LXDE is an acceptable substitute for Gnome 2

[Genes MailLists]

On 09/24/2011 07:46 AM, Craig White wrote:


> 
> Whether people are programmers or not is decidedly not the point here.
> The GNOME developers have made a decision to revamp the UI to account
> for the fact that computers are extending beyond the model borne out of
> Xerox PARC... a keyboard, screen and mouse. They are attempting to
> satisfy display scenarios that might be as small as a telephone to very
> large and often multiple large displays. They are attempting to satisfy
> the fact that keyboards and mice might be eschewed in favor of touch
> input and gestures. They are attempting to satisfy the notion that usage
> embraces work flow and workspace(s) and not just application launching.


  Its one thing to add tablet/phone ("metro") mode - its another to make
laptops (or desktops) much more difficult to use.

> 
> You can't go to the Ford dealer and buy a brand new 1957 Thunderbird but
> essentially that is what is being asked of here... an eternal version of
> GNOME that was envisioned and started 10 years ago. 

  Problem with argument by analogy is that it often makes little sense.

  Every car you buy still has wheels just as the very first ones did
(support for keyboard) .. and they all have a steering wheel (a mouse)
... and they all have an engine and a speedometer ... what has happened
to cars is largely additions and automation to make things easier
(headlamps that track steering - they wisely did not remove headlamps) -
switch to LED lights (not remove lights) ... add auto-back-off cruise
control for collision avoidance (not force mouse to move to top left)
... etc ect

> 
> I can appreciate that long time computer users who only use a keyboard,
> mouse and screen and little adaptability to how they interact with
> grander concepts of work flow and workspace might want to drive the 1957
> Thunderbird forever and if there is a sufficient number of modestly
> skilled users, they can keep repairing the Thunderbird forever. I wish
> them luck.

  Its not the users - its the vehicle - when I'm using a phone/tablet
i'll use the tablet version... when I'm using my multi core server I
have no touch sensitive screen ... when I'm flying a plane I'll use
different controls than driving a car (or a boat). Don't force me to use
boat controls for my plane if you don't mind :-)


  I would take your point really to mean we should offer a phone/tablet
spin as well as a lap/desk top spin. The default spin ... I have no view
... however only having a phone spin for fedora is silly.

  Of course we have the other DE's which are better suited - so my
suggestion is  move Gnome-3 to a tablet spin and make KDE or LXDE or
XFCE the desktop spin and be done with this silly bickering.

  Vote for which is the default spin or base it on percent of
tablets/phones running fedora if you prefer.

  Gnome 3 is not -the- future - its just todays tablet spin ...

> 
> Then again, even the most casual reading of the intent of Fedora makes
> it clear that it embraces the latest technology advances and those who
> just want things to remain as they are should probably not be using
> Fedora but something like RHEL or CentOS which provide long term
> non-change by intent.


  One must use the right tool for the job - the "latest" here is the
phone spin - doesn't mean we should switch that for all devices ... lets
not pretend you're gonna hold your laptop up to your face and make a
call ... are you? :-)

 gene