Bug 455272

Summary:	Simplify the interface
Product:	[Applications] systemsettings	Reporter:	Alberto Salvia Novella <es20490446e>
Component:	kcm_networkmanagement	Assignee:	Jan Grulich <jgrulich>
Status:	REPORTED ---
Severity:	wishlist	CC:	nate, plasma-bugs-null
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	usability
Version First Reported In:	5.25.0
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Alberto Salvia Novella 2022-06-14 20:05:31 UTC

I usually install KDE Plasma to people, and the most frequent complain I get is that is too hard to connect to wi-fi.

That is, on one hand, because the applet is buggy at this time. The next option they have the system settings module, which we will talk about here.

Users frequently are unable to figure out the interface. My suggestion is:

- Use simpler linguistics. For example instead of SSID, name it "network name".

- Visually separate common options from advanced ones. The user most of the time only needs to set the network name and the password field. The rest are special cases.

- Put those common options in the same tab.

- Automatically change the "connection name" to the SSID if unmodified.

- If possible make more evident that you can rollout the list of nearby networks, for example, instead of having to manually type the network name.

Comment 1 Nate Graham 2022-06-15 15:56:13 UTC

These aren't bad suggestions, but it's expected that the KCM shows more advanced settings than the applet. It's expected that people use the applet to connect to wi-fi, and it has a very simple and clear interface IMO. Are you observing that people are having trouble with it?

Comment 2 Alberto Salvia Novella 2022-06-16 08:17:55 UTC

With the applet, as you type the password, it changes SSID meanwhile. Which is a bug already listed in this bug tracker.

I think that the module should be intuitive despite the applet, and that just minor repositioning could improve that sensibly.

Otherwise MOST people is unable to figure it out.