| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
masinick
Linux Guru
Joined: 03 Apr 2025
Posts: 8615
Location: Concord, NH
|
 Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2025 8:27 pm Post subject: KDE 4.2 “The Answer” - My Experiences So Far |
 |
|
As most of you know, when KDE 4 was released, it was a redesign and a significantly new and different approach to just about everything. Years earlier, the GNOME project went through a similar metamorphosis (big change) and it was painful for GNOME users, and these changes have been painful for KDE users as well.
KDE 4 was not feature complete when it was first released, and though closer, KDE 4.1 was not feature complete either.
It looks like KDE 4.2 will be very close to feature complete, and with perhaps another update or two (how about KDE 4.2.2) the KDE project ought to be considered once again among the leaders for every day desktop use.
Many people and distributions, concerned about missing features and lack of features that work correctly, have been hanging with KDE 3. The 3.5.9 release has been around a while, though, and the 3.5.10 branch simply patches a few programs in KDE 3.5.9, which continues to be the stable legacy version of this well known desktop environment.
But what about KDE 4.2? How is it doing, how is it coming along, and is it now usable? Some people say yes.
This article seems to hold the opinion that KDE 4.2, overall, is pretty useful and usable, though not completely without problems. The author, however, does feel that 2025 will be the year of the KDE 4.2 desktop. We'll see. Personally, I'd wait 9 months or so for a more stable implementation, but it does have a lot of eye candy now. If you are not too hard on your desktop environment and you like an interesting new look, maybe KDE 4.2 is for you. I'd suggest tracking Mandriva, OpenSUSE, Kubuntu, or Fedora projects. All four of these well known desktop environments use KDE 4 desktop implementations or at least make them available. |
|
| Back to top |
|
crouse
Site Admin
Joined: 17 Apr 2025
Posts: 11833
Location: Iowa
|
|
| Back to top |
|
masinick
Linux Guru
Joined: 03 Apr 2025
Posts: 8615
Location: Concord, NH
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2025 9:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| crouse wrote: | I like it  Currently using KDE 4.1.3-1 on Arch.
Several things I've found actually I like ALOT.
I do NOT however like Dolphin nearly as well I like Konqueror.
I find myself just opening Konqueror to do what I need for file management. |
What are some examples, Dave, of things that you like a lot?
I noticed that Konqueror seems to be faster and use memory more effectively than previous versions, and that Dolphin, as a simple file manager, is lighter and faster, but also less capable, than Konqueror.
I found that the sound bytes when KDE logs in and out clip on most of the implementations that I have tried so far and I usually get a few pop up messages indicating that some process failed, but I usually am able to use the system.
Seems to be somewhat faster than KDE 3.5.9, but it does not exude confidence to me for an every day desktop. I'd just as soon use KDE 3.5.9 for routine stuff, and I miss k3b, knetworkmanager, and a few of the straggling apps.
To counteract that, what works really well for you? |
|
| Back to top |
|
tlmiller
Ultimate Member
Joined: 01 May 2025
Posts: 2433
Location: MD, USA
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2025 11:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I actually LOVE d3lphin (KDE 3 version), but HATE dolphin (KDE 4 version). When using KDE4, I have to use Konqueror, the KDE4 branch of dolphin is absolutely terrible.
_________________
Debian Squeeze, Arch, Kubuntu mostly. Some Mandriva. Some Windows.
Desktops: shadowdragon, medusa
Laptops: bluedrake, banelord, sandwyrm, aardvark.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
crouse
Site Admin
Joined: 17 Apr 2025
Posts: 11833
Location: Iowa
|
|
| Back to top |
|
mr_ed
Site Admin
Joined: 28 Aug 2025
Posts: 3819
Location: 42 miles north of Ogdensburg, NY
|
|
| Back to top |
|
masinick
Linux Guru
Joined: 03 Apr 2025
Posts: 8615
Location: Concord, NH
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2025 5:54 pm Post subject: Takes a bit of getting used to it |
|
|
| crouse wrote: | I really like the way you can search for an application right at the start. IE: click the "start" button and enter an application name...or just the first few letters.... makes it much easier than sorting through menu's. I like the add to favorites for the applications, making your "start" menu very easy to setup with your most used applications. I like the "look" of the toolbars and menues in kde4.x.
As for k3b... I still have k3b and it works fine under kde 4..... maybe it's not an "included" part of kde anymore, idk, but it's still out there and it is installed on my systems. I for one, would hate to live without k3b  I'm looking forward to kde 4.2, if it just "improves" on kde 4.1, then I'm going to be very happy. I use KDE simply because it's the easiest to use/manage for all of my everyday applications. I can use other WM/DE but I just much prefer kde. Very little setup needed to start working right away. |
I am starting to get used to the different way that both recent implementations of the GNOME desktop and the recent implementations of the KDE desktop are doing things. I recently noticed the favorites, and that might be one way to get the stuff I use the most easily accessible.
Frankly, for me, what has worked best on desktops running Linux with KDE, XFCE, GNOME, IceWM, and believe it or not, my XP instance at work, is that I try to make as many of the things I frequently use to be directly accessible with one (or at most two) clicks from the task bar. If I can do that easily then it gets good marks. Past implementations of KDE and XFCE have been the easiest to do that for me, but I have had some degree of success in KDE 4, GNOME, and even XP (eek, uncomfortable even talking about it, but let's face it, many of us have to use some implementation of Windows eight hours a day at work).
Getting common stuff immediately at my fingertips is crucial to multi tasking, to be able to switch gears rapidly, do research and work simultaneously, and be effective without losing my train of thought or time. There is no way that I could research or post a lot of stuff here while doing my work if I could not switch back and forth. Sometimes I can take time to write here; other times it may take an hour just to write a single post, while doing five or six other things. Tabs, task bars, and tools at the fingertips make it possible. |
|
| Back to top |
|
crouse
Site Admin
Joined: 17 Apr 2025
Posts: 11833
Location: Iowa
|
|
| Back to top |
|
masinick
Linux Guru
Joined: 03 Apr 2025
Posts: 8615
Location: Concord, NH
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2025 8:10 pm Post subject: Touche'! |
|
|
| crouse wrote: | | mr_ed wrote: | | crouse wrote: | | I really like the way you can search for an application right at the start. IE: click the "start" button and enter an application name...or just the first few letters.... |
ah, just like Windows Vista.
(ducks)
 |
lol, don't know...... i don't run vista |
Touche'! |
|
| Back to top |
|
mr_ed
Site Admin
Joined: 28 Aug 2025
Posts: 3819
Location: 42 miles north of Ogdensburg, NY
|
|
| Back to top |
|
masinick
Linux Guru
Joined: 03 Apr 2025
Posts: 8615
Location: Concord, NH
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2025 2:24 am Post subject: Chakra has been installed! |
|
|
I am using the Chakra Live CD - the one that creates a KDE 4 Arch based distro straight from the Live CD!
Heresy, perhaps, but hey, for someone who would like to use the pacman tools and Arch stuff, doesn't mind having an initial system put together for them (which can later be changed to your heart's content, this is one handy little distro.
Talk about ease of use! This was REAL EASY to install, and with the legendary pacman, will also be easy to maintain. I'll have to work with it a bit, but I liked the installer - piece of cake!
Now for dessert - to try it out on the disk! |
|
| Back to top |
|
jada
Linux Guru
Joined: 13 May 2025
Posts: 3064
Location: Sun City, CA 92585
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2025 3:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
KDE4
I am a big KDE 4 fan. I love it, and even it is not complet at the moment, it is a great desktop. Following the roadmap, http://techbase.kde.org/Schedules with the schedule from KDE 4.3 we will see the most advanced Graphical User Interface (Desktop). Few days ago, opensuse 11.1 ATI repos are now online. I was waiting for it, and now I am using openSUSE 11.1 KDE4 (stable). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
