So I can use the Clip menu when I have a transition selected to toggle the transition from Automatic Transition to not-Automatic http://userbase.kde.org/Kdenlive/Manual/Clip_Menu#Automatic_Transition

But what is an Automatic Transition? What do they do?

I'm not sure, but I think this was from a while back in a sunab svn update, whenever you lapped two clips an automatic dissolve popped in. A title clip was given a composite etc. I don't remember seeing that menu option then and hadn't even noticed it until you pointed it out. That's me, just see what I want to see and nothing else. No idea why it's greyed out now.

You get it to be non-greyed out by selecting a transition on your timeline. So I don't think it is this overlapping two clips and have automatic disolve put in.

If you uncheck Automatic Transition (transition turns red), when you adjust the overlap of two clips, the transition does not re-adjust itself automatically to the new overlap.

So it does. That is awesome. Thanks.

Thanks for asking and resolving this question, I always wondered for myself...

Yes well answered.

Now - riddle me this one - why is the insert mode editing button allways greyed out? http://kdenlive.org/forum/how-do-i-get-insert-mode-editing

Wondered when this one would rear it's ugly head again. As it's a tool for writing clips to the timeline, I personally can't see now useful it would be, especially if you're placing clips to audio. Whoops! everything has moved up. I can see Overwrite being useful, but that just forces a clip into a gap by shortening the clips on either side. Too dangerous, I could be dragging a clip across the timelines and my finger slips off the mouse button and it buries itself somewhere.

Basically, no idea. Is it activated by some obscure method? or was it just a good idea at the time but then deemed of little use.

With regard to the Automatic Transitions, I thought I'd just mention that you can also turn then off by just right clicking on the Transition.