this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2024
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  • KDE Plasma 6 will require users to double-click on files and folders to open them by default.
  • This change is controversial for those familiar with single-click behavior in KDE Plasma.
  • Click behavior in KDE Plasma 6 is configurable, allowing users to choose between single-click and double-click.

https://archive.ph/BseL3


This is one of the first things I always tweak in KDE, so I love this change, but I'm curious how others feel.

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[–] db2@lemmy.world 190 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Single click is for web page links, not my computer.

[–] burgermeister@lemm.ee 114 points 9 months ago (24 children)

Way too easy to accidentally run a program with single click

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[–] laurelraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone 20 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Exactly. I never need to select a link on the web to do things like rename or move them, while I do that with files all the time

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[–] penquin@lemm.ee 91 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I'm a single click person, but I welcome this change. Those who like single click already know where to change it. This is good for new users.

[–] eager_eagle@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago (2 children)

It makes file system navigation much faster and more pleasant imo, I'm definitely reverting this.

[–] kurumin@linux.community 16 points 9 months ago (7 children)

How do you select without executing?

[–] reflex@kbin.social 12 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

There's a little + that you can click on the icons.
Or, you can use the keyboard arrows and spacebar.

Not sure if there's others.

Edit: Just found another one actually. Middle-clicking selects without opening.
This works better than the little + on the icons because the + behaves like a "ctrl-click."

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[–] mozzribo@leminal.space 9 points 9 months ago

If it wasn't default, I likely would have never tried single click, which I prefer now.

[–] YurkshireLad@lemmy.ca 75 points 9 months ago

Single click was always the first setting I changed.

[–] tsonfeir@lemm.ee 61 points 9 months ago (4 children)

I’m actually kinda suspicious any Linux user would actually want a single click default.

[–] iopq@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago (3 children)

I don't know how requiring clocking twice instead of once is good

[–] XTornado@lemmy.ml 51 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Avoids misclicks from opening stuff by mistake just for that alone is worth it to me.

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[–] woodgen@lemm.ee 13 points 9 months ago (3 children)

How do you select files? Probably double click?

[–] deliriousn0mad@feddit.it 12 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (3 children)

No, there are those big plus signs appearing on the top-right corner of the icon, if you click there it selects instead of opening. I guess it's a matter of habit, I can't get used to it

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[–] BreakDecks@lemmy.ml 57 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I honestly forgot that single-click is the default behavior in Plasma. I set up new desktop environments so rarely, and this is such an infuriating default behavior that I change it immediately. Glad to hear this is changing.

[–] Pantherina@feddit.de 16 points 9 months ago

Main reason is Distros reverting that anyways. It was always doubleclick on Kubuntu and Fedora KDE afaik

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[–] Ephera@lemmy.ml 45 points 9 months ago (2 children)

My parents found single-click much more intuitive, because everything else (web browser, phone) uses single-click.

[–] GroteStreet@aussie.zone 63 points 9 months ago (1 children)

My parents still double click everything on their mobile...

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[–] Pantherina@feddit.de 35 points 9 months ago (12 children)

For all those single-click fans:

  • how do you quickly rename a file?
  • how do you even drag-drop instead of opening stuff?
  • how do you select files?
  • how do you live?

Saying "well kids use web stuff and Android and dont know what a single click is" is basically neglecting the use of a mouse. I love at least 3 buttons, hovering and fast clicks.

[–] Drito@sh.itjust.works 17 points 9 months ago (3 children)

I don't use KDE but I suppose the click is detected on button release, not during the press. It should adress all these questions.

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[–] cygon@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago

Q1: Select (see Q3) + F2

Q2: Same way as double-click people. A file only opens if I click, not when I press the mouse button and drag the file around.

Q3: I draw a small selection frame over it, or press the control key when clicking (I have the hand there any, especially if my next input will be Ctrl+C/X and Ctrl+V

Q4: I just do. Sometimes I relax by playing shooters with the "invert mouse" option turned on :D

I have never had a cell phone or smart phone in my life, single-click was the default when I switched to Linux, I gave it a try and I liked it.

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[–] Hupf@feddit.de 33 points 9 months ago

The Year of Linux on the Desktop has finally come guys.

[–] darkmatternoodlecow@programming.dev 29 points 9 months ago (5 children)

When I first switched to KDE, this issue took up roughly 15 seconds of my time as I saw what was happening and went exploring for the setting to change the behavior. Apart from having to change the setting again from time to time, I have spent exactly zero seconds thinking about it and exactly zero seconds wondering which approach was the "best" since then. I wonder how honest it is for this site to refer to a "debate"; it's hard for me to imagine anyone giving a shit beyond setting their own system up the way they like it.

[–] laurelraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I mean, this is the Internet

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[–] Wispy2891@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago

I used kubuntu for an year on an old ProBook and I just assumed that the trackpad buttons were broken and sent a double click.

I discovered this issue only today lol

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[–] 1984@lemmy.today 26 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (6 children)

I think it's great. I think it's impossible to use dolphin with single click since it goes into folders or starts files when clicking on them once.

Anyone knows the historic reason for single click? Plasma was inspired by some older system?

[–] Wispy2891@lemmy.world 16 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I think it was windows 98 that introduced "hovering on an item" = single click and single click = double click. Disabled by default of course

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[–] GunnarGrop@lemmy.ml 24 points 9 months ago (2 children)

A day of sorrow indeed... No, joking aside. I gather most people use double click anyway, so this is a good change for that reason. I've never really understood it myself (the primary function of the left click being "select" when everywhere else it's "open" or "go to this thing"?? Alien stuff).

I'm just glad KDE listens to it's users and adapts to them. Looking forward to the release!

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[–] Matty_r@programming.dev 24 points 9 months ago

I've been using my install script for so long, I've forgotten that single click was the default. I guess that's at least one extra line I can remove.

[–] visnudeva@lemmy.ml 21 points 9 months ago

They can change the default settings as long as they leave the option to change it available.

[–] debil@lemmy.world 16 points 9 months ago

This is wholesome in a strange way.

[–] Sinistar@lemmy.ml 15 points 9 months ago

I'm also always changing this first, so i agree with the change.

[–] knolord@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago (4 children)

I personally also welcome this change, as I have changed that setting anyway and of those people I know, they also changed that behaviour immediately. But as long as you can change it and it isn't forced on you to only use one method, it's great.

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[–] the_q@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Ah yes... I remember when IE 4 came to Windows and introduced single clicking. What a terrible idea.

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[–] smileyhead@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 9 months ago (2 children)

So be it. I don't understand why there is so much debate around such simple setting.

[–] IronKrill@lemmy.ca 16 points 9 months ago

Same reason we debate how to pronounce GIF (it's pronounced gif, I'll have you know) or what toppings to put on pizza. Because it's entertaining for some, no matter how grating it may get for others.

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[–] narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee 10 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I could've sworn I already double click in Dolphin.

[–] SatyrSack@lemmy.one 34 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Some distributions that ship with KDE have that option set out of the box for you already.

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[–] lemmytellyousomething@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 9 months ago (2 children)

My problem with it: It was not consistent when using KDE:

In Dolpin, it's a single click.....

When downloading something in Firefox and choosing the location, it's a double click.

[–] Anafabula@discuss.tchncs.de 14 points 9 months ago

Firefox doesn't use the KDE file picker by default. You can set widget.use-xdg-desktop-portal.file-picker to 1 to use the desktop environment's native picker.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Firefox#KDE_integration

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[–] themusicman@lemmy.world 9 points 9 months ago (5 children)

As someone who hasn't touched KDE in years, can someone fill me in: How did you previously select a folder without opening it?

[–] Turtle@aussie.zone 25 points 9 months ago (1 children)
  1. click it
  2. as it instantly opens you realise you didn't change that setting yet and go change it
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[–] kelvie@lemmy.ca 11 points 9 months ago

Drag a selection box around it, or use ctrl. Or right click.

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[–] LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 9 months ago

Double click to open files/folders Single click to highlight file/folders Hover to focus on window

Perfection

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