# Proposal : Improve the Welcome Page

**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/proposal-improve-the-welcome-page/17674
**Category:** Development
**Tags:** proposal
**Created:** [August 6, 2026, 4:38pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/proposal-improve-the-welcome-page/17674 "2026-08-06T16:38:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 5

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### Author: ![Kenneth\_Moreland](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/kenneth_moreland/32/15033_2.png) [@Kenneth\_Moreland](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Kenneth_Moreland)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2026, 12:48pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/proposal-improve-the-welcome-page/17674/5 "2026-08-07T12:48:24Z")

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> [@lucas.gottar](#):
>
> I agree with you the ParaView user experience is overwhelming, that’s why it has to be simplified and we should improve the user experience

There may be several opportunities to make the ParaView interface simplified. But let’s be clear: The proposal on this specific discourse page does not simplify the ParaView interface. This page is specifically about making the welcome page _less_ simple (and thereby more useful). Other pages, such as [Proposal : Improve toolbar](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/proposal-improve-toolbar/17677), are discussing simplifying the main ParaView GUI. That is all good, but our discussions will be more useful if we stay on topic.

> [@lucas.gottar](#):
>
> > but we also don’t want to hamper the utility for experienced users
> 
> I disagree with this. Of course we don’t want our old user to feel lost by interface changes, but by never simplifying the interface, it only add complexity overt time.

This misses my point. My point is that the GUI interface is complex now, and the welcome page helps first-timers navigate that complexity. If you think you can improve the interface enough where you don’t need this handholding, that would be great. But do those improvements _first_. Then we can come back and talk about what to do with the welcome screen.

> [@lucas.gottar](#):
>
> By doing smart improvement of the interface that simplify it, experienced user would need some time to get used to but at the end it will be beneficial.

I agree with this. I’m for making improvements even if experienced users have to get used to them. But my problem has nothing to do with the experienced user. My problem is with the negative impact for the first-time user.

> [@lucas.gottar](#):
>
> Especially for this welcome page, it would increase the user experience for those experienced user, and for new users, the screen would look like this, with a less information so I don’t think it would distract users from the two functions you mentionned :

This is better than the original proposal, but I still feel it provides little value to experienced users while making it less clear to first-time users what they should do first.

An experienced user doesn’t need a new open file button on the welcome page. They just need it to get the hell out of the way. I suggest we focus on ways to get past the welcome page easier. The click anywhere outside the dialog to close it is a great idea. Maybe there could be a counter that automatically activates the “don’t show this again” after ParaView launches 5 times. Or maybe change the checkbox to a button that closes and never shows again with one click. Those are easy, non controversial changes that would improve the interface for experienced users.

 ![supermeme_8h42_58](https://discourse.paraview.org/uploads/default/original/3X/9/b/9b217ecfd8e250df4979629e96cfd6290b8a6d22.jpeg)

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