This topic is maybe a bit controversial, but I ,as a long time KDE user & lover (since 2006), want to explain my opinions about the Baloo file indexer.

I've read the article here. I know Nepomuk was slow and sometimes this made it practically unusuble. However IMHO over-simplfying settings is not the KDE way. Why don't we have an "Advanced" tab in Baloo KCM, to select what is indexed and what is not. If KDE people want to simplfy desktop search settings they can make the main page/tab of Search KCM as simple as possible. Besides that it would be awesome to select what types of files can be indexed in baloo.

I know I can do all these stuff in configuration files. Yet, having many advanced options beside simpliest ones in many modules(or KCMs) of Systemsettings (instead of burrying configuration options in some hidden config file) is one of the best things in KDE and It is one of the things that makes KDE different from other desktops.

For version KF5 5.15 we added add the the balooctl config command. Now you at least do not have to directly modify the config file.

kde users: "Hey we are very thirsty and have been for quite some time now, can you give us some water please ?"

guy in charge of water: "good news! I have these chips and salty foods just for you."


@ongunkanat: you should look into kcm_baloo_advanced that has beenkindly provide by someone who actually care. It's available from AUR for arch users at https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/kcm_baloo_advanced/ otherwise you can get it upstream here: https://gitlab.com/ericlnu/baloo-kcmadv

This add a module to kde systems settings which allow for filtering on mime types, file types, include folders, exclude folders (basically everything that the new cli config option does except it has been doing it for 18 months in the system settings like it ought to. Doesn't offer the option to not index emails or clear the baloo index though.

@Vishesh: it is faster and simpler to edit config files than to use this unnecessary and convoluted option to balooctl.

The whole baloo controversy shows that there is a sincere inconsistency between the concept of baloo handling configurations and the KDE "experience".

KDE users are used to have comfortable UI settings for everything. Which isn't good or bad, it's just the perceived KDE way of doing things. Gnome users mostly are used (or trained) to accept some well thought through defaults with no obvious way of changing them if you do not want to dive down into dconf, gconf or some obscure gsettings and configuration files (don't get me wrong - most things can still be configured somehow it's just hard to find out!).

Now baloo seems to treat KDE users like Gnome users. Therefore it is seen as highly inconsistent with the rest of the KDE desktop and runs into user expectations it can't (or doesn't want) to match. Though imho baloo technologically is probably the best underlying semantic search out there the controversies will not stop until baloo (or to be precise you, Vishesh) understands and accepts the target group, the KDE audience's mindset.

Software developers for the most part are brilliant people within their domain. That's one reason we cherish and trust their products... On the other hand there are also people out there that are as brilliant in the domains of usability, conceptual consistency, understanding target group, market niches and general psychology. Developers would really add to their accomplishments if they'd listen and trust these experts in their fields of expertise in return.

To mutual benefits...

Thanks for reading,
piedro