Bug 432933

Summary:	Task Switcher -> Alternative feature is confusing
Product:	[Applications] systemsettings	Reporter:	Dan Dascalescu <ddascalescu+kde>
Component:	kcm_kwintabbox	Assignee:	KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	normal	CC:	kde.podagric, kde, nate, plasma-bugs, rakuco
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	usability
Version:	5.18.5
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments:	No context help

Description Dan Dascalescu 2021-02-14 11:50:50 UTC

Created attachment 135681 [details]
No context help

Like other users [1], I have trouble figuring out what the "Alternative" Task Switcher is. Those coming from Window might expect it's invoked via Meta+Tab, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

[1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/kde/comments/gvw8q1/what_is_your_main_kde_task_switcher/g3oysve/

Comment 1 Nate Graham 2021-02-16 19:57:42 UTC

Yeah nobody can figure out what this is for. :)

The UI could be improved here to either 1) remove the feature or 2) change it to be an explicit "Add additional task switcher" action that the user has to deliberately invoke, rather than always having exactly two and showing the config UI for both in the form of a tabbed view.

Comment 2 Dan Dascalescu 2021-02-16 22:26:30 UTC

2) could mirror the behavior of other DEs to invoke a different task switcher with Meta+Tab. I think Windows has/had a sort of 3D task switched that popped up on Win+Tab.

Side note: while at it, any change to have bug 433034 fixed?

Comment 3 Podagric 2021-11-07 17:02:15 UTC

> Yeah nobody can figure out what this is for. :)

I think we can.
Remove this function in the next plasma release, and if no one shows up to complain, we'll know it's useless and also that no one uses it.

Comment 4 David Edmundson 2025-01-27 11:01:01 UTC

>either 1) remove the feature 

I'm a big believer in Chesteron's Fence: aka  "that you should never change a rule, or do away with a tradition until you understand why it's there in the first place."

So to help dive into that 

Relevant commit is: https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/commit/76f17e6de1a5eca5cf3d1dba17c51377d80bb8c7

This is the main one that Dan is referring to https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=182897
But in the other reports it this setting was also relevant as a desktop switcher as well as a window switcher? Maybe that's something that got removed.