What are the objectives for Xfce 4.4?

[Brian J. Tarricone]

Benedikt Meurer wrote:

> Total control/flexibility is not a worth goal for me, since it turns 
> Xfce back in the geek area, and since I'm no geek, I don't want to be 
> there.

Then I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree - I *am* a geek.  I 
also happen to believe that it's possible to keep the flexibility, but 
have sane defaults that allow non-geeks to just leave it as-is and get 
their work done.  I fall into both camps depending on my mood.  
Sometimes I do just want to type a single command that installs an app, 
then start up the app and get straight to work using it (and not 
configuring it).  Other times I find something interesting and I just 
want to spend hours messing around with it.  Depending on the app, it 
may not be possible to maximise productivity with the default settings - 
even defaults that you'd otherwise consider sane.  I think a desktop 
environment can fall strongly into this category since it's something 
that's always there, and users often have very different needs (no, I'm 
not saying that it's possible - or even a good idea - to try to be 
everything for everyone).

I happen to think that a modular, distributed (not really the right 
word) file manager is a nifty idea, and has some useful applications in 
a desktop environment.  But perhaps it's not within Xfce's philosophy.  
Benny, it seems that your desire to code is based mainly on a desire to 
make useful things.  There's nothing wrong with that: I share that 
desire as well.  But I divide that with a desire to work on interesting 
problems that may or may not have application to the job at hand.  
Perhaps your more practical outlook is an artifact of coding as a 
profession; I dunno.  Amateur psychologist Brian is too tired to think 
right now.  Anyway, speaking of professions, I need to get some actual 
work done today (go figure).

> I hope you got my point.

Clear as crystal.

    -b