Video: Plasma Active Two on my Samsung tablet

[SteveRiley]

At long last...behold!

For the new folks joining KFN, here's the history behind me trying to get Linux -- any Linux -- to run on this goofy tablet. Finally!

• First attempt, described at Ubuntu Forums
• A post chronicling some experimentation with UEFI (on ThinkPads, but relevant as the Samsung is UEFI)
• Initial, if incomplete, success at getting Ubuntu to boot
• My rant about Microsoft "accidentally" sending me a 1099, claiming I owed taxes on the tablet
• Balsam's build of Plasma Active Two, running but mostly non-functional
• First actual useful install, KFN post created with Kubuntu Active

[bra|10n]

Very cool and nicely done, thank you. I think you highlight what is possible with Active at the moment and what still needs work.

I watched and couldn't help drooling over the possible theming options, conky and html content that could be running.

[SteveRiley]

Thanks. Remember that what you're seeing are my initial reactions after spending only about two hours with the UI before I shot the video. As I rewatched it, I wondered whether I might have been a bit too critical (I seemed to use the word "frustrating" a lot). I'm thinking of making another video after I become more familiar with Plasma Active, to show off additional capabilities. Oh, and with a higher resolution on the camera, too

[bra|10n]

Well I thought it a good first look and UI assessment given how we all use and are familiar with the KDE environment. Additional videos might capture the developing 'comfort factor' when viewing Active right from the beginning.

[woodsmoke]

Well, bravo! Great job getting it to work on the tablet!

A comment and a couple of questions, if I might.

a) From what you discovered about getting into KCM and the "expected" ability to "enlarge" the stuff onscreen by dragging, and the QML "aware" apps, possibly that is why there has been a few months since the initial announcement and the projected shipping of the tablet. It might be that they are worried about the user expectations about stuff like being able to expand with dragging. etc. Don't know just a thought.

b) Off the top of your head, how many times do you "miss" hitting the button for something due to size of button compared to position on edge of screen and size of finger?

c) I did notice the last week or so the number of times that my lab assistant "fingers" something on her IPad. It is not much. I have never used one, but I wonder about the number of "things" that a normal Linux user does with a mouse or CLI compared to the normal Ipad user, and if that will translate into user fatigue as it were, on a Linux system?

just a coupla thoughts and if no answer that is fine.

again, great job!

woodsmoke

[SteveRiley]

Well, bravo! Great job getting it to work on the tablet!

Thanky thanky.

a) From what you discovered about getting into KCM and the "expected" ability to "enlarge" the stuff onscreen by dragging, and the QML "aware" apps, possibly that is why there has been a few months since the initial announcement and the projected shipping of the tablet. It might be that they are worried about the user expectations about stuff like being able to expand with dragging. etc.

I half suspect it's my hardware. Remember, that tablet has the goofy Atmel touchscreen, which has consistently been problematic. I'm not sure that driver support is fully baked yet.

b) Off the top of your head, how many times do you "miss" hitting the button for something due to size of button compared to position on edge of screen and size of finger?

Excluding the on-screen keyboard, finger landings (is that the correct term here? heh, I dunno) are spot-on. When I engage the on-screen keyboard, accuracy goes to hell. I blame myself at least in part because I have an aversion to non-physical keyboards. I'm still carrying a G2 for the same reason, and that phone's a dinosaur by now.

c) I did notice the last week or so the number of times that my lab assistant "fingers" something on her IPad. It is not much. I have never used one, but I wonder about the number of "things" that a normal Linux user does with a mouse or CLI compared to the normal Ipad user, and if that will translate into user fatigue as it were, on a Linux system?

Interesting observation. Adapting something originally designed for keyboard only, and then extended to support a mouse, seems to be a real challenge. I know that before I got Bluetooth working and had a truly functional keyboard I felt very lost on that tablet. One time, before Bluetooth, I tried rotating the screen using the display settings module, and X completely crashed. I landed back in LightDM-KDE (blah) and had no keyboard to enter my password!

[GreyGeek]

Steve, you made me drool on my shirt, again!

Excellent review of Plasma-Active!

Did you get a chance to check the usual apps: Chrome, OpenOffice, KMail, Skype, Google Voice/Talk, Hangout, etc...?

It would be nice to post this video on the front page of KFN, and also send a link to the KDE dev crew and Aaron Seigo.

[SteveRiley]

Thanks, kind sir.

I've tested nothing beyond what I showed in the video. I had to add the Xorg-Edgers PPA to get everything working, as X.Org 1.12 is required for proper touch support of my tablet's Atmel screen. In time I'll add more apps, try them out, and make more recordings. Alas, I don't use most of what you specifically mentioned, however...

I've already promoted my post to an article, and it appears at the bottom of the front page of KFN.

[SteveRiley]

Hey, my video got Reddit-ed!

I feel like another video is in order. One that shows Activities as (I think) they're meant to be used. Admittedly this might be difficult, since I tend to think about my tasks grouped by application and not by project (=activity), but hey, most of us are in this mode anyway. Doesn't mean it's right. Then again, I'm also not convinced -- yet -- that activities are any better. Perhaps my mind just isn't quite out-of-the-box (er, out-of-the-window, haha) right now!

[GreyGeek]

I'm looking forward to it!