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Dealing with upstream: how KDE and the distros manage to keep things together

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Linux

What defines upstream? KDE, GNOME, Apache, even the Linux kernel are upstream for a Linux distribution, and even a totally different distribution altogether may be considered upstream (for example, Debian is considered upstream for Ubuntu). These upstream projects are the ones that write most of the code that goes into powering your free software operating systems, and to a distribution, they are what makes the whole thing possible. There is a fine but delicate process that happens to keep all of these projects all running as smoothly as they do. Distros have been known to fail due to making too many changes to the source without the cooperation of their upstream partners.

You can trace the path even further upstream: KDE, which is already upstream for a distribution, depends on code that comes out of a wide variety of library projects, such as the popular Qt toolkit library. KDE has to keep its upstream providers happy too. KDE even keeps a local branch of Qt within their own source tree which they use to test patches, and apply fixes that haven't been applied upstream yet. KDE has to exercise caution when dealing with their own branch, and cannot fully rely on it for the KDE project to function as there is no guarantee that any of the changes they make will be incorporated into the official Qt source tree. However, if the code is of good quality, and it fixes or improves Qt in some way, it will usually end up incorporated into the next Qt release allowing the two branches to become synchronized once again.

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A nudge in the right direction

So, I know I'm not alone on this topic but I will represent these opinions as my own for the sake of taking the brunt of the fury upon myself alone. I recently wrote an article about the complex relationship that exists between various open source projects, especially when it comes to dealing with upstream projects.

Now, the reason I wrote this article in the first place is to compliment a few distributions on how they are (as a result of KDE 4.0) sending some of their better work upstream to KDE. Some examples include: Ark Linux's recent announcement that they'd be moving all of their hardware stuff into Solid (which is awesome and I hope all the other KDE distros follow suit), and Kubuntu's contribution of System Settings to fill the void of KControl being mostly decommissioned. We, as the KDE community really need to applaud these distros when they take steps in the right direction and keep the upstream happy, and I for one would be happy to give press to any distro making contributions to KDE *nudge nudge*. This is really the only positive reinforcement that I can offer to the distros to take this action as I am only an individual.

But the way that the distros deal with KDE is not always rosy

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