Introductory widget

[james147]

Goal: To create a widget that can be placed on the desktop to introduce new users to kde.

I would want to keep the widget about pure kde and not describe any distro specific stuff to allow any distro to pick up and use it as is. That said I also want it to be extensible so that distros can add their distro specific stuff to it.

My plan was to create a qml based plasma widget that could load the pages (which would be qml files) from a directory, allowing the pages to be easily modified by different distros. But the number of pages and actual content should be kept to a minimum, other wise users will just get board and wonder off. Ideally I think the number of pages should be kept to around 6, though one of them should be dedicated to directing the users to where to find more info (this number is just a base I will increase it with good reason), the user should be able to read them all in about 5-10 minutes.

Contents:

1. Introduction/Greeting
   1. Welcome to KDE
2. The Desktop (Widgets/Panel)
   1. Widgets on the desktop
   2. The panel
   3. Kmenu
   4. Task manager
   5. System tray
3. Activities(/Virtual desktops?)
   1. Virtual desktops (or would including this just confuse things?)
   2. What are activities
   3. How to use activities
4. Common applications
   1. Web browser (konqueror)
   2. Office (Calligra)
   3. Multimedia (dragon player/amarok)
   4. Messaging (Kopete)
   5. PIM (kmail and friends)
5. Getting more info and help
   1. IRC
   2. Fourms
   3. Contributing

This is what I think the core of the application should be, any more detailed information should probably be in the kde help application. Though after the user has finished the "introductory" pages I wouldn't mind it switching into a "tip of the day" mode to give the user other random hints and tips (though focus should first be done on the above introductory pages).

The source code is available at github for anyone that is interested.

If you want to help with writing content check out this google doc.

[james147]

As a first step, rather than a "How to..." perhaps a "Kubuntu Desktop Setup" widget, outlining many of the simple configuration settings, links to the applicable SystemSettings sections etc.
Certainly not intended to be a comprehensive master the KDE desktop exercise, but more intended to answer the simple questions often asked here and on other forums, for example, "How to STOP Firefox opening on EVERY restart". Perhaps links back here to these forums for when more comprehensive support is required also.

I think with the knowledge base we have available to us via the members here this initiative could prove to be a valuable "Welcome", come transitioning feature of Kubuntu.

I don't even intend it to answer allot of the simple questions about kde/kubuntu, that is far out of the scope of this project as there are allot of questions. However it would be nice for it to point to there this information can be found so that users can search for the questions they want them selves with out much effort.

I also want to keep it kde specific as I would want to design a widget for generic kde that can be used by kubuntu and any other distro as this makes it far more useful. Though it should be extensible so that the distros can add their own content.

[james147]

I agree on your widget idea! I'm not sure what a new user would prefer in general but I would much prefer a tour/tutorial heavy with pictures and/or linked or "sliced". As my memory tend to be better in visual rather then text, it might just be me, but with visual content the new user might not get tired with huge blocks of text. Besides - this forum is mainly text based and there's quite a lot of textual resources and How-To's.

I agree, it should be visual based with very little text and my plan is to use qml files as the pages so they will be able to do anything that qml can

I'll start brainstorming what should be included( I guess some goes without saying, but anyhow)

How to ....

Basic desktop use.

• use the widgets
• understand plasma desktop
  • what's the cashew ?
  • unlocking-locking widgets
• understand activities
• adding and moving panels
• functionality
  • desktop effects - cube/sphere
  • desktop screen edges
  • Senior management - desktop scaling/magnifiq

Install desktop items/applications

• add a widget to desktop
• install a widget from main repository (lancelot?)
• add the restricted repository (mp3, DVD support? -basic comment regarding free vs propriety)
• add a repository using the GUI
• add a repository using CLI (launchpad & kde-goodies?/other well maintained ppa)
• install a application from either of those new repositories GUI & CLI
• install widget from a .tar.bz package (KDE-looks/apps)
• set up and customize your desktop
• install WINE

Hardware

• adding/mounting a harddrive GUI
• make that harddrive auto mount on bootup
• basic printer setup
• set up wifi (if needed and/or basic troubleshooting - install extra package?)
• install propriety graphic driver using jockey (comment on kernel/reboot?
• understand why ext4 don't fragment files

Safety

• understand the firewall? and settings frontend
• install or not to install anti-virus application
• basic knowledge on safety
  • there are root-kits - don't install "anything"(!)?)
  • not to spread virus via e-mail

Interaction

• Set up Kmail
• add a plugin to dolphin linking to Flickr/image service(?)
• using IRC
• Quassel
• Kopete
• launchpad - bug reports (brief comment on GNULinux community?)
• KFN - policies/rules and Netiquette

These are some I think would be helpful to the new user. As stated some maybe goes with out saying for most, but not for all, some will only be links or very brief, but I think they will reduce the number of posts on KFN - giving more time to answer other questions - time well spent perhaps? I'm sure there are many things that I've forgotten, or take for granted that most people simply just know. Some of above are questions I've seen on "help the new guy".

i saw that there is a youtube/google account called kubuntuforum, someone here?

Best regards

Jonas

I feel this is a bit to much for the widget to contain (at least for the introductory part), it should be short and simple to get the users started and give them hints on where to get more information. Though I feel that some of this can be presented to the user in a "tip of the day" style mode after the initial introduction.

[Jonas]

Goal: To create a widget that can be placed on the desktop to introduce new users to kde.

I would want to keep the widget about pure kde and not describe any distro specific stuff to allow any distro to pick up and use it as is. That said I also want it to be extensible so that distros can add their distro specific stuff to it.

Keep in mind that some distros like Debian stable is using a old version of KDE and may lack some features (maybe those wont be included in a breif presentation).

I agree, it should be visual based with very little text and my plan is to use qml files as the pages so they will be able to do anything that qml can


I feel this is a bit to much for the widget to contain (at least for the introductory part), it should be short and simple to get the users started and give them hints on where to get more information. Though I feel that some of this can be presented to the user in a "tip of the day" style mode after the initial introduction.

I totally agree,the list is too extensive, all those bullets was more a list where functions could be added or removed, something to take off from. A video would however (I could make it if needed) very quickly and brief include many of the bullets above. But I do agree to keep it simple.

Glad someone who can make a widget took the time to add this feature, myself is no coder, even though I could learn I think it would take too long and not so polished.

b.r

Jonas

[woodsmoke]

These are marvelous ideas and the topic is very near and dear to my heart. I won't bore people with links to the number of posts I have made advocating...

... that if a simple thing like this were done that the number of Kubuntu users would increase greatly.

And the very simple reason for that is that the number of "explanations" for just about ANY distro litter the net and are spread wide and far.

INMHO The new user does not have the desire to wander aimlessly looking for information, if they at least THINK that the "main body" of information about a totally new approach to the desktop is in one place for easy reference then I think that they would me much more LIKELY to "give it a shot".

About all that I could do is "proofread" and critique sentence structure etc., because you folks are the smart ones, but I would be more than glad to do that.

woodsmoke

[james147]

Keep in mind that some distros like Debian stable is using a old version of KDE and may lack some features (maybe those wont be included in a breif presentation).

I am not planning to account for older versions of kde for various reasons. Firstly it is allot of overhead as I would need to test the features on each version. Secondly, I am creating a plasma QML widget, which from what I know required qt >=4.7 (and similar kde version) so it won't even work on much earlier versions of kde. Lastly, this widget is basically useless unless installed by default and current versions of distros are unlikely to add a new widget to their default layout so I am mostly designing it to be included in future versions.

The ideal situation would be to get it merged with the official kde and set as default in their future version and let downstream distros modify it as needed so this is the goal I would work towards.

A video would however (I could make it if needed) very quickly and brief include many of the bullets above. But I do agree to keep it simple.

A video could be interesting, but would bring some technical difficulties such as creating more effort on updating small parts of the video as it would largely involve recreating the video. It would also increase the download size of the widget quite abit which might effect its adoption (as it would be harder to fit on livecd and take longer to download).

Glad someone who can make a widget took the time to add this feature, myself is no coder, even though I could learn I think it would take too long and not so polished.

I could still use someone to design the pages and come up with the content for each page.

[james147]

About all that I could do is "proofread" and critique sentence structure etc., because you folks are the smart ones, but I would be more than glad to do that.

You could also help come up with the pages contents and structure

[james147]

Contents:

1. Introduction/Greeting
2. The Desktop (Widgets/Panel)
3. Activities(/Virtual desktops?)
4. Common applications
6. Getting more info

I was thinking that it would be hard to get all the info we need into this small set of pages so wouldn't be against the idea of subpages for each of these areas.

1. Introduction/Greeting
   1. Welcome to KDE
2. The Desktop (Widgets/Panel)
   1. Widgets on the desktop
   2. The panel
   3. Kmenu
   4. Task manager
   5. System tray
3. Activities(/Virtual desktops?)
   1. Virtual desktops (or would including this just confuse things?)
   2. What are activities
   3. How to use activities
4. Common applications
   1. Web browser (konqueror)
   2. Office (Calligra)
   3. Multimedia (dragon player/amarok)
   4. Messaging (Kopete)
   5. PIM (kmail and friends)
5. Getting more info and help
   1. IRC
   2. Fourms
   3. Contributing

Anything need adding or removing or rearranging?

[woodsmoke]

Hi James147

I would be glad to help but there will just be a lot of "reading to do". And end of term will be coming up soon so it would be of great help....

If folks who may think that they can't do that technical stuff, would volunteer to just read the text and comment on it, that would greatly speed things up.

Basically, it is just reading to see if "it makes sense".

We have all read instructions and said "that could be said better" or "what does that mean?".

So.... if we could get more people on board that would greatly speed things.

woodsmoke

[james147]

woodsmoke, coming up with the content in the first place would be much more helpful atm (this is probably where I will have most trouble) for example:

So far I have "Welcome to the KDE Desktop, <brief explanation of kde needed>" for the welcome page ^^ would be nice if someone who can word at things would help with this so I can focus on the framework

Proof readers will be helpful as well, but I will need help with creating something for them to proof read first.

I have almost finished a working prototype to give a better idea of how it will behave.

[james147]

I have mostly finished the basic framework for the widget, it is available on github for anyone that want to play with it.

It doesn't contain any content yet so help with that would be greatly appreciated. It also needs some (read: tons) of polishing to make it look good, though allot of that will have to be done when there is some content on the pages.

It is written in Qt Quick (qml+javascript) so it quite simple to create and edit pages for it and doesn't require much technical knowledge to do (so I encourage you to).

[woodsmoke]

Ok, so we might discuss some salient points for the text.

Do you have a rough idea of how many lorem ipsums would "fit" on a "page" in the widget? Or are there any kind of "constraints" in terms of the programming? Such as there was a "note" widget some time back that had a maximum size.

Or, will the text be able to be "scrolled"?

I would suggest that others take a whack at this by maybe, writing instructions on how to open the default menu.

This is NOT a trivial suggestion.

Describe, stepwise, how one opens the default menu and then navigates to a menu item, such as LibreWriter and then "activate" the item.

That is NOT a trivial set of instructions. It represents, en small, how one would describe how to operate the text formatting in LibreOffice.

The person could then, privately, send the steps in a pm or e-mail to you, or maybe me, and you/I could "critique" it.

After that then the person might feel bold enough to do something slightly more complex and repeat the process.

After a while we might get a true COMMUNITY cadre of people to do this.

just a thought.

woodsmoke

[james147]

Do you have a rough idea of how many lorem ipsums would "fit" on a "page" in the widget? Or are there any kind of "constraints" in terms of the programming? Such as there was a "note" widget some time back that had a maximum size.

Or, will the text be able to be "scrolled"?

The maximum size is the size of the users monitor (minus their panel I supose ) though this can vary quite a bit. I am aiming for a minimum size of about 400x200, and a default of about 600x400, though this is easily changed. As far as actual content, the pages can do anything a qml application can, so we could allow scrolling (or better yet, hiding and showing text and images). I also plan to use images as much as I can as they explain things allot easier then flat text.

I suggest you download the widget from github and test it out, feedback on the behaviour is welcome and it will give you an idea about how its going to work (I have basically finished the core structure now).

It can be downloaded and run with the following:

git clone git://github.com/james147/intro-widget.git
plasmoidviewer intro-widget

or installed with

plasmapkg -i intro-widget

(Note that there seems to be some bugs with the viewer in that is default to a size smaller then the minimum size and has some artefacts when resizing the window)

Edit: O yeah, that assumes you have git-core installed

[woodsmoke]

thankyew....thankyew....verrah much!



woodsmoke

[woodsmoke]

bump,

We need people to write simple instructions about how to do things. Those instructions can then be tweaked for "consistency "etc.

woodsmoke