KDE Plasma's Edit Mode Needs A Major UX Upgrade

I've been using Plasma for a few weeks now and I've gotten used to the way it's edit mode works, however, that's by over coming UX flaws that should never have needed to be overcome in the first place so let's discuss them

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[nategraham]

Clicking on the panel while in global edit mode to enter panel edit mode was just implemented today, for Plasma 6.1. Thanks for the idea. The context menu labels are different in 6.1 as well.

[qlum]

This is the type of thing in KDE that has always sort of bothered me but fell into the acceptable jank category.
But I would agree the current UX is not always great, especially around editing panels.

[Gambloide]

As someone who somehow managed to position a widget outside of my screen, I dearly wished for an undo/restore action. Instead I had to google around to find the correct file to edit, for which I could find zero documentation and just delete seemingly related entries until the widget was not responding to its shortcut anymore.

[Qyngali]

The lack of undo in edit mode has been a pet peeve of mine for an eternity. I've messed up panels with my shaky hands way too many times. Now I backup everything with konsave before even entering edit mode lol.

[rasix]

the worst part is that this is already the totally new edit mode which is already much better than what we had before. It's still a huge mess though.

[VictorGamerLOL]

I forgot to mention everything in KDE is a plasmoid, including the panel. If you enter edit mode from another plasmoid like the digital clock it automatically shows the edit controls for it. Unlike other plasmoids, the panel does not reveal its edit buttons when clicked in edit mode so that is a bit strange. Thanks for telling me about the icon I actually didn't know that I always used the mislabeled exit edit mode.

[Daktyl]

Thank god somebody else said it! I’ve used and loved KDE for like 6 years now, but I avoid touching the panel edit mode as much as possible because it’s a buggy nightmare and a UX mess.

[gracicot]

To give you an idea of how the backend looks like, edit mode is actually a new thing that dramatically increased usability and removed a ton of jank. Before, the panel setting button was always visible unless you locked the panel (without a s, you had to do that for all panels). So this is why you see the button as if it was a natural element of the panel, it's because it used to be. There was also the infamous "cashew" which was a permanent button on the desktop to add widget or panels. You couldn't even hide it. The top bar that appears in edit mode is what the cashew used to do.

[meownstermatt]

I wish there was a way to Replicate the Panels on Multiple Displays. The least they could add is "Copy Panel" and "Paste Panel". Even better if they add a dropdown that Automatically replicates Panels on all connected displays.

[moistness]

I want to compare this to XFCE for a moment. While XFCE's panel settings may seem a lot more old school and take a bit more work to set up, I generally found them rather intuitive compared to KDE's edit mode. This is definitely my biggest issue with KDE. They have so much good stuff, that is either hidden deep in the settings, or has subpar user experience.

[JEM_Tank]

as a long time plasma user, you are right honestly, I have stumbled my way through these edit modes pretty confused before

[jedipadawan]

Yup. I think KDE Plasma is utterly brilliant allows for a mass of things no other GUI gets close to. If I had to fault it... the panel/widget edit mode. It is a total mess.

The other thing I would change is having a load of settings in an 'advanced' section since people seem intimidated by the options in System setting. It does not bother me - I ignore what I do not need, but it is number 1 on people's reasons for not going with KDE.

[HeathenHacks]

Saving your panel settings is a fantastic idea. Specially if you have a mulit-monitor setup, so that you can just add a new panel to another monitor and then use your saved panel settings on it and not add, then configure each one.

[ThatLinuxDude]

Well... this was certainly a topic to make a video on.

Surprised this of all things was it, though... especially since it's just a random mockup I sent the KDE VDG one day.
Correction: Concept is for entire panel being the hitbox, replacing panel children widget hitboxes while active.

[ClayWeber]

As a long-time KDE user, this sort of input is valuable. It is *really* easy to miss things that have been natural for me for over 15 years (or longer, if you include KDE 3 era concepts that may still be around). I think this is the downside to having (too) many features and options may be having too many different UI actions or concepts to fit them all :) The very annoying Exit edit mode to get back to edit mode is funny, for sure, but the whole UI for this is a fair bit better than Plasma 5.

[Beryesa.]

I've got to say...
Too many widgets were sacrificed in screen corners.
Don't let your widgets go in screen corners alone.

[Cuperino]

The problem with the solution you propose is it would be impossible to click on blank space if a panel has no blank space, and panels can have no blank space and still be perfectly functional.

[Erilithia]

I can't say this has ever really bothered me personally, but it could 100% be done much better than it is now. Even if I didn't find it confusing, if this is a common experience (and it does seem to be with plasma) then things need to be done better.

[wolfisraging]

Its like someone spending weeks with me and watching me trying to use plasma real bad, and then making this video! lol

[luizzeroxis]

Dude... the entire Linux ecosystem needs a UX overhaul.