Mageia forum

Why isn't sound working with MP4 files? I think I can fix it, but that is poor, I could never recomend this distro to a newbie. Ditto Oracle Java not installed, licence or no licence issues - it's a problem.

Also I don't like the dolphin file manager - when I right click on a parent directory in the path at the top: I cannot "open in a new window" or "open in a new tab". There is no "open terminal at this location". This is basic usability stuff, why do the UI designers have to dumb everything down and make it a pain to work with, it's not the wretched Windows 8! It's a huge problem.

Why can't I customise the task bar in this way: I need a button for each INSTANCE of an open applicaiton yet KDE is grouping them by application type. Guys that's not the way we work, we are document-centric, not application centric! Can this be fixed, it's really annoying! Am I overlooking something?

It's usability things like this that are creating a terrible impression of KDE for me, and I really want to like it, but Mate is better, I'm afraid.
Thank you
James

Did you see:
https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Install_java_oracle

Hope it routes you to a proper solution.

Hi,
Yes, I realised I had made a mistake.Anyway, I was about to edit my post to explain that, but ended up discussing off-topic problems with Mageia instead - please treat as constructive criticism (see above).
Thanks
James

All well, anyway, if you like to, open new threads for each issue.

quantumlinux wrote:Why isn't sound working with MP4 files? I think I can fix it, but that is poor, I could never recomend this distro to a newbie. Ditto Oracle Java not installed, licence or no licence issues - it's a problem.

Also I don't like the dolphin file manager - when I right click on a parent directory in the path at the top: I cannot "open in a new window" or "open in a new tab". There is no "open terminal at this location". This is basic usability stuff, why do the UI designers have to dumb everything down and make it a pain to work with, it's not the wretched Windows 8! It's a huge problem.

Why can't I customise the task bar in this way: I need a button for each INSTANCE of an open applicaiton yet KDE is grouping them by application type. Guys that's not the way we work, we are document-centric, not application centric! Can this be fixed, it's really annoying! Am I overlooking something?

Those are 3 different problems, which can be easily fixed - please use separate threads for them, and use the search function,
they have already been asked quite often.

See e.g. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4098 and viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2591

Now I have got most things working. But if I may be permitted to say:
"Those are 3 different problems, which can be easily fixed" -
You provide a link: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4098 - easily fixed? Are you KIDDING?
The next link was no good either. To find panel options was tricky until I discovered that first I had to "unlock widgets" - then fiddle around with un-intuitive settings.
So these things are NOT easily fixed. If they were, I would have easily fixed them.
This kind of misplaced arrogance is what everyone says is rife in the Linux world, and why Linux is a failure on desktop systems and this is a typical example.
The real point of me reporting this is to say that Mageia is suffering from problems that other distros solved five or ten years ago. Mageia should simply work. BTW alt-tab switching is extremely slow too, I had to folloow a "speed up KDE" guide to make the computer usable.
Mageia is the worst distro I have used in a long time. FIX the damned thing, don't expect people to follow half-assed forum threads.
On the other hand Mageia did fine detecting my (5 years old) hardware and now, after a LOT of wasted time, I have a nice "classic" task bar - after a lot of messing about - why isn't this DEFAULT???, I have Java working (after a lot of messing about) MP4 sound working - after a hell of a lot of messing about - and, in general it's looking quite good. However the experience making Mageia into a sane, usable system was so difficult that it means I cannot recommend this distro to anyone without expert Linux knoweldge and with time on their hands.
Guys - you need to be USER-FRIENDLY - and you aren't.

[Ricky Nelson} Well it's all right now. I've learned my lesson well. Y'see, you can't please everybody, so you've got to please yourself." [/Ricky Nelson]

Quantumlinux,how much i appreciate your input, i would strongly like to point you at the fact, we are talking about a community-driven project here.
So, expressing criticism in the way you do, is like shouting at yourself, which in the end won't help for real.

Better change that mindset and tranform this energy into something positive, like for instead, supporting.
That is the real way to get our distribution to levels you would prefer.

The issue is, though, that you should WARN people that Mageia is just a "community driven" project, that way they don't get into trouble trying to fix the bugs
But that isn't the case, Mageia markets itself as a full blown operating system that is fit for public use. Hence my criticism is apt, even though I can see the community spirit is admirable. Listen to your users or they won't come back twice. Cheers and big hugs!

Conversation and topic closed.