Off Topic Chit Chat - (Silliness factor 5)

[elite]

@tbg

I wrote a scathing review of recent Dolphin UI changes on the KDE forum recently. I and others were complaining about changes severely affecting the usability of Dolphin. I had been waiting for a fix for months to what I assumed was a bug. When I went searching to see if a bufix was in the works, I was shocked to find out this was a deliberate modification to Dolphin on the KDE Devs part.

Others were complaining of about how the changes destroyed their workflow, as Dolphin had always brightly highlighted the last directory visited while file browsing. The complaints from others had fallen on deaf ears for months as the devs continued to justify why they felt their changes were an improvement.

I attacked the changes not from a usability standpoint, but from the way it negatively affected users with visual and memory impairments. I criticised them for making KDE more difficult to use for users suffering from disabilities, when they claim they are trying to make KDE easier to use for the segment of the population suffering with disabilities.

Up until then every KDE dev that had responded to peoples criticisms had claimed they were justified in their changes. After my post, a dev finally responded that they had listened to their users complaints and they would reverse the changes to Dolphin. Unfortunately, the response didn’t sound like reverting the change was a priority and they would get to it when they had time.

At least the devs listened, but when it actually happens is a whole different matter.

I read that one in real time as it was breaking down it was nuts. they could have made the change an left the original way as a option. I wish for some changes they would post on the forum, “here’s some things we want to change an here is how they look and behave.”
I know they have to force some things sometimes or nothing will change but when it comes to affecting users with difficulties there should be a option an maybe a end date (plasma 7) on when it will no longer be supported. or just ask for funding to keep it maintained. I try to keep up with some of the changes via the matrix. I’ve been a little successful with maintaining global menus or jut the “file, edit, view, etc” since i help an build / buy systems for people who have little to no mobility an navigate with the eyes or mouth.

Personally I want to rant about it. Cause the way hamburger menus are an the fact that they have no control over 3rd party apps like what apple could do. they are never in the same spot so you cant map software to them an they have reduced options.

An if blind the way gnome has things as icons where the tilebar an stuff is never gets spoken by a screen reader or makes since on where it is. It rubs me the wrong way cause they have people on the team that are blind so this should be something that is known.

The last kde issue that I didn’t really mind tbh. Since I use the location bar with the option “make location bar editable” and show full path, but I do wish they would have asked for some pre planing feedback i dont mind the loom either way as long as its not 100% simple mode. Location Bar Style - Help - KDE Discuss

i get that they want to update the look of qt but slow changes are better then quick ones.