Linux Mint KDE news

[JoeFootball]

Just some quick news tidbits on Linux Mint KDE from the latest blog posting by Clem...

...while providing additional desktop alternatives (KDE being our main priority).

Work on the KDE and LXDE editions started. The Linux Mint staff was increased to 3 full-time members this December in an effort to bring alternative desktop choices to users in a timely manner.

The KDE version we’re working on at the moment is Ubuntu-based. No decision was taken yet on whether this desktop edition was to be supported by or ported to LMDE. For now, our priority is to get the KDE edition out and our target is to do it before Christmas… if it’s ready before then, I can’t tell for sure yet

Joe

[nico]

Those are GREAT news!!
Thank you Clem and all the staff....
i can say i have Kubu 11.10 working on my destop like never before. I bet KMint 12 will do even better.

[Fandangio]

That really is good news

[ferri]

The KDE version we’re working on at the moment is Ubuntu-based. No decision was taken yet on whether this desktop edition was to be supported by or ported to LMDE. For now, our priority is to get the KDE edition out and our target is to do it before Christmas… if it’s ready before then, I can’t tell for sure yet

It is a strange thing. Yesterday I have started to test Kubuntu 11.10 because I planned to replace LM 11 with it. But I reconsider my decision.
MGSE and MATE are not my cup of tea.

[vinnievegas]

Awesome News!!

[sez11a]

I used to run Mint KDE 10. I'm currently running Kubuntu 11.10, and that release has been fabulous. Hoping the Mint edition is even better. I'm really interested in the idea of a rolling release, and am wondering if the news is about a Mint Debian KDE release, or a straight Mint release?

[ferri]

I used to run Mint KDE 10. I'm currently running Kubuntu 11.10, and that release has been fabulous. Hoping the Mint edition is even better. I'm really interested in the idea of a rolling release, and am wondering if the news is about a Mint Debian KDE release, or a straight Mint release?

New LM KDE will be Ubuntu-based, not Debian testing.

[gerhardy]

Great new indeed, KDE on Mint awesome!

[tdockery97]

Sounds good to me. Can't wait to give it a try.

[JoeFootball]

New LM KDE will be Ubuntu-based, not Debian testing.

Just to be clear, Clem does say, "The KDE version we’re working on at the moment is Ubuntu-based. No decision was taken yet on whether this desktop edition was to be supported by or ported to LMDE."

So, as of today, the current build is off Ubuntu, not Debian. Tomorrow, who knows. I say this because Boo, who's very technically astute, encountered irresolvable issues with the Ubuntu base back in July, which was the justification for announcing the move to the Debian base for LM KDE, so it will be interesting to see if Clem & team encountered the same show-stopping hurdles.

I'd love it if we could have two versions for LM KDE (i.e., one Ubuntu-based, one Debian-based), just as there is for LM Gnome. That said, I'm very aware that Clem & team aren't working with unlimited resources.

We shall see.

Joe

[Daboo]

I mentioned this in another thread, but it is worth repeating. I installed the final release of LM12, then installed "KDE-Full". I now have the ability to boot into any of the desktop versions, and KDE 4.7.2 (which is what I use most often) has none of the issues you read about in the forum under Gnome. It just works. Seamlessly. No hiccups. No waiting either.

As always, YMMV.

Chris

[ferri]

I am glad that LM KDE will have Ubuntu base.
I was running on LMDE some weeks ago, but I was missing some things like wifi automatic support,automatic slovak localization which I had in ubuntu-based LM 11.
So after week I returned on LM 11. Since this I was satisfied again. Everything was working without any extra effort.

[kage]

Now I'm confused

Debian base was the goal. Ubuntu based KDE was not fast enough, not stableenough. So the decision was made: Debian it is.
Rollin' and very similar to the other LMDE based ones. Very simple to maintain.

I was getting used to the idea of a rolling distro. Got excited about it.

And then there's the news that it'll be Ubuntu based.

In the meantime happy Mint KDE users have left the building because of the decision to go to Debian.

Why ubuntu again?
Why isn't there a dev update or explanation in the KDE forum?

I'm truly concerned about the future of Mint KDE

kage

[russ553]

I mentioned this in another thread, but it is worth repeating. I installed the final release of LM12, then installed "KDE-Full". I now have the ability to boot into any of the desktop versions, and KDE 4.7.2 (which is what I use most often) has none of the issues you read about in the forum under Gnome. It just works. Seamlessly. No hiccups. No waiting either.

As always, YMMV.

Chris

I tried KDE-full on my brand new LM12 and it borked my system. On restart, KDE would only get to the second icon on the booting up screen and freeze. It also took over my desktop so I could not boot into anything else. A hard shutdown was the only alternative. I ended up reinstalling my whole system to get rid of it. Boo

[nico]

The human being has the strange tendency to split into two factions, and our community is no exception, just read the recent blog ( gnome 2 - gnome 3) and us KDE lovers are no different from the rest!

It is obvious that the solution might be to develop both versions (Kubuntu and Debian based) and for this reason I strongly support the idea of Joe as long as there are human resources to achieve it.
From my personal point of view, I repeat that kubuntu 11.10 works excellent on my desktop, nothing compared with the previous release, which gives us much hope ....
As regards the addition of a new DE on the main version it is clear that you can easily add KDE, LXDE or Xfce as well, the result can be satisfactory but it completely miss the Mint factor that distinguishes our beloved distro.


Nico

[asymmetros]

@kage -you can install LMDE Xfce, remove the applications you do not want and then install kde-standard-desktop or (as Daboot suggested) kde-full. Be aware that, during the installation, it is far better to select kdm as login manager. Then, remove (and) gdm3. Do not start from LMDE gnome. It has more gnome dependencies.
About your questions, my conclusion is that Clem is fully concentrated to MGSE, Lisa, gnome-shell and thing like that. No KDE, no Fluxbox, no LMDE either. So, maybe his decision for ubuntu-based Mint, is just cause that leads to the shortest and easiest way to keep his promise about a new KDE edition.

[sez11a]

I say this because Boo, who's very technically astute, encountered irresolvable issues with the Ubuntu base back in July, which was the justification for announcing the move to the Debian base for LM KDE, so it will be interesting to see if Clem & team encountered the same show-stopping hurdles.

I'm betting those issues were resolved upstream, because Kubuntu 11.10 has been a fantastic release. Like others, I got interested in the idea of a rolling release (never have to reinstall?!? I'm up for that!), but if LM KDE is based on Kubuntu 11.10, it'll be really, really nice.

[Daboo]

I too got interested in a rolling release. Then I read the caveats that said the updates could require you to tweak things to get your system working if an update was applied that didn't quite work as expected. I backed off at that point.

Years ago, I loved the challenge of using all the commands in DOS 5.0...even the ones no one else thought useful. I was a power user in Windows of every flavor, and one the IT support folks turned to when they couldn't figure things out. But as time has gone by, now what I'd rather do is to simply use the computer and be able to count on it when I turn it on. There are other things in life than a monitor and keyboard to bond with.

So I think I'll stick with the system just the way it is and not upgrade again for quite awhile.

Chris

[manny]

I was too in favor of a LMDE-KDE for several reasons, but LMDE still have a few rough edges to be polished still. For now I think it is wise to do a Kubuntu base OS and in the future, hopefully, an LMDE base also.

I'm running Kubuntu 11.10 and I'm very impressed. Some times I wonder how could LM underestimate KDE the way they did.

Cheers to all!

[asymmetros]

Years ago, I loved the challenge of using all the commands in DOS 5.0...even the ones no one else thought useful.

What do you remind me now! I was enjoying playing with Dos, reading the books, testing useful or useless things. And then, one day, windowz replaced good, old dos.

Anyway, my opinion is that Debian Testing (so and LMDE"s) "bad reputation" is -up to a point- FUD. If someone really wants to run a rolling release, he will succeed in this. If he does not want (tastes are different), even if he tries, he ll be disappointed. Finally, if someone isn 't sure, the best answer for him is to try in order to make his own, informed decision.