As the title implies, this category is an attempt to bring together all various system settings into one simple interface. It will seek to suggest that each component programmer be allowed to continue to focus upon their own individual modular component of the whole, while at the same time, bringing together some sort of standardized method for reaching out to each module and interfacing with the settings of said module as appropriate for centralizing control.

Further, this roadmap will be useful in eliminating those desparate mechanisms of settings control that lead to odd behavior, overlapping subjects and loss of user control. Important as simplicity of user interface (intuitiveness) may be, eliminating unnecessary buggy behavior across the whole desktop environment is of paramount import, and hopefully will be largely addressed by this effort. It is possible to eliminate a large portion of bugs due to poor design. That can be win/win all the way down the road.

We will here attempt to bring together first an overview of the issue from the standpoint of the user, followed by a suggested description of a possible solution, and a concise discussion with a focus upon creating a concensus and roadmap.

Note: It is not necessary to discuss the issue of whether or not some problem exists, but rather note the user's experiences, and address it with a desire to improve that experience and make it ever more “goof-proof”. The old adadage that states, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it” has always been misleading and is no friend to programmers. The proper way to view it is to recognize that nothing is perfect and that everything can be improved. That should be our goal here, so that when nothing else is being accomplished, polishing of the product will always take place.

All are welcome to submit here. Programmers and users alike. Please take your discussion to the links indicate so that we can keep this neat. Thank you all.

(Please discuss here.)

Currently within the Xfce desktop environment (DE), there are a number of different areas users must go to change the settings of their environment. Let us list them here and categorize their relative level within the OS. Please add yours here.

The various settings include (in no particular order):

The user may assume that the settings employed above are to take control of certain components or modules. They may have learned of these by being involved in their computer's OS and DE installation themselves, or they may have seen the names as they used their package manager interface of choice.

For instance, the item “xfce4-panel” may be recognized as the part that has to do with creating desktop menu and tool navigation bars. But that is one of the more obvious. The user may never run up against any of the others. So here we list the items that are actually involved with user-controlled settings.

This may be old hat to many, but it seems important to point out the level where the item resides so as to make sure everyone is on the same page with regard to which belongs to Xfce and which to some other part of the system. Where appropriate, we can note if they appear on the menus. We will attempt to list by actual module name, if known, in parenthesis.

The use of icons or tabs or individual applets supplies the majority of methods employed to organize things like settings. For instance, within the category of icons, they may be in a folder view or they may be displayed to the left in a column within the settings application.

That selection may not be as important as keeping everything in one place. As we see above, there are settings strewn about the whole system. One of the important jobs of any DE is to bring these together for the benefit of the user in a graphical manner. In this context, the DE developers may decide to employ or not to employ such a mechanism. However, it is inherently misleading and always smacks of being incomplete when it is done half way. The goal must be all or none; at least for the sake of consistency and implied design goals for the benefit of the user.

Underlying all this is the necessity for the actual saving mechanism to keep these settings protected from change unless the user (or admin) makes a physical change to the settings. It is unclear as to the goal of the current plan. If it is to save all desktop components at their current positions when shutting down, that does not work. If it is to save all running program information, that does not work. This is one area that definitely needs a rethink and a goal that is clear to the end user.

1. One central location for all settings. One place where the user goes to make adjustments.
2. Regardless of module or component source or target, the controls would all be grouped by kind.
3. Settings must be made sacrosanct; no other process can change them without pop-up approval.

(Please discuss here.)

Please remember that we want Xfce to not only be light-weight and simple, but to appear that way. All we have to do is to use a better way of looking at the process.

For the sake of simplicity, we continue to use the format that exists at the current time. This would be the folder/icon layout. But we reorganize the applets and their tabs. Following is a simple overview of that layout.

(Please discuss here.)