt Software / KDE:

• Qt Kinetic <- that’s us :-)• Qt Webkit• Plasma Netbook <- that’s us :-)• ItemViews-NG

About me...

• Open Source developer since 1997• Graduated at UNICAMP - Brazil• Worked for IBM (Linux Technology Center)• Works for INdT (openBossa stream)• Contributions: Canola2, MythTV, HLBR, EFL,Maemo, MPlayer, KDE, etc.

• Plasma developer

Sed

sed s/mid/netbook/

NPD Research

• Online survey: 600 people• 60% thought the netbook could perform as wellas notebook

• 65% of 18-24 year-olds were disappointed

18-24 year-old people are the people that most buynetbooks

Netbook vs Notebook

• Definition• Intel definition:

’’...netbooks are for media consumption andnotebooks for media creation...’’

Netbook vs Notebook

• Definition• Intel definition:

’’...netbooks are for media consumption andnotebooks for media creation...’’

Important bits

• Panels• Desktop• Activities and Virtual Desktops

The Panel

Why do I need a Panel?

Panels are the perfect place to show information thatthe user needs to see all the time

• Clock• Systray (Notification)• Taskbar• Application Launcher

Panels vs Wasted Pixels

Panels + window decorations can be a problem...

Table: Wasted Height (pixels)

Windows XP KDE GNOMEWindow Decorations 25 20 24

Panel 35 35 24Total 60 55 48

Panel’s Location

Where should I put my panel ?

Panel at the top

Figure: Top panel and window decorations

Figure: Top panel and no window decorations

Figure: Top panel with autohide on

Plasma Netbook panel

• Panel at the top• Simpler: less code, less overhead• Space is optimized• Special applets: new taskbar (show windowseffect), window handler

ShowWindows Effect As Taskbar

The Desktop

The first desktop concept...

...a new concept...

1995: Windows created a concept that everybodyfollowed...

...until KDE 4

KDE4 Desktop

• Items are real-world objects• Desktop being useful: plasmoids• It’s beautiful ;)

Netbook Remix andMoblin

Misuse of the desktop

Figure: Netbook remix: Just a launcher

Average User

• Average user uses the desktop as a launcher• Research with non-geek users: ’I use this waybecause that’s the only way I know’

• The discovery of KRunner

Search & Launch activity

• Uses all the power of KRunner• Complex queries: user can search for what hewants

• Predefined queries: applications, multimedia, etc.• Favourite Strip to save queries• DISCLAIMER: the interface is not ready, it will notbe a ’stretched KRunner’

Search & Launch Activity

Virtual Desktops & Activities

Virtual Desktops

• Well known for KDE/Gnome/X... users• When users discover virtual desktops they justlove it :)

• Moblin: Virtual Desktops == Zones

Activities

• Containers of widgets• Different set of widgets for each context: home,work, travel, etc.

• Activity tied to a Virtual Desktop: union of twogreat features

• Integration with Nepomuk!• Perfect for small devices

Newspaper activity

• Column centric layout• Simple concept for average user: it’s easy tounderstand

• It’s better to use the available space

Newspaper activity

Applications vsWidgets

When should we use one or another?

Plasma IDEAS

Plasma Ideas - Summary

• Aimed for the average user, not KDE hackers• Simpler Panel• Newspaper activity• SAL activity: Search and Launch

Social Desktop

It will help KDE community to get in touch.Specially average users

Qt Labs America

• Qt / KDE place in America, starting in Brazil• Promotion and mentoring of FOSS projects• Tech-days in universities• Working together with KDE

Acknowledgements

• Celeste• Aaron Seigo• Marco Martin• Nuno Pinheiro• KDE e.V.• Trolls• Plasma team and KDE community• Reviewers: Leo Franchi, Richmoore and Alex Spehr

Questions?

Artur de Souza (MoRpHeUz)asouza@kde.org

morpheuz@openbossa.orghttp://blog.morpheuz.cc

Freenode #qt-kinetic #plasma

Thanks !