I don’t know, maybe I’m dumb, but every time I’ve tried KDE4 I’m just lost. With KDE3 I can just right click on pretty much anything I want to change (desktop, panel, icons, etc…) but in KDE4 I can’t even figure out how to change the menus or configure the desktop. I am going to have to learn it, I suppose, so I’m wondering if there’s a roadmap online anywhere that tells where the things that came (to me, anyway) simply in KDE3 are hidden in KDE4? (And what’s that thing on the upper right of the screen for anyway? It doesn’t seem to do anything.)
You are right at the heart of a problem. There are hundreds of requests for help on this topic on the forums. While most people here are helpful, it would be more helpful if there were a central how-to or faq you could look at. Too often, the answer is “its not mature yet!” or “look at this video.”
I’ve pretty much got the hang of it now. But, too often, if I change things, I have to learn all over again by trial and error. For example, I accidentally deleted my panel with task bar and system tray (here is meta example… I just now mentioned three things that used to be one thing trying to explain a fourth thing) and it took me two days of trying to recreate it before I remembered (actually sort of stumble on) the one click fix.
I don’t mind dealing with flaws of a work-in-progress, but someone smarter than me should put together a guide.
I had a heck of a time trying to change the time on the digital clock. Adding non-kde apps to the panel is a pain. Right-click/Desktop Settings is not what I call Desktop Settings.
Why they thought they had to change everything eludes me. They made it harder, not easier.
That’s the philosophy of KDE - lotsa features, lotsa options… which can be unnerving when not every feature is perfectly implemented. Note that KDE4 is still under development.
You do know about the ‘systemsettings’, don’t you? (Offers much more than the plain rightclick → desktop-settings)
Learning tends to be hard if you program your mind to always think the usually things that you do. Like, while using kde4 your mind tends to implement what you have been used to do in kde 3.
When I first tried sketchup, being used to build architectural 3d (perspective layout) in auto-cad, it made me go nuts, because my fingers always wanted to type the commands in a-cad. It was just when I changed my strategy of focusing my mind away from a-cad and directing it to think that I am in a completely new environment like inside a lions den when I became comfortable using it.
On the side, now when I am doing manual loose freehand sketches , while holding the marker with my right hand my left hand fingers still wanted to type 3d commands.lol! You know why this happens, it is because hand drawing is seldom practice now a days. computers rules this trade now. Computer killed my skill>:(
Patti you’re not dumb just new give yourself chance!
While AFAIK there’s no roadmap I’ll do this.
You mentioned the “thing in the upper right corner” that’s the widget control(that’s what I call it). I’m going to attempt to try to guide you thru to get the clock.
1.If you haven’t already update to the latest KDE4 version in YAST after it’s done
2. click the widget control, a box will show up with a list of widgets, select a widget in this case select the digital clock
3.click add widget close
If all has gone well you should have a digital clock on your desktop.
Now to move the clock on you desktop just left click it & you can move it anywhere. When you hover over it do you see a a box with a like spiderweb on it? If you do that’s how you size it. The rounded arrow is what you use to rotate it,the wrench for configuration & the red X deletes it.
Now to put that same clock in your panel
right click in a blank area of your panel
2.select panel options you’ll see a bar over your panel that’ll have Screen Edge, Height & Add widgets
3.select add widgets select digital clock
4.click add widget then click the X in the red ball at the end
If all has gone well you should now have a clock in your panel
For your panel clock to move it once again right in a blank area of the panel
1.click panel settings
2.once the bar is back over the panel hover over the clock you should see a dot with 4 arrows left click that to move your clock.
3.Once in a position you like click the X in the red ball
4.Now right click the panel clock select Digital Clock Settings
there you can config the panel clock.
Once done there you can add more widgets or go back up to widget control & click lock widgets.
These instructions look complex but they’re not try 'em you’ll get KDE4. If you’re smart enough to use Opensuse you’re smart enough to learn KDE4.
Changing the time format is in Desktop Settings/Regional and Language settings but adjusting the time isn’t in the Desktop Settings manager at all, it’s in System Settings; why?
You can’t drag icons and applets to rearange them on the panel anymore, you have to open panel settings first; why?
You cant add a launcher that’s not already in the menu – such as a shell script – you have to open menu editor and add it to the menu then open the menu, right-click and add it to the menu; why?
Every day I run into things that require more clicks and more work to accomplish than the way they were before.
>
> I don’t know, maybe I’m dumb, but every time I’ve tried KDE4 I’m just
> lost. With KDE3 I can just right click on pretty much anything I want
> to change (desktop, panel, icons, etc…) but in KDE4 I can’t even
> figure out how to change the menus or configure the desktop. I am going
> to have to learn it, I suppose, so I’m wondering if there’s a roadmap
> online anywhere that tells where the things that came (to me, anyway)
> simply in KDE3 are hidden in KDE4? (And what’s that thing on the upper
> right of the screen for anyway? It doesn’t seem to do anything.)
>
> THANKS!!!
> :’( Patti :X
>
>
Yes find it hard to find things that should be readily available.
Example: where do I find the equal do 3.5.9 desktop configuration–>
desktop–>behavior–> device icons?
