KubuntuFeistyLaptop

Revision 11 as of 2006-11-10 18:13:48

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Summary

Edgy has several improvements (see KubuntuLaptopButtons and KubuntuPowerManagement spec) in laptop support that brings laptop support to comparable level with Ubuntu. For Feisty, we need to polish the solution to get to great out-of-the-box experience on Kubuntu laptop.

Rationale

Some functionality implemented in Edgy is lacking or implemented with limitations ([https://launchpad.net/bugs/64650 #64650], [https://launchpad.net/bugs/70454 #70454], [https://launchpad.net/bugs/67341 #67341]).

Use cases

  • Sarah would wants to use laptop button shortcuts on her laptop. She press suspend button and the laptop just properly suspends.
  • Jonathan would want to restart the system. By pressing the power button he is offered logout/shutdown/restart/suspend/hibernate options (depending on laptop support) and clicking option just does the right thing.
  • Sebastian is a power user that wants to squeeze more juice out of his batteries. He can select appropriate CPU frequency scaling levels (ondemand, powersave, performance) when needed from the power management tray icon and can configure automatic action (like suspend) if laptop is idle for X minutes.
  • Tonio would like to do some fine tuning of his synaptics touch pad and would like to temporary disable touch pad when typing (not to get in the way). He starts System settings and can calibrate the touch pad, start tray icon and use the tray applet to temporary disable touch pad when typing..
  • Nuno uses Desktop CD to evaluate Kubuntu. He expects that power management options suspend/hibernate are not available on live system and that all available options just work.

Scope

The intention is to reconsider kpowersave and implement some minor improvements that were not implemented in Edgy due to technical and/or time constraints.

Design

  • Review new kpowersave for potential main inclusion and feasibility to replace Guidance Powermanager.

  • Review laptop buttons assignments and implement missing functionality.

  • Review ksynaptics for main inclusion and inclusion in default setup.

  • Disable suspend/hibernate functionality when running Live/Desktop CD

Implementation

  • Evaluate recent kpowersave with [http://dkukawka.blogspot.com/2006/11/kpowersave-on-way-to-070.html HAL support] for main inclusion and as potential replacement of Guidance Powermanager. In order to be considered as default power management application in Kubuntu, it needs to fulfill the following criteria:

    • Proper integration with Ubuntu laptop infrastructure (acpi-support, pmi, hal)
    • Simplification of user interface (comparable to existing Guidance Powermanager)

  • kdebase

    • Define global shortcuts for Suspend/Hibernate buttons and call HAL action
    • Define global shortcut for Battery button and call Powermanager over DCOP to show battery info
    • Define global shortcut for Power button to present standard logout dialog with Logout/Shutdown/Restart/Suspend/Hibernate options

    • Parse power-managerrc file for lockOnResume, disableSuspend and disableHibernate options and act appropriately

    • Update xkeysyms assignments in /usr/share/apps/kxkb/ubuntu.xmodmap to match most laptops buttons

  • kde-guidance

    • Fix power-manager DCOP interface to not use PID

    • Parse power-managerrc file for lockOnResume, disableSuspend and disableHibernate options and act appropriately

    • Allow setting current CPU frequency scaling (ondemand, powersave, performance)
    • Idle actions: automatic actions if machine is idle for X minutes

  • casper

    • Provide power-managerrc with disableSuspend and disableHibernate options turned on for Desktop CD user.

  • ksynaptics

    • Prepare package for main inclusion
    • Should not be started by default and should have proper default settings for just-works experience.

    • Add configuration module to System settings -> Keyboard and Mouse

Unresolved issues

  • Does new KPowersave provide proper replacement for Guidance Powermanager and similar simple and just-works experience?
  • Will HAL in Feisty provide CPU frequency functionality?

  • PyQt/PyKDE does not provide proper dbus event handling (polling still required) - porting to PyQt4 is also not an option as we need KDE features (tray, dcop...)

CategorySpec