It seems that the latest fad in blog is thoughts about KDE4(i.e the future of KDE).I want to share my expectations and what I’m planning to work for KDE4.

Less application duplication.
Like other KDE developers, I think there are too much core applications and too similar applications in the “core” distribution.This item resume the need for a universal document viewer(no more KPDF, KDVI, KGhostView), and a only one image viewer which support slideshow.Fortunately, there is a Google Summer of Code that aim to create a universal document viewer.For me, my favorite image viewer is the one in Windows XP. I can easily move between image in a same folder. The only application that I came close to this is the new photo album KParts for Konqueror KDE 3.4, but it’s not as intuitive as the one in Windows XP.

More intregration.
That’s item depends how HAL and D-BUS will be used in the userspace. KDE need to be aware of new hardware change, when I insert a USB mass storage, a camera, etc…Also, I’m thinking about linking RSS feed(blog) to Metacontact in Kopete. There is a RSS feed field in addressbook and Akregator in KDE PIM, so I think it’s possible.

Better user interface.
Better menu, only the needed toolbar button. Less duplication. For Kopete, I’m thinking “hiring” a usability expert to redefine the menus, toolbars, etc.And of course more eye-candy Go Plasma

KDE 4.0 Development book
One think that missing from KDE 3.x series is good and complete development on the architecture, the libraries, the API, etc… Need to read source code of other applications because of lacking documentation decrease productivity. Better documentation will attire more developers. And you know like me that KDE has big potential.

Database access library in kdelibs
This is planned Can someone tell me how many times you see a copy of sqlite3 db in KDE svn ? They are more and more applications that need database access, like amaroK, JuK, Kexi. And for a future project from mine, I’ll need to have a database access so I don’t want to reinvent the wheel.

By the way, sorry for my poor english. My main language is French

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