The MASTER KDE CE update thread!

[arjay]

Well - sorry to have to say it but I have had just too many problems with rc1. Mainly kde 4.2 related but it just won't do i am afraid. What is a shame is i don't want to leave Mint. So i have downloaded and installed 6 Gnome (Felicia?).

I really dislike Gnome and have always loved kde - not just the desktop but some awesome packages - k3b, digikam etc. However, what is a guy supposed to do? Now I have to report that gnome is proving rock solid, and everything that was a problem with the kde version is fixed - problems with monitor resolutions, setting static Ethernet connections, sound in Skype and when recording - just to name a few. I'll persevere with gnome until the kde version looks more mature.

I think it looks very promising and I admire all you have done to get kde 4 up and running with Mint - a brave move I reckon. Here's hoping that it will soon be up to the standard we always expected from Mint...

[rec9140]

Well - sorry to have to say it but I have had just too many problems with rc1. Mainly kde 4.2 related but it just won't do i am afraid. What is a shame is i don't want to leave Mint. So i have downloaded and installed 6 Gnome (Felicia?).
..

Why not go back to Elyssa??? KDE 3.5.10

I won't be moving to Felicia either as KDE 4.2. or 4.x is NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME. Additionally I am just not into having the kind of massive changes in the UI, settings etc. ala vistaturd and win7crap.

I can not stand gnome for a lot of reasons as well... so just get an Elyssa DVD and install it.

[arjay]

rec9140 - good point re back to Elyssa. It had crossed my mind and, indeed, I had it on one of my PCs a couple of months back. But had the same problem with intermittent failures of sound there as well. I changed sound cards and it was ok for a few days then dead again. Moved to mepis 7 (bit of a distro junkie) and that was OK but a bit behind on latest packages. So came back to mint and thought I'd try KDE 4.2 - yuch. I am lucky enough to have several PCs - one of which I use to try out different distros. My main (mission critical) PC runs Debian 5 - everything has to work perfectly and I'm not worried about the latest of anything. Others include a media center (Mythdora 10.21), web design (Mepis or Mint kde), web testing (Win2000 for IE6 and IE7 - not bad actually, much better than XP or Vista) and my "play" box.

Don't you just love the linux choice

[Hawkeye_52]

I'm not a really active member, but one who has installed and used LinuxMint 5.0 Main, 6.0 Main, 6.0 XFCE (very briefly). As a committed KDE person, I haven't been as active a LinuxMint user in the past because of your preference for Gnome. But I was excited about the announcement of 6.0 CE KDE 4.2, and have had it installed on one of my desktops for the last 36 hours, or so. I have got to say that the the changes are so numerous, and the problems so pervasive that I am burning a LinuxMint 5.0 CE KDE 3.5.x as I write this. I truly WANT to use LinuxMint, but this has been too steep a hill for the old boy to climb!

Your distro is TOP NOTCH -- not only in the technical aspects, but in the philosophical direction you are pointing toward. I truly believe that if any OS could make KDE 4.2 walk and talk correctly, you guys could; it is just before its time and, in many ways, inferior to its last version. I hope this doesn't spawn too much 'hate mail' in response, but let the chips fall where they may...

As I get ready to wipe my hard drive of 4.2, I can only hope that you will continue to maintain CE KDE 5.0 for a reasonable period, so that those 'old codgers' like myself will have time to wrap our heads around such drastic change in what has been such a fine window manager for so long.

Again, this is nothing on LinuxMint, just 'voice in the wilderness' ranting about what I see as change gone bad in an organization that is appearing far more MS-like than I would like to see in the Linux world.

I will check back in 2-3 hours, to see how badly my tailfeathers are singed.

Hawkeye

[arjay]

I will check back in 2-3 hours, to see how badly my tailfeathers are singed.

Hawkeye

No singeing from me old friend. I could not agree more. I have stuck gnome on temporarily but I must say I am well surprised at how stable and solid it feels. All the things that wouldn't install or configure correctly under kde have worked really well under gnome. Mind you, fpost is pathetic after digikam and k3b is so superior to brassiere it makes me want to weep. But what to do? I cannot argue against the desktop itself. KDE - come back soon or I may have got too used to gnome to switch back.

[WildSioux]

I have got to say that the the changes are so numerous, and the problems so pervasive that I am burning a LinuxMint 5.0 CE KDE 3.5.x as I write this. I truly WANT to use LinuxMint, but this has been too steep a hill for the old boy to climb!

My first Linux OS experience was LinuxMint gnome back in December 2008. I wanted the latest so I decided to not try the KDE CE. I didn't like gnome since it reminded me a lot like Win95. So I moved on to other distros to test them out knowing that Mint6 would come out with a KDE CE sooner or later. I did come back and tried Mint5 with KDE 3.5.10 but I didn't like that either and it had a few bugs. I was so happy to hear they released the RC1 this past weekend I installed it that very same day (yes it has been out since Saturday, I think).

Your distro is TOP NOTCH -- not only in the technical aspects, but in the philosophical direction you are pointing toward. I truly believe that if any OS could make KDE 4.2 walk and talk correctly, you guys could; it is just before its time and, in many ways, inferior to its last version. I hope this doesn't spawn too much 'hate mail' in response, but let the chips fall where they may...

Hawkeye

I have to agree with you that Mint is "Top Notch." I NOW, without a doubt believe that Mint has taken KDE 4.2 to a whole new level. Something all the other distros have failed on. And trust me, I have tried numerous over the past 4 months and last month with KDE 4.2. Nothing comes close... Don't blame Mint, blame KDE 4.2 for its shortcomings. It is still early, but it is light years ahead of 4.1.3.

You will never know how to use KDE 4.2 if you don't stick with it. It may have bugs that you may have to work out. But learning a new interface is possible. I don't know how KDE 3.5.10 works since I barely used it. But I find KDE 4.2 to be simple and efficient.

Like I said, I have been using Mint6 KDE RC1 without issue for almost a week now and I love it. It just takes a little time to get used to it.

[rec9140]

You will never know how to use KDE 4.2 if you don't stick with it. It may have bugs that you may have to work out. But learning a new interface is possible. I don't know how KDE 3.5.10 works since I barely used it. But I find KDE 4.2 to be simple and efficient.

Like I said, I have been using Mint6 KDE RC1 without issue for almost a week now and I love it. It just takes a little time to get used to it.

With out trying to start a fight, I honestly would like to hear what is so great with KDE 4.2?

Warning I am a die hard KDE fan, but 4.x is not thrilling me.

[Hawkeye_52]

You will never know how to use KDE 4.2 if you don't stick with it. It may have bugs that you may have to work out. But learning a new interface is possible. I don't know how KDE 3.5.10 works since I barely used it. But I find KDE 4.2 to be simple and efficient.

Like I said, I have been using Mint6 KDE RC1 without issue for almost a week now and I love it. It just takes a little time to get used to it.

With out trying to start a fight, I honestly would like to hear what is so great with KDE 4.2?

Warning I am a die hard KDE fan, but 4.x is not thrilling me.

I absolutely loved the control I had over the look and feel under 3.5. Between themes, styles, window decorations, and icons, the possible combinations were immense. When I went to the KControl (or System Settings), I felt like I was in a foreign country -- not only were the choices limited, but there were none of the old combinations available. The configuration tools for the panel are unwieldy and inflexible. Is it possible to set a unique wallpaper to the number of desktops you implement? I spent at least a half an hour trying to figure that one out, and I believe the answer is no -- you can't have a unique wallpaper for each desktop. I found that feature invaluable, since I have more than one thing going, and tend to keep one or two items active on each desktop.

And what's up with the wallpaper? I must have selected those 'foldered images', but I am not sure when. It is a little frustrating to have to bore down through a couple of folders to see what the image looks like attached to the artsy names. And do the screensavers use the old /usr/share/wallpapers content or the /usr/share/background content? I didn't spend as much time on that quandry, but I believe the answer is 'it depends', but I just don't know what the 'depends' is. I felt like I was car shopping and had the distinct feeling that I was in the wrong dealership.

I am sure the OS runs the programs fairly efficiently, if we ignore some of Dolphin's quirky behavior, but it just felt SO different, and there really aren't that many ways to learn what to do, without some real digging. I am sure KDE has some user help available, but the inherent way it operates begs for a pretty stiff learning curve. The person who does the LinuxMint Users Manual on this is going to be a HERO!

I hate to sound so negative, but exactly what was so broken in 3.5.XX that would warrant such a radical departure from its general operating set up? The patient must have been very ill to have warranted such radical surgery....

I have just about got 5.0 set up comfortably for the grumbling old fart that I am, but so many of the applications are showing their age, and all the newer versions are behind the barbed wire of 4.X.

I have noticed a few posts with feelings similar to my own, maybe not as strong, but in the same general direction. There have been a couple of suggestions to include 3.5 and 4.2 as options in the final version. I would love that, but it may be an impossibility from a technical standpoint. Smarter folks than me would have to weigh in on the feasibility.

I feel like an old 'free range' cattleman from cowboy times in the old West of the USA, who has just seen the first fences come up on neighboring ranches. It is obvious that the fences will encircle me; it is an irrevocable direction KDE. And the safe, comfortable open range of 3.5 is slowly but surely blinking out around me. Before too long it will be 4.X or nothing -- maybe a few 'legacy distros' but not the main stream ones.

I guess I will cling to 3.5 for as long as possible, and pray that LXDE, or something like it, will mature into a full blown, polished window manager before the barbed wire is all around me. Pass me a stale cup of coffee while I take off these cowboy boots and await my fate.....

Hawkeye

[Hawkeye_52]

As an olive branch to those who are really enjoying KDE 4.2:

http://www.tuxradar.com/content/20-all-new-tips-kde-42

Hawkeye

[dlkreations]

As an olive branch to those who are really enjoying KDE 4.2:

http://www.tuxradar.com/content/20-all-new-tips-kde-42

Hawkeye

Nice find! Although they look very similar to the tips in the latest Linux Format magazine.

EDIT: Darn, I didn't read all the way down to the bottom yet lol.

[WildSioux]

With out trying to start a fight, I honestly would like to hear what is so great with KDE 4.2?

Warning I am a die hard KDE fan, but 4.x is not thrilling me.

Well, I didn't like the Win95 look and feel with Gnome. KDE 3.5.x just didn't do it for me either. So, I had to live with KDE 4.1.3 failure for the past few months. I really do think they have finally made 4.2 more usable with fixing a lot of bugs. Yes, it may not be there just yet as a lot of people have been saying. But 4.3+ looks promising. Remember, it is a WIP as I am sure 3.5 was. I never used 3.5 since I just started here recently. Plus, I didn't want to get comfy with 3.5 knowing they are phasing that out in favor for 4.x.

...re: Desktops, and different backgrounds...

Hawkeye

Hmm, I don't really use other desktops since I tend to keep all of my tasks on one. I may try now having the capability. However, it is odd that you can't change the background/theme for each virtual desktop like you could do in 3.5.x.

I did find this though, it is called "Activities." Apparently it is experimental still. I have been trying it out and for the life of me can't figure out why this over having different desktops. You can't easily change desktops with mouse wheel over the desktop. You have to click on the cashew in the upper right, zoom in (or ctl -) and then you will see the different "Activities" displayed on the plasma. There is also an applet to switch "Activites." It works, you can have different backgrounds. But the applet sometimes takes two clicks on the separate buttons to switch.

http://blip.tv/file/1640432/

I kind of see where they are going with this with having separate desktops (or activities) on one plasma without having multiple desktops. But it isn't as quick as the mouse. Not being able to change each desktop wallpaper baffles me.

[roadrash]

I have encountered 3 problems so far using KDE RC1. All the partitions on my hard disk are mounting Ok at startup but I am unable to write to any of them this is annoying because i had this problem.

RC1 also takes a long time shutting down and then occasionally it will just hang and leave the PC powered on. when it does this I am still able to see & move the mouse pointer.

The final problem is that I am unable to access the partition with Mint 6 on it from within windows. I have both Mint 5 & Mint 6 on separate partitions &I formatted both with the Ext 3 file system. While I can see & open everything in the partition containing mint 5, I cannot access the partition containing mint 6. Windows vies it as RAW & says it needs formatting. This is very strange.

Other than this I am slowly starting to like Mint 6 & KDE 4.2, but will need these problems sorted before migrating away from Mint 5 & KDE3.5xx

[roadrash]

I have found out the reason I was unable to write to any of my partitions was that my user privileges didn't include the group "users" or "fuse". As soon as I added my user to these groups everything was OK. Shouldn't a user be in the group Users?

[jasmac]

Hi, have been using Mint 6 KDE for about a week now and am liking it. I have had no problems at all, everything that I wish to do I am able to do. I don't know what people don't like about it, I think it works well and looks good. Each to their own I suppose. I have a question about repositories, are we able to add the kubuntu ones or will the ubuntu ones suffice, I am just thinking about any updates that come out for 4.2, such as 4.2.1, and how we go about getting those updates. Will they work their way through as part of the Mint updates? Any help appreciated.

Cheers

Jason

[Rob Brill]

[quote="roadrash"]I have encountered 3 problems so far using KDE RC1. All the partitions on my hard disk are mounting Ok at startup but I am unable to write to any of them this is annoying because i had this problem.

Nope. I am able to write to any partitions on my hard drive (ext3 - vfat32- ntfs) and including my Windows Vista partition (ntfs) . I've tested it.

RC1 also takes a long time shutting down and then occasionally it will just hang and leave the PC powered on. when it does this I am still able to see & move the mouse pointer.

Yep, it's true, very true


My comments are according to the default installation of KDE CE 6 Felicia RC1

Cheers
Roberto

[big_dog1968]

When it goes to power saving mode I have gotten a white screen that wouldn't go away until I pressed ctrl-alt-backspace to restart KDE.

[Boo]

To get the latest KDE 4 (eg 4.2.1) enable the ppa repo.

Boo

[big_dog1968]

To get the latest KDE 4 (eg 4.2.1) enable the ppa repo.

Boo

I enabled the two PPA repos that were unchecked in Synaptic, but am unsure what to search for.

[big_dog1968]

I just ran Mint's updater and it found a bunch of level 3 updates including some related to KDE. Would this be it, or do I have to manually search for it?

[roadrash]

I just ran Mint's updater and it found a bunch of level 3 updates including some related to KDE. Would this be it, or do I have to manually search for it?

yes just update them all. I have and everything is OK but cant see any difference yet between KDE 4.2 and 4.2.1