<jensreu> Sry had to run up frm the laundry room... back properly. Vision is still out there as it needs to actually make sense, feedback is sorted but writing it again is a paind in the arse.
<jens_> Riddell: rough as the previous proposal was met with some protests and interesting things. Would be good to actually meet in person to finish it otherwise we will get stuck again
So rewrite after last - will post to email list as well:
Text:
"Plasma Desktop is a cross device work-environment where total trust is put on the users capacity to best define her own workflow and preferences.
Plasma is simple by default, a clean work area for real world usage which intends to stay out of your way.
Plasma is powerful when needed, enabling the user to create the workflow that make her more effective to complete her tasks.
Plasma never dictate the users needs, it only strives to solve them. Plasma never defines what the user should be allowed to do, it only ensures that she can.
Our motivation is that we enable actual work to happen, across devices, across different operating systems, using any application needed.
We build to be durable, we create to be usable, we design to be interesting."
The reasoning behind this text:
The key aspects of it is that Plasma is "Cross Device" - we state that as clearly as possible. "Simple by default, powerful when needed" has to be repeated within it to hammer that in as that is, in many ways a communicative tool we really want associated with Plasma.
The focus is "work" and "tasks", IRL stuff focusing on a user that needs to solve an actual problem instead of an attempt to create further ones through complexity. At the same time we want to ensure that we never strip the user of options (this is one of the weak points in the vision - more on that below)
Finally its the poetic vitruvian line at the end: Firmitas, Utilitas, Venustatis. That something is "well built" or "durable", that something is "usable" (from a users perspective easy to use) and finally "beautiful" or interesting to use - inspiring usage. Build/Create/Design is intended not as work roles ("designer" etc) but something we all do ("designing the system" for example).
weak points.
It never mentions "privacy" or "freedom" directly, it doesn't mention "multitasking".
"work-environment" btw is based on input from the last draft - essentially we are not a "desktop environment" as that connects it directly to laptops/stationary computers and ties it too harshly to a certain set of devices.
Suggested edits: Replace "interesting" with "beautiful"
"Plasma Desktop is a cross device work-environment where total trust is put on the users capacity to best define her own workflow and preferences.
Plasma is simple by default, a clean work area for real world usage which intends to stay out of your way.
Plasma is powerful when needed, enabling the user to create the workflow that make her more effective to complete her tasks.
Plasma never dictate the users needs, it only strives to solve them. Plasma never defines what the user should be allowed to do, it only ensures that she can.
Our motivation is that we enable actual work to happen, across devices, across different operating systems, using any application needed.
We build to be durable, we create to be usable, we design to be beautiful."
The worry I have here is that "beautiful" sounds pejorative in modern English.
Suggested edits: replace interesting with elegant and remove the "total"
"Plasma Desktop is a cross device work-environment where trust is put on the users capacity to best define her own workflow and preferences.
Plasma is simple by default, a clean work area for real world usage which intends to stay out of your way.
Plasma is powerful when needed, enabling the user to create the workflow that make her more effective to complete her tasks.
Plasma never dictate the users needs, it only strives to solve them. Plasma never defines what the user should be allowed to do, it only ensures that she can.
Our motivation is that we enable actual work to happen, across devices, across different operating systems, using any application needed.
We build to be durable, we create to be usable, we design to be elegant."
Sounds really good!
Here is a proof-read version:
"Plasma Desktop is a cross-device work environment where trust is put on the user's capacity to best define her own workflow and preferences.
Plasma is simple by default, a clean work area for real-world usage which intends to stay out of your way.
Plasma is powerful when needed, enabling the user to create the workflow that makes her more effective to complete her tasks.
Plasma never dictates the user's needs, it only strives to solve them. Plasma never defines what the user should be allowed to do, it only ensures that she can.
Our motivation is that we enable actual work to happen, across devices, across different operating systems, using any application needed.
We build to be durable, we create to be usable, we design to be elegant."
Added suggestions from Email list:
Mario Fux: Line 5 "Our motivation is that we enable actual work to happen, across devices, across different platforms, using any application needed."
Martin Fluser also commented that there is a worry that users will use this Vision as a club against developers to support every single workflow under the sun.
And that we hold of a for a few days to put a "finalized" stamp on it to give others a chance to read through too. After that the idea is to present it in a nice little package for discussion and when that goes through and is ticked off as "ok" then we call it done and present it proper.
"Plasma is a cross device work environment where trust is put on the users' capacity to best define her own workflow and preferences.
Plasma is simple by default, a clean work area for real world usage which intends to stay out of your way.
Plasma is powerful when needed, enabling the user to create the workflow that makes her more effective to complete her tasks.
Plasma never dictate the users' needs, it only strives to solve them. Plasma never defines what the user should be allowed to do, it only ensures that she can.
Our motivation is that we enable actual work to happen, across devices, across different platforms, using any application needed.
We build to be durable, we create to be usable, we design to be elegant."
"Plasma is a cross device work environment by the KDE Community where trust is put on the users' capacity to best define her own workflow and preferences.
Plasma is simple by default, a clean work area for real world usage which intends to stay out of your way.
Plasma is powerful when needed, enabling the user to create the workflow that makes her more effective to complete her tasks.
Plasma never dictates the user's needs, it only strives to solve them. Plasma never defines what the user is allowed to do, it only ensures that she can.
Our motivation is to enable actual work to happen, across devices, across different platforms, using any application needed.
We build to be durable, we create to be usable, we design to be elegant."
Final tiny nitpick:
"Plasma is a cross device work environment by the KDE Community where trust is put on the users' capacity to best define her own workflow and preferences.
users' -> user's given that singular is used afterwards
Apart from that, huge +1 from me!
Final edit from my side:
"Plasma is a cross-device work environment by the KDE Community where trust is put on the user's capacity to best define her own workflow and preferences.
Plasma is simple by default, a clean work area for real-world usage which intends to stay out of your way.
Plasma is powerful when needed, enabling the user to create the workflow that makes her more effective to complete her tasks.
Plasma never dictates the user's needs, it only strives to solve them. Plasma never defines what the user is allowed to do, it only ensures that she can.
Our motivation is to enable actual work to happen, across devices, across different platforms, using any application needed.
We build to be durable, we create to be usable, we design to be elegant."