I recently re-installed the laptop and decided to try out 4.2.4 there before I put it on the main pc. Looks fine, sadly remarkably slower than 3.x. There are a few things that I cannot configure the way I want. Probably because I do't know where to configure them, or because the name given to it doesn't ring a bell. So if someone could point me to how/where I could achieve the following I would be grateful:

- I wanted a classic desktop with icons, so I selected "folder view". But you have to select a folder which means there is a always stuff that shouldn't be on the desktop displayed. I created a special empty folder to solve that, but that doesn't feel right. Is there a better way to do this?

- I unselected all tooptips but still when I mouse-over an icon there appears a large back bar left or right of it. How can I disable that? It makes for slughish feel and sometimes that bar is still there when the app hasd already started. So you can unintentionally click on it. I have by accident removed an icon like that, something that wouldn't happen if I could disable this. And it doesn't offer anything that can't be done with right-click.

- Same for the tooltips that pop up when you hover over the "taskbar" (the one below). It pops up a large black box with information that is already visible without it.

- When I select "classic mode" for the menu, then I cannot right-click and "add to desktop" anymore. This works in the "Kickoff" style.

- When I log out and choose to shut down the pc, I get a window that tty1 is still logged in and if I would like to shut that down. I never got that before. Can that be disabled? I'm the only user of the machine and when I'm root I want the machine to go down without any further intervention.

- is it normal that I cannot move applets or widgets in the taskbar? I can put them somewhere when I add them, but not move afterwards. And I didn't lock the widgets so that can't be the reason.

- is the old style pager available somewhere? I liked it better as you could see what windows were open on other desktops and you could drag them to the desktop you were busy. The new one which just highlights the desktop you are working is less infomative.

- is there a way to disable all sounds from KDE and apps without having to select each event and select "no sound" one at a time?

- are there ways to speed it up? 30 seconds between clicking on "leave" and the logout menu appearing is really too much. Sometimes up to 2 minutes between clicking on an icon and the app starting. (core 2 duo 1.8G, 2GB)

- where do I have to subscribe to have the cashew (the one top right) made removable? KDE was always hailed as the most configurable desktop and that's the reason I like it that much. But it seems this is going away.

Spanik wrote:- I wanted a classic desktop with icons, so I selected "folder view". But you have to select a folder which means there is a always stuff that shouldn't be on the desktop displayed. I created a special empty folder to solve that, but that doesn't feel right. Is there a better way to do this?

That's absolutly correct. Usually you have a folder "~/Desktop" that is used even under KDE3 to hold your desktop icons.

- Same for the tooltips that pop up when you hover over the "taskbar" (the one below). It pops up a large black box with information that is already visible without it.

Right click on the taskbar and select "Configure taskbar". You should find a checkbox "Show tooltips" there.

- When I select "classic mode" for the menu, then I cannot right-click and "add to desktop" anymore. This works in the "Kickoff" style.

This works in KDE4.3, show just wait another month

- When I log out and choose to shut down the pc, I get a window that tty1 is still logged in and if I would like to shut that down. I never got that before. Can that be disabled? I'm the only user of the machine and when I'm root I want the machine to go down without any further intervention.

That's not a KDE4 specific issue. KDE always showed a warning if somebody else is logged in. I don't know any way to disable this.

- is it normal that I cannot move applets or widgets in the taskbar? I can put them somewhere when I add them, but not move afterwards. And I didn't lock the widgets so that can't be the reason.

Click on the plasma icon on the right (a.k.a "The Cashew") to enter the edit mode. If it's not visible, you have to unlock the widgets using the context menu or the plasma toolbox.

- is the old style pager available somewhere? I liked it better as you could see what windows were open on other desktops and you could drag them to the desktop you were busy. The new one which just highlights the desktop you are working is less infomative.

The pager actually shows the windows and they are dragable.

- is there a way to disable all sounds from KDE and apps without having to select each event and select "no sound" one at a time?

Go to Systemsetting -> Notifications -> Player Settings and select "No audio output".

- are there ways to speed it up? 30 seconds between clicking on "leave" and the logout menu appearing is really too much. Sometimes up to 2 minutes between clicking on an icon and the app starting. (core 2 duo 1.8G, 2GB)

Maybe disabling some fading effects or something.

Thanks, that already clears up some points.

- folder view --> (solved) indeed comparable to 3.5 but as there was no other view it never was a problem. Changed to be like the old setting

- icons have large bar at the side when mouse-over --> still open

- taskbar tooltips --> not completely solved... There are no more tooltips when I go over the apps in the taskbar, but I still get a tooltip when I go over the clock or the pager.

- classic mode right-click --> OK, I can wait for that. It seems that I can drag an app to the desktop and copy it there (in classic mode). Then I don't have the large black bar that pops up when I mouse-over. So it looks as there are 2 "sorts of icons". Strange, but if that is a way to solve item 2 fine for me.

- logout tty1 --> well I never had that with 3.5. I normally always log in terminal mode first and then start kde with kdm. A shutdown in 3.5 from kde just shuts down the pc without further questions.

- moving items in taskbar --> (solved) OK, not very intuitive but once you know it...

- old style pager --> dragging works indeed, but no icon on the active page so you don't know what you are dragging.

- no sounds --> (solved?) changed the setting, so far so good. We'll see (hear)

- speed up --> I have already disabled effects in the system settings, no busy cursor, active desktop borders disabled, disabled desktop search.

- remove cashew --> still open

Spanik wrote:- icons have large bar at the side when mouse-over --> still open

This is used to control plasmoids on you desktop. It's a drag handle and it holds some buttons for configuration for example. If you lock your widgets (Right mouse click on desktio -> lock widgets), those handles don't show up.

Indeed, it goes away when I lock the widgets. Never would have tought to link those 2 actions. Very counter intuitive.

Another one solved.

This leaves the tooltip that pops up with the pager when all tooltips are disabled and the cashew. Almost there...