Dear Debian Developers,With the upcoming release of Debian 13 "Trixie", I want to formally raise a critical technical objection to one of the adopted upstream changes that risks undermining the efficiency,
consistency, and user trust that Debian has long upheld:
KDE Plasma 6's decision to enforce double-click as the default behavior for file interaction.
This change, introduced by KDE's upstream maintainers and publicly promoted by Nate Graham, is not a neutral adjustment. It constitutes a user experience regression that actively degrades workflow efficiency for advanced users and developers, and contradicts Debian's historical role as a distribution that respects user autonomy and practicality over cosmetic defaults.
_*I strongly urge the Debian Desktop Team to consider overriding this default or at minimum providing an opt-in mechanism at installation time.*_
*1. Debian's strength lies in curating, not copying upstream*Debian has always stood apart from downstream-focused distributions by selectively integrating upstream changes with measured technical analysis. It is not a passive consumer of upstream ideology, but a quality-assured platform chosen by professionals for its predictability, stability, and neutrality. Blind adoption of upstream defaults - especially those that alter foundational user interaction - weakens Debian’s credibility and purpose.
* 2. The double-click change is functionally regressive*Single-click has been the KDE default for over a decade for good reasons: faster navigation, better alignment with web behavior, fewer repetitive motions, and improved accessibility. These are not stylistic preferences - they are functional enhancements that streamline system interaction and reduce friction, particularly for touchpads, tablets, and users with motor impairments.
By reverting to double-click, KDE imposes a Windows-centric behavior that Linux users specifically chose to escape. This move undermines consistency across environments and introduces needless inefficiencies.
*3. "New user friendliness" is not a Debian design principle*Debian is not a first-time-user distro. It is not designed as a graphical showcase for simplicity. It is trusted by system administrators, developers, educators, and research institutions for the exact opposite reason: Debian does not get in the way. It does not presume. It does not hide critical behavior behind abstraction.
Imposing Windows-like interaction paradigms on users who expect control and speed is a misreading of Debian's audience. Beginners who truly need a guided UI likely use Ubuntu, Mint, or Fedora Spins. Debian is where users go once they understand what they want.
*4. Combined with Wayland, this shift further fragments usability*Wayland is now being shipped by default in KDE 6, despite known limitations with multi-display, remote workflows, legacy software, and graphical tablet support. Forcing a double-click interaction model on top of an unproven display stack compounds the frustration for advanced users who depend on muscle memory and low-friction environments. The KDE 6 user experience, as it stands, is becoming less deterministic, less efficient, and more ideologically driven.
*5. Proposal: restore or prompt for interaction mode*The double-click default should be reverted in the Debian KDE task, or at the very least - users should be prompted during installation to select their preferred interaction model:
"Open files/folders with single click" (recommended)"Open files/folders with double click" (for compatibility with legacy behavior)
This approach preserves user agency and allows Debian to maintain its position as a system of choice, not a system of instruction.
*6. Debian must remain a power-user OS by default*The current KDE direction reflects a trend toward aesthetic conformity, not technical clarity. By accepting these defaults uncritically, Debian signals its willingness to accommodate upstream opinion over downstream needs. This undermines the distribution's identity and weakens the confidence of users who expect Debian to stand apart from one-size-fits-all design.
*Conclusion*This is not about nostalgia. It is not about UI philosophy. It is about maintaining a distribution that respects user control, offers consistency, and avoids regressions in fundamental system behavior.
Debian has always been the distribution for people who think before they click. The current KDE double-click default is a click without thinking. Please act now to correct this before release.
Sincerely, Lucy S.
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