KDE Kirigami UI 2.0 Beta Released: Better Android Integration, QQC2 Focus

[nomadewolf]

KDE is late to the Mobile Convergence scene, but it seems to have the best view on the subject IMO.
Canonical, M$ and Gnome tried to have a single UI and everything runs everywhere, while Apple wants everything separate.

Having the software work on both platforms but with different, specialised UIs is the way to go. For me, at least...

[M@yeulC]

So basically following in Ubuntu's footsteps with the vision of converged computing experience, lagging behind though, but it is good to have more projects doing the same, I like the idea of convergence and I hope that someone will succeed in it and give us converged devices and complete OS, Ubuntu is half way there, KDE just started, ultimately I dont care who will do successfully build it, I definitely want a Linux phone and desktop Linux in my pocket. Ubuntu Touch is migrating to snaps which is just what it needs because snaps will enable greater flexibility and availability of nearly all desktop applications as most can be snapped rather easily. It will be a massive milestone towards a fully working desktop Linux in my pocket, when that is complete I want a phone with a powerful octa or deca core CPU, 4+ GB RAM, 64+ GB of internal memory, HDMI port and WiFi screencasting and I am all set then. Snap Viber and Skype and even that can work on the phone without official clients.

I hope I won't sound condescending, but IIRC, KDE was first with their failed plasma active attempt. Which is a shame, because it sounded promising. As for snap, it solves a problem, but there were and are already better solutions in my opinion. A bit like if Mc Donnald's discovered chopsticks and marketed them as the only known solution to mankind for sticky fingers. I exaggerate a bit, but that's how I see it.

starshipeleven : let's not forget that the *original* target of Linux was/is the desktop, so it would be nice if it could fit here

ElectricPrism : I didn't watch the videos you posted, as it was inconvenient for me, but those screenshots are from a kirigami showcase app, available from Google play. It is obviously not this discover app, which is a "software center" IIRC.


Now, I have a question: why not just provide native smartphone toolkits support with Qt widgets? I do not care that much if I have to manually design some interfaces, as long as the backend is unified, and the front end API is constant (Just load another up file). I never made any app for Symbian, but IIRC, it was using widgets this way.
What's wrong with Qt widgets???

[bug77]

Cerberus Like noted above, desktop is not one of the (many) strengths of Linux. To the point that putting Linux on mobile, required ripping off the usual DEs and starting anew.

[starshipeleven]

Remember what a Disaster was Gnome 3.0 (while KDE 4.0 was fine) because it was too much too soon and functionality wasn't as big a part of the design process as it should have been. Only later was Gnome Shell Classic introduce to ease converts in after the ride was bumpy as all hell.

fixed.

[starshipeleven]

I agree that convergence is probably the future, but it is pretty disappointing to see that Linux as a whole is not doing much about it, only Ubuntu and lately KDE are pushing for it,

Well, that's already large part of Linux Desktop community right there.
Let's please remember the old adage: Linux's main target is NOT the desktop.

IoT and mobile computing will certainly become a thing in the near future and Linux needs to be ready to compete on those markets,

For IoT, anything that isn't a microcontroller runs linux already in some form and projects like LEDE/OpenWRT have some people (a guy plus some support from lead developers of the distro) working at adding a sane/safe framework for IoT. http://lists.infradead.org/pipermail...er/004111.html

[ElectricPrism]

ElectricPrism Multiform factor is not the only thing needed for convergence, you need a mobile OS that will use your converged shell and I dont think Gnome reforms well on a phone screen, even if it did it would still need a complete Linux OS that works on mobile hardware with all the required telephony functionality.

Sure, that form factor is included in the definition of "Convergence", however so is "Smart Watches" and other Wearables.

In my example and personal experience it's my opinion that Gnome Shell does scale well to to a 720p-1080p 7-12" device. Whether or not the software scales to a ARM MobileOS is another technical hurdle and another discussion than the UX.

As a designer dealing with UX scaling all the time I find that a one-size-fits-all is often counter-productive even though it trys to intuitively produce "The Next BIG Thing"

I think that's part of the problem working on passion alone - we all do crazy things just to see if we "can" and forget whether or not if we "should".

Remember what a Disaster both Gnome 3.0 and KDE 4.0 both were because the innovation was too much too soon and functionality wasn't as big a part of the design process as it should have been. Only later was Gnome Shell Classic introduce to ease converts in after the ride was bumpy as all hell.

As a multi-form-factor designer it is my opinion that a one-size fits all approach is fundamentally flawed and inferior to tried and true. Users expect design popular semantics to be repeated and often oppose and reject attempts at innovation because they want technology that leverages their existing skills and don't want to learn a whole new system or whole new UI.

This is good sense to live by
"you were so busy asking if you could you forgot to ask if you should"

[Cerberus]

ElectricPrism Multiform factor is not the only thing needed for convergence, you need a mobile OS that will use your converged shell and I dont think Gnome reforms well on a phone screen, even if it did it would still need a complete Linux OS that works on mobile hardware with all the required telephony functionality.

[Cerberus]

Cerberus I thinks this whole convergence thing is just a natural evolution. As our devices grow ever more connected, it's reasonable to try and offer a familiar, seamless experience. I also believe Windows is farther along in this endeavor. It will be a while till we get there. And several iterations. Unless we decide we need an entirely different thing in the meantime.

I agree that convergence is probably the future, but it is pretty disappointing to see that Linux as a whole is not doing much about it, only Ubuntu and lately KDE are pushing for it, having convergence is a lot of work for sure, but I believe it has a future, IoT and mobile computing will certainly become a thing in the near future and Linux needs to be ready to compete on those markets, I am curious to see the snaps on Ubuntu Touch, they may be the key to achieving some kind of success because snapped versions of desktop applications will help to fill the gap in mobile applications, Ubuntu Touch has some really nice native applications, but even most Linux users sneer at the fact it doesnt have Viber and Skype, with snaps you can use desktop versions, integration might be clunky, but it definitely should work.

[ElectricPrism]

1. Gnome is mostly already multi-form factor enabled simply by UI design. I regularly NoMachine remote in to my Linux Desktop and Linux Home Server on my Samsung Tablet and it looks great at the 720p resolution.

Onscreen Keyboard is listed in the Accesability dropdown menu and works nicely on GDM and in Gnome Apps.

2. Gnome HIG has played a role, I wish and hope that KDE has their own Spec to bring Order to Chaos.

https://wiki.gnome.org/Design/HIG

3. I'm under the impression that this Discover App is Kirigami

4. Here's another one I found

5. More Pics

[bug77]

Cerberus I thinks this whole convergence thing is just a natural evolution. As our devices grow ever more connected, it's reasonable to try and offer a familiar, seamless experience. I also believe Windows is farther along in this endeavor. It will be a while till we get there. And several iterations. Unless we decide we need an entirely different thing in the meantime.