> Hmm. If you never recall seeing the task icons filling the
> task bar fully, and since TDE started with Debian modified
> KDE sources rather than the original upstream virgin KDE
> sources, which Slackware always used....
> 
> Yeah, modified sources. If that is the case then makes
> sense neither of us has seen the behavior of the other's
> desktop.
> 
> Where in the TDE sources would the rendering of taskbar
> task icons be? I'll investigate if I know where to go. :)

Looks like this might be the difference (kdebase/kicker/taskbar/taskcontainer.cpp):

    // draw button background
    if (drawButton)
    {
        if (KickerSettings::showDeepButtons()) {
            tqstyle().tqdrawPrimitive(TQStyle::PE_ButtonBevel, p,
                              TQRect(1, 1, width()-3, height()-2),
                              colors, sunken ? TQStyle::Style_On : TQStyle::Style_Raised);
        }
        else {
            tqstyle().tqdrawPrimitive(TQStyle::PE_ButtonTool, p,
                              TQRect(1, 1, width()-2, height()-2),
                              colors, sunken ? TQStyle::Style_Down : TQStyle::Style_Raised);

The two pixels being subtracted, one top and bottom is the difference I see. Now that I see this, I also realize there is space between the taskbar icons (buttons).

BTW, what are deep buttons? I see no difference when enabled or disabled.

Darrell