kate and dolphin use the same kind of tap strip, as most KDE software does.
However, plasmashell’s default Task Manager plasmoids don’t.
Why is this?
Considering that Window List was recently updated to use the native context menu (woohoo!) this seems extra strange.
Because Plasma UI elements use styling from the Plasma theme, not the desktop app theme. And the Breeze Plasma theme uses that style for tabs, rather than a desktop-style tab-like tab.
@ngraham, that seems to imply that the default task Task Manager with labels is just the common tab strip control but rethemed, although I imagine that it’s really custom, right?
Also, regarding the distribution between the Plasma and desktop theme, is changing the plasma theme exposed in a KCM somewhere? I didn’t realize it used separate theming.
Also, regarding the distribution between the Plasma and desktop theme, is changing the plasma theme exposed in a KCM somewhere? I didn’t realize it used separate theming.
The Plasma ‘theme’ is actually called the Plasma Style, which has its own configuration section in System Settings.
It is a bit confusing, as Plasma Styles used to to be called Plasma Themes, which were easily confused with Global Themes, which are collections of all the matching theming components, such as colors, windecos, application styles, etc.
Yeah, some of us old farts still call plasma styles plasma themes, but the terms are interchangeable. Plasma styles are configured in System Settings > Appearance > Plasma Style.
The Task Manager does use the Plasma tab bar styling, yes. I guess it can kind of be considered a specialized type of tab bar, so it’s not totally insane IMO.
I am one of those, myself 
Do you think it wouldn’t be difficult to fork the current default Task Manager plasmoid to use the stock Qt tab bar, then? I can’t find the source code for it, so I’m not sure, but if it’s just a rethemed version as you state, perhaps even I could maintain a version that I’d prefer.
Thanks, BTW.
You’re welcome.
Using the stock QtQuick tab bar would not be possible, as it doesn’t have enough features to do what the Task Manager does. This includes things like pinned icons interspersed with open apps and multi row/column tasks.
Can you walk me through why you would want to do this?
Visual consistency and a better solution to a problem than reinvention of the wheel. The former, more importantly.
Yes, that’s why I’d like to make it for myself. The former attribute to me is more important than the latter. Could you direct me to its source?
Thanks, lots. It’d be great to have a link in the applet’s About.