Include a centralized control panel by default

Registered by Alexander Andjelkovic

Current settings for Lubuntu is scattered throughout several applications which makes it hard to find certain settings (unless you know which application to start). By including a centralized control panel we can gather all these applications and make it easier for the users, this would also provide a cleaner start-menu as a lot of entries could be removed.

Blueprint information

Status:
Started
Approver:
None
Priority:
Medium
Drafter:
None
Direction:
Needs approval
Assignee:
Lubuntu Developers
Definition:
Discussion
Series goal:
None
Implementation:
Blocked
Milestone target:
None
Started by
Julien Lavergne

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[amjjawad] I agree. This will make it much more easier for Windows XP users and make the migration process as easy and fast as possible. Good idea :)

[Pierre Gobin] I would really like this feature too. Nevertheless, when I proposed this idea some time ago, Julien told me that he wasn't against it, but he didn't find it usefull if it was not a unified application, and if it only gathered links to other apps (as Lubuntu Control Center did).

[Dipanjan Patra] I think the gnome-control-centre will be a good choice.

[vanyok] I absolutely support this proposal, and even more, I believe this should be the key development feature for the Lubuntu Trusty. I was thinking about it the whole last night...
As per Leszek's description it's "A central Gui for setting up Lubuntu using mostly the build in tools + LXProxy" (https://launchpad.net/lubuntu-control-center)

I personnaly like the idea even if it's not a standalone application yet. LCC (Lubuntu Control Center) can be used as a one point entry for all the settings, while all the other apps should be hidden from the menu.
As time goes on the LCC probably should develop into that standalone application, so that links to other tools (hidden in the menu but available via LCC) will be replaced by LCC functionality.

Step by step:
1. Add LCC to the system and hide other connected tools from the menu.
2. Develop own configuration tools within LCC to replace legacy ones.
3. Remove obsolete "modules"/tools from the system once replaced by LCC functionality.
4. Develop new own config tools and integrate them into LCC.

In this approach LCC should be flexible and module-based application which first just contains links, and afterwards adds its own functions.

[Mélodie] This idea is most welcome. Working on a full Openbox Ubuntu Remix, I had the same thought:
I have built remix versions of Ubuntu with Openbox around the following programs from mimas: openbox-menu (which uses libmenu-cache to provide a dynamic Applications menu) and more recently obsession (standalone, built from lxsession-logout) and at some point did the same observation about the configuration tools with scattered features (ie: the font configuration for the window manager, for the gtk2 applications, for the gtk3 applications… )

I have asked mimas what he would think of building an Openbox Control Center which would extend what obconf provides, and make it more practical to manage all the settings, than all the scattered menus.

He has been interested by the idea and started to work on it. He dropped a fast message about this new project here:
An control center not desktop environment oriented - http://forum.linuxvillage.org/index.php?topic=581.msg3586#msg3586

From his bitbucket repository:
"This is a first draft of an Openbox control center using lua-lgi (GObject Introspection for Lua). It's experimental; first try with GTK+ and lua-lgi.

It seems to work with lua-lgi 0.7.x and GTK+ 3.x, which appears to act slightly differently version after version."

> [vanyok] I personnaly like the idea even if it's not a standalone application yet.

the control center on which mimas started to work is standalone. I have installed it to Lubuntu Saucy, here is what it looks like right now:
http://meets.free.fr/Downloads/BentoVillageProject/OpenboxControlCenter/OB_ControlCenterInLubuntu.png

Requirements: To get it to work I have install lua-lgi, and lua5.2. I started it from the console with the command "lua cc.lua"

Perhaps the Lubuntu developers would be interested to join mimas's efforts?

[dyentzen] I really like the idea of having a central control panel. I have noted the specific mention of the lack of central control panel in several distro reviews. I have noted at least two other LXDE distros that have central control panels. This would greatly enhance Lubuntu's appeal to potential new users.

The idea is at first linking all the configuration tools to their corresponding buttons in the LCC and then slowly pushing updates which are going to replace the system tools and be an integrated part of LCC. I really +1 this!

[gilir] Anyone available to make it ? Because it's not new that it's a good idea, just nobody came with something working (And no, I'll not do it).

[joern-schoenyan] XFCE has something suitable for 14.04, have a look at http://docs.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-settings/manager
In the world of Qt, RazorQt has razor-config which can be merged into LXDE-Qt.

[Mélodie]
To gilir: what about mimas's recent standalone openbox cc project I pointed to above? It's light and depends only on lua5.x and lua-lgi 0.6 and above (and gtk3). Wouldn't some developers from the Lxde project be interested to offer their help to him to continue it?
(No, because all the efforts of the LXDE team is on Qt port, except 1 people who still work on pcmanfm gtk version. So, don't expect help if it's gtk3. - gilir)

To joern-schoenyan: the Xfce4 settings manager has many depends belonging to the Xfce4 desktop, and the project started by mimas provides a ui which look a lot like it (please have a loot at the screenshot).

[Noskcaj]
My suggestion is we review xfce4-settings for if it is usable, since it is very stable and many great extra features. If it's not usable, compare LCC or OCC for which is a better option.

[amjjawad] hope we could reach to an agreement about this feature whether to have it or not have it and if to have it, who is going to make it?

[joern-schoenyan] I've found that the OpenSuse-LXDE respin has a feature like that - maybe we could use this? http://de.opensuse.org/index.php?title=Datei:OpenSUSE_12.1_lxde_control_center.png&filetimestamp=20111105145934

(?)

Work Items

Work items:
- Decide whether "[gilir] Anyone available to make it ? Because it's not new that it's a good idea, just nobody came with something working (And no, I'll not do it)." is a final answer or not : TODO
- Started but not completed - https://blueprints.launchpad.net/lubuntu-brainstorming/+spec/deadline and therefore, blueprints should not remain pending with no further actions - please mark as completed if there is no further discussions/actions are required : TODO

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