Ideas on modernizing the open-source desktop
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Scott Jenson urges open-source desktop innovation beyond the WIMP model, citing stalled UX progress.
Scott Jenson, a UX veteran from Apple and Google, spoke at Akademy 2026, KDE's conference, arguing that desktop UX has stagnated for 20 years. He criticized open source for copying Apple and Microsoft, who now focus on ecosystems and ads rather than risk-taking. Jenson demonstrated prototypes for widescreen monitors and proposed rethinking working memory and file management. He referenced prior art like Lifestreams and NEPOMUK, suggesting modern hardware could revive these ideas. He emphasized UX layers beyond pixels, including structure, strategy, and technology constraints. Jenson acknowledged pushback against change but advocated for experimentation over bug fixes.
What commenters are saying
Commenters split: some welcomed innovation but demanded opt-in customization and feared forced changes (citing Windows 8 and GNOME 3). Others argued customization is the real revolution, not new default paradigms. Several noted touchpad gesture support works in Linux (libinput, GTK) but remains underutilized. A few defended Apple's touchpad quality. Skepticism arose about AI-driven UX unpredictability. Some pointed out that users resist change regardless of platform, but Linux offers more choice.