I totally appreciate even the mere existence of the Darktable project, and I – luckily – fount the info you gave on how the development is happening, including getting not a [your currency here, smallest fragment unit] 
(the rest of what I wrote as a PRE… goes to the PS for better communication :))
question:
is there or could there be a functionality to browse the pictures of the selection
NOT in thumbnail view? but using large size, like over 600px?
using arrow keys for navigation… and being able to use shortcuts to mark the picture as 3 stars, or 0, for example…?
I think – if this functionality does not exist yet – it would be great to even think about it…
when you have a heap of pictures what you want is to go over each of them fast as you can… but using a large enough view…
(sorry, if this functionality already exist – or wait, I won’t be )
PS:
the reason why I start this topic is because I come from Windows – my past, I am a happy and free Linux citizen now – and that OS had 2 charms, one of which was Canon’s Digital Photo Professional (DPP)… and beyond hoping to get the same functionality in the free open source world, I also think that if an application is remarkably good like DPP, it is worth studying it, and making it our standard…
even though DT is way more sophisticated
in other words, it’d be great if DT knew all that DPP knows… as long as that a relevant functionality…
so, my intention is to time after time boot to windows (i still have it), and use DPP, and
then use DT, and make some notes… using the tag “dtvsdpp” or “dt-vs-dpp” (later on)
one more thing:
I am already aware that DT knows MUCH-MUCH more than DPP (!!),
but using an application is a complex experience… and all levels should work well…
not just the sophisticated levels… so, despite being capable of modelling “human night vision”, some simple functionalities can still be hoped for
right now I have one suggestion, I’m focusing on a workflow for having shot a few hundred pictures, jpeg, want to organize them, select the good and the best ones of them, work on them, in a batch mode, and export them swiftly…
my expectation is that DT should be as easy to use as DPP, and also as effective…