This post is part of a global idea that aims to integrate Internet into KDE workspace (See here)

KDE has done a good job by connecting it's workspace to the web. I appreciate telepathy, and akonadi. But what I do not appreciate is that you need all the time, in many applications, to connect to an account.

Example : choqok and µblog applet. I use choqok as main twitter client, but the applet might also be useful, but I need to configure my accounts twice.

Example 2 : Win live messenger. I use win live messenger from telepathy, but I also need to access my hotmail, but KMail and telepathy KDE ask me to configure my accounts twice.

Example 3 : I want to configure telepathy and kmail (after fresh install). But they are located in different places of KCM. Why not put it directly to on place ?

Still based on my beloved N9 idea (actually also N900 and Android and so on), I suggests that everything that deals with online services, especially accounts, should be in a single place.

Here is a mockup


Most services are actually a mix of many services :
google brings :
- mail
- calendar
- contacts
- social feed
- data upload (sync ?)
- music service

facebook brings
- (sort of) mail
- IM
- (sort of) calendar
- social feed
- etc.

So, the account settings should be aware of that : it should provide a list of those services, and adds accounts as a lot. Here is a mockup of the "add account" dialog.



Of cause, if the user only want to add one mail / caldav / local calendar / local addressbook account, he / she can still click on other account.

(PS I think I won the über-ugly mockup award ... )

Isn't KWallet already fit for that? I use it for all accounts that need a password entry, set it to Allow always" and the first application started in KDE will open the wallet and everthing else works as well.

If I understood correctly, this is not only about passwords.

It is about the fact that, for example, a Google account has - mail (KMail), chat (kopete or telepathy), callendar, ... and you have to set them all up separately.

The idea of an account manager was already discussed amongst the plasma active members, and this is something that is planned, but it is not an easy task to do.

ivan wrote:If I understood correctly, this is not only about passwords.

It is about the fact that, for example, a Google account has - mail (KMail), chat (kopete or telepathy), callendar, ... and you have to set them all up separately.

The idea of an account manager was already discussed amongst the plasma active members, and this is something that is planned, but it is not an easy task to do.

Exactly

Good news is - this is being worked on as we speak

Soon there will be just "Web Accounts" kcm, you add an account there and select whatever you want to do with it. For example for GTalk, you can add Telepathy account, mail account with Akonadi or later a G+ stream (when the API is available) while entering your credentials only once.

I'll be doing a GSoC to integrate better with social services and take advantage exactly of this. There will be new super-awesome-plasmoid and possibly also a Choqok plugin

mck182 wrote:Good news is - this is being worked on as we speak

Über-awesome good news :)