hello,
this 'plasma', is it the transparent box that was on my desktop after install with FF and a folder in it?
if so, i was clicking around and now it's gone. no conformation or warning, just gone.
i don't know what use it for, but i don't have the option of figuring that out now that it's gone.
Where is it?
I've searched the useless launcher ('start menu') and it's not there to be 're-launched'..
i'm glad that the old KDE3 menu editor works with this new '****' version of the KDE menu ('launcher').
Most all of the xml 'touchy feely' interfaces suck.
my computers are becoming bubble gum cartoons and not clean business systems.
guess i'll have to get used to that, but....

ok, feel better now..
so,
where is 'plasma' and what the f* is it for? i've tried the docs and don't get a sense of what it's use is..

Landis.

Landis wrote:hello,
this 'plasma', is it the transparent box that was on my desktop after install with FF and a folder in it?

It's a part of plasma. It's called the folder-view.

Landis wrote:if so, i was clicking around and now it's gone. no conformation or warning, just gone.
i don't know what use it for, but i don't have the option of figuring that out now that it's gone.
Where is it?

Right-click on the desktop. Select Add widgets. Find "Folder view" in the new window. Select it and click "Add widget" and you have a new one (if you want one that is).

Landis wrote:I've searched the useless launcher ('start menu') and it's not there to be 're-launched'..
i'm glad that the old KDE3 menu editor works with this new '****' version of the KDE menu ('launcher').

Right-click on the launcher and you can switch to a classic menu, which may suit you better.

Landis wrote:Most all of the xml 'touchy feely' interfaces suck.my computers are becoming bubble gum cartoons and not clean business systems.

It can be as bubbly or as clean as you want, really.

Landis wrote:where is 'plasma' and what the f* is it for? i've tried the docs and don't get a sense of what it's use is..

To oversimplify: plasma is your desktop. Which includes the area where the wallpaper is, your panel(s), the systray(s), the task-manager, the different widgets you can add to the desktop (or panels), among other things.

Think of plasma as a combination of KDE3's kde-desktop, kicker + kicker-applets, and superkaramba but more flexible. It's more than that but it's a good starting point to understand what it's for.

Note that if you wish for a classic desktop, click on the Top Left corner, select Desktop Settings, and if you see "Type:" under "Activity" change it to Folder View. If you do not see it, then change to the Activity side bar tab.

Kryten2X4B и cooksley,
Спасибо!
Thank you both for taking time.
I know i didn't sound very nice, but i was frustrated.
i'm locking up when;
i use Ark, any FireFox (3.09, 3.5.5, Namoroka (3.6a1-4pre), Mindfield (3.7a1)) and a few others.
just a note on FF, i like Namoroka 3.6b4pre (Russian) the best so far.

there is an icon in the panel near the App Launcher and it says 'show the plasma dashboard'. i click on it and the running apps go away and i get a tab in the top center that says 'plasma dashboard' and the 3 property items of the cashew... What's that for? As soon as i click anywhere it goes away and my apps reappear.

adding a new folder view to the desktop is how i lost the original 'plasma' box. the org and my new one where on top of each other and i thought i was closing the new one but close the org. not that i ever used it, but i'd like to know. there is no warning that you are closing it and the 'close panel' never says what panel you're closing, even on the taskbar.. it's just gone.
when that happens, is the only thing to do, is to rebuild it. add new folderview or taskbar and reconfigure or repopulate it? what a bummer and a huge waste of time.
If i change to 'classic view' for my menus, can i go back to the new KDE4? or will i have to reconfigure the way i have it set up, apps, taskbar, favorits (app launch) etc.?

Again, thank you for your time.

LandisReed
ЛандисРеед.ком

The Plasma Dashboard is a place to put applets for quick access, which when you have the Plasmoid on your desktop can simply be accessed through a press of a shortcut key. ( Similar to the Mac OS Widgets )

When you change the type of menu you use, you can always change back to the previous type of menu you used. The type of menu you use only affects how they are displayed, not the contents of the menu itself.

In Trunk it appears that it has been changed from "Close Panel" to "Remove Panel" to indicate what action it will take.

bcooksley,

again, thank you for your time.
now i'll have to figure out how to make 'widgets' and 'applets'...

Landis
ЛандисРеед.ком

"Make" as in created your own? http://techbase.kde.org/Development/Tutorials/Plasma