Version: (using Devel) Installed from: Compiled sources plasmoid handles: show full frame around, not only one-sided rectangle o is plasmoid # is handle Some screenshots, currently it looks like this o# but it is better to have it like this ### #o# ### of course not equal in size all around. Why? Because currently due to shape of some plasmoid you have space between handle and plasmoid and it is very odd when you move mouse cursor from handle to plasmoid and handle disappears. Second -- it is easier to grab it (handle). Third -- it looks nicer (for me at least) and more convenient (now handle looks like attached and cut off at the edges). Fourth -- it is easier to move plasmoid against handle (handle on the left then to the right, handle on the right to the left).
this is what we had in 4.0.x, but changed to the current implementation after user feedback and working on improving the interaction and visuals.
Aaron, movement of mouse handle -------> void space (*) ------> plasmoid (*) which causes the handle to off and on I think it is misunderstanding. The previous one was much better, because it was, well, a frame, so with plasmoid there was no empty space inside. So: a) user feedback, this is a bit surprising who was actually hurt by frame b) interaction -- it is a regression, not improvement now c) visuals -- well, different tastes then, I like plasmoid+handle as a one piece, not as plasmoid with something attached to it.
Maciej, We have to deal with two things - visual aspect when user is on a plasmoid like folderview and don't need to configure it. The configuration of a plasmoid is not the only thing user do with it. - usability to configure the plasmoid This two things are important. About the visual aspect i think than the new applet handle is much better. About the usablity, Aaron have done a lot of amelioration in the interaction with the user. There is no more lag and the user can catch the handle more easily than with the old one. I think the idea to have the handle draw with 4 borders is not relevant because of visual aspect and i think than there is any usability advantage to have it like the old one because the border who doesn't contains icon ware too tiny to be catchable. The only case than could be problematic is like you said when you not have strictly rectangular plasmoid so we have a space between the plasmoid and the handle who can make more difficult the reaching of the handle. For the moment, the only case we have like this is with the clock applet, which is draggable by itself...
> - visual aspect when user is on a plasmoid like folderview and don't need to > configure it. The configuration of a plasmoid is not the only thing user do > with it. This "controversy" is due to unclear statement what is the purpose/difference between locked and unlocked mode. I can speak of course here for myself but I will use unlocked mode to configure KDE, lock for using it. So for every user with such workflow there will be no visual impact (negative I mean) when using plasmoid. > About the visual aspect i think than the new applet handle is much better. I cannot agree -- the plasmoid are not rectangular, and handles too. So plasmoids with handle does not look like one piece. Handles sometimes are longer, sometimes are shorter (reason unknown) than plasmoid. So just from visual perspective for me it is downgrade. > There is no more lag and the user can catch the handle more easily than with > the old one. I am not discussing timeouts, and such stuff. Those are unrelated issues, you can have old behaviour with rectangle handle and new behaviour with frame handle. > I think the idea to have the handle draw with 4 borders is not relevant > because of visual aspect and i think than there is any usability advantage > to have it like the old one because the border who doesn't contains icon > ware too tiny to be catchable. ? Non-existent border is even harder to catch. > For the moment, the only case we have like this is with the clock applet, > which is draggable by itself... Yes, now, I know the clock. In future this problem will just increase or users/developers won't make anything except rectangular plasmoid because any other shape will not fit into KDE. Why not provide solution that will last longer than "for the moment"? Frame provides rock solid interaction with any plasmoid you can think of, and while not solves the problem of handle "slipperness" it adds some margin for error.
Created attachment 26114 [details] shaun-xeyes You are familiar with xeyes? It would be great to have plasmoids providing such functionality, but with current behaviour it is no-go for KDE4. Take a look at the attachment, user would go crazy (in negative sense). So, again, do not limit users providing new plasmoids but offering them only adjacent handle -- make it full frame, to operate more easily (not mentioning a11y issue here). And btw. I would really like to have _this_ plasmoid on my desktop, no kidding :-)
"new plasmoids but offering" -> "new plasmoids by offering"