KDE 4.0: revolution or hype?
The next-generation of the KDE open source project, version 4.0, has been touted as the beginning of a new era in desktop computing, but only two months from the first release some users are wondering if it's just all hype.
As reported by Computerworld, KDE 4.0 will bring a collection of new technologies to the Linux and Unix desktop, but there are uncertainties around how much of it will be included in the initial release.
KDE user Andreas Pakulat expressed doubt about how the release will take shape in a blog post titled "Where's the KDE4 desktop?".
"There's still [two] months of work happening and KDE 4.0 is not primarily targeted at the broad user base that KDE4 is [but] still I think the desktop is not in the shape I would've liked to see it for the 4.0 release," Pakulat wrote, adding a few applications crash a second after starting.
Responding to the claims, spokesperson for the KDE project Sebastian Kugler told Computerworld the problems identified by Pakulat are "mostly small issues".
- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
- 2390 reads
- PDF version
More in Tux Machines
- Highlights
- Front Page
- Latest Headlines
- Archive
- Recent comments
- All-Time Popular Stories
- Hot Topics
- New Members
digiKam 7.7.0 is releasedAfter three months of active maintenance and another bug triage, the digiKam team is proud to present version 7.7.0 of its open source digital photo manager. See below the list of most important features coming with this release. |
Dilution and Misuse of the "Linux" Brand
|
Samsung, Red Hat to Work on Linux Drivers for Future TechThe metaverse is expected to uproot system design as we know it, and Samsung is one of many hardware vendors re-imagining data center infrastructure in preparation for a parallel 3D world. Samsung is working on new memory technologies that provide faster bandwidth inside hardware for data to travel between CPUs, storage and other computing resources. The company also announced it was partnering with Red Hat to ensure these technologies have Linux compatibility. |
today's howtos
|
expect a lot more articles like this
as KDE 4 approaches; this is nothing new. gnome not only has lot of us corporate backing though funding, it also has a lot of PR money backing. Funding used for planting stories and marketing in other forms. Pumping gnome and dumping on KDE.
re: expect
that might be true. it's a unique time in history. This is the first time, with desktoplinux's survey, that Gnome has enjoyed enough popularity to actually beat out KDE. ...thanks to Ubuntu. I'll leave that at that...
But this is also the first time in history that a major release of KDE is this incomplete two months before release. I've thought that a few times before this article and some others have hinted around to that fact. I used to run and cover KDE betas and the releases, but I've yet to experience any success with building and testing KDE 4. I chalked it up to my own incompetence for a while, then I realized, KDE 4 is still a long way from usable. I'm getting a bit worried I admit. I got to hand it those few who have it installed and are reporting anything.
Optimistic Schedule
I've always thought the KDE4 development schedule was optimistic. I think it *will* be great, but not 'till 4.1. I will test KDE 4.0 when it becomes usable, and report any bugs. I'll do this on my secondary (experimental) machine.
I do not accept Desktoplinux's survey as it is so counter to any other measure of distro/platform use we have. Certainly Gnome has narrowed the gap, but I'll bet that a (slight) majority of Desktop Linux users still use KDE as their primary desktop. But, no one really knows.
I'm not worried about KDE4--the Trolltech API's, widgets, algorithms, and foundational libraries just keep improving--and KDE will continue to improve as a result. And the Google sponsored Summer of Code programs are bringing in new, young, and talented developers into the project.
re: Optimistic Schedule
Perhaps that's why the announcement party ain't til January.
running kde4
There was a complaint that it wasn't possible to run a KDE 4 session, so I thought that it isn't that bad and tried. I'm now typing this from a KDE 4 session, here's my findings: composite works well, I do have transparent windows. Konsole also works well. Kate also works, I don't see any immediate problems (above all, it certainly doesn't crash on my machine).
More Here w/ screenshot.