
Virtual Filesystem
Various KDE 1.-4. Improvements
Source (link to git-repo or to original if based on someone elses unmodified work): Add the source-code for this project on opencode.net
This is a proposal to address an issue that was discussed on the kfm-devel mailing list. The problem was that even some of the greatest KIO Slaves offered by KDE are quite unknown. Many users have no idea how to use them because it requires them to enter special URL's in the location bar, like fish:// audiocd:/ or man:/.
This proposal attempts to make these KIO slaves accessible by adding a special KIO Slave called the locations slave. This locations slave is accessible by typing 'locations:/' in the location bar. It offers access to some of the most important available KIO slaves and presents them in a well organized directory structure.
The screenshots show what it could look like to browse the locations slave. Note that the user's home directory is one of the available locations.
Ideally, the locations KIO slave should replace 'file:/home/user' as the default default location of Konqueror's file browsing profile. The home directory will be one click away, but so are many other powerful KIO slaves..
There is no code, it's just a proposal.
jpcohen
16 years ago
For accesing kio slave there is the konqui side bar wich is there whan u need it... And it's looks too much like a ripp of microsoft windows "my computer" interface => i mean like a "toy interface". Well just my opinion ... But before anything is an idea...
Report
oliverthered
16 years ago
Turn on the side bar, select serives, find audiocd:// fonts:// print:// bluetooth://
reliesa will do fish:// smb:// telnet:// ssh:// and probably ftp and http
man:/ info:// etc.. are still missing, but help should be under help
zip:/ etc.. are already intergrated view the file browser.
The one missing link is, settings:/ which should be on the desktop.
Report
nunogomez
16 years ago
This already exists in Turkix, it's called kiostart.
You can have a look at it on http://www.turkix.org
You can reach its source codes from http://cvsweb.turkix.org
Report
DarkLord
16 years ago
But just to point this out directly: Making "locations:/" default instead of home is a bad bad thing. "normal users" (those who would not and should not need to know how to change the default back to "file:/home/user") will have to (read: should) work inside their home directory 90% of the time they open their "File Manager".
That said there should be a easily viewable and accessible icon on the desktop saying something like "Locations" or "Start Here" (oh.. that's another DE ;)).
Report
anonymous-hive
16 years ago
http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=94858
I agree, the default should open to the user's home directory, but at the same time the user should be able to discover the network protocols by having the abilty to add them to their tree-view.
Konqueror should be smart enough to include network protocols that are already in use (for example, Samba or NFS shares that are already mounted), and at the same time give the user the ability to add new protocols.
Report
vladc
16 years ago
http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=94858
I agree, the default should open to the user's home directory, but at the same time the user should be able to discover the network protocols by having the abilty to add them to their tree-view.
Konqueror should be smart enough to include network protocols that are already in use (for example, Samba or NFS shares that are already mounted), and at the same time give the user the ability to add new protocols.
Report
vide
16 years ago
Report
DarkLord
16 years ago
Seriously, home beeing the start point for... well, everything makes it even more understandable to new users.
What else? A big fat STORE YOUR STUFF HERE sticker? I don't think that's needed.
Moving away from that only stirrs confusion as to why people shouldn't have all their data messed around their whole FS.
Report
amantia
16 years ago
I appreciate your work (not only this, but also the others) and I hope you all know that this is not against this or other entry or the person who created it (Dik in this case). But there is one thing that makes me (and not only) think that there is some problem with this site. The problem is with the rating system and with categories. It's really strange that entries that are not code appear on the kde-apps.org and even stranger that an entry without code or which is basicly a set of patches reaches the top positions in the matter of days. I can understand that they are popular and they are good ideas, but they are not real applications and it just breaks the credibility of such "highest rated" list when you see that it's rated higher than big and highly appreciated applications like K3B, Krusader or Quanta. Yes, I'm biased, but I don't write this because Quanta falls down one place or two, as I know that the user base is stable and appreciates is, but because in the current case nobody can take such a list seriously. In some cases if the patches get integrated in the applications (or in the KDE base/libs), the entry will be outdated. If the ideas doesn't materialize, they get outdated. If they are and become patches or integrated in applications, they are outdated. But the rating remains and will just pollute the list. So my idea would be some kind of reforming of the top items:
- new entries get some kind of penalty regarding the rating
- old entries without downloads or new ratings will also get some penalty
- some categories should not appear there
Nobody has to follow my ideas, maybe I'm completely wrong, but whatever, I had to write down this. ;-)
Andras
Report
meneerdik
16 years ago
I posted this thing exclusively on kde-look.org, because there's no code. Yet, it shows up at kde-apps.org. What's going on here??
Report
vide
16 years ago
So, until things changed, it works this way. And anyway all these kinds of apps fall down "KDE improvement", which is a different catagory from Quanta one, even if Quanta IS a KDE improvement :)
Report
kdeappsce
16 years ago
Greetz all,
ce
Report
kdeappsce
16 years ago
I put a quick and dirty fake here:
http://home.t-online.de/home/mchristoph.eckert/kio-fake.png
Report
MMax
16 years ago
Make it real!
Report
pfeifle
16 years ago
Somehow my long comment to this most excellent suggestion was lost by Appsy. (Also, there were about 2 dozen more comments before mine, and they are all gone....)
OK -- I will write my thoughts down in my blog (http://www.kdedevelopers.org/blog/418) which hopefully has a longer memory [and maybe even more readers ;-) Â Â ]
Report
MMax
16 years ago
If you look from a wery end user perspective, you'll notice that regular users doesn't use the location bar often.
I know many users and don't know anyone that is using those functions. The problem is in usability, because most user only click things.
The main KDE usability problem is that there are many good things in KDE but they are too hiden. I'm using KDE for 3 years now, and I just found out that you can calulate with simple math functions like +, -, *, /,... in "Run Command" window (ALT+F2), this week.
Did you know that?
Report
jagax
16 years ago
Report
panzi
16 years ago
Report
matt-matrus
16 years ago
Matt
Report
pfeifle
16 years ago
I very much like your mockups --
[-1-] http://www.kde-look.org/content/pre3/17800-1.png,
[-2-] http://www.kde-look.org/content/pre3/17800-2.png,
[-3-] http://www.kde-look.org/content/pre3/17800-3.png ,
I withdraw my idea of a drop-down combobox-like URL-protocol-selector as described in my blog (http://www.kdedevelopers.org/blog/418). -- Your idea is much better. My drop-down probably is too difficult to implement in a clean, non-intrusive way. Â Â ;-) Â ;-)
Your concept of a new "super-kio" or "meta-kio" slave named "locations:/" is much cleaner.
To make it fullfill its purpose (namely, that all important kioslaves should become more exposed to users, and that their use should be made as easy as possible, and that it should sport a clean user interface), the darn thingie should however be very well visible:
* make it the default for Konqui's "Home" button on all new installations (with the option for users to change it to something else). That would create the desired visibility.
* create a shortcut with icon "Locations" on each desktop on the upper left corner. That could create additional visibility.
* each one of the kio-slave icons in the "locations:" folder should have a wizard associated with it in a right-click context menu. That could help the ease of use.
* each one of the kio-slave icons in the "locations:" folder should have a well-worded tooltip as well as a WhatsThis entry, as well as a complete documentation (the end user documentation in this field currently sucks big time). That could help to increase the ease of use.
* only the most important kio-slaves should be directly visible in the "locations:" folder (max. 6 items). The rest should be hidden in a subfolder. (To add more items, click on subfolder, which opens on separate window, and drag'n'drop icons from subfolder to main "location:" folder. Explain this when subfolder is opened...). This could help keeping the user interface clean...
Cheers,
Kurt
Report
rbruch
16 years ago
Just select and the location bar will automatically put the 'locate:/' or 'file:/' or 'ftp:/' or 'kio-slave:/' then you just have to complete with the direction. It's just too a smart way to know which kio-slaves have installed.
I'll try to make a pic and post it as improvement to explain it better
Report
pfeifle
16 years ago
----
Are you thinking of a pic similar to this one?
  ---> http://www.kdedevelopers.org/blog/418
Report
moon115
16 years ago
If it is diferent then I think I would still prefer to see it as a sidebar item so it is always a klick away for those who want it
Report
meneerdik
16 years ago
I don't think features like browsing remote computers (SSH/SFTP/HTTP...) will fit nicely into the sidebar.
Report
sirtalon
16 years ago
Have a look in the KInfoCenter -> Protocols at all the KIO-Slaves installed on your system. Some intelligent system to figure out what each kio-slave can do automatically and then add it to the appropriate places would be really good.
Maybe putting Personal Files, and Devices under something like 'Local Files' would make it a bit more organized. Also in this 'personal files' you could put a link to the FS root, and some other nice local protocols like locate: to search.
Report