Latest version of KDE

[alicuk]

Hi, I have Mint 20.2 and I've installed KDE using:

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ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

However, this ppa is quite old for ubuntu focal - plasma version 5.18.5

Is there a newer KDE install over mint?

Thanks

[Moonstone Man]

Is there a newer KDE install over mint?

That's a big mistake. If you want a KDE desktop, install a KDE distribution. If you always want the the latest and greatest KDE then take a look at KDE neon.

[Beerislife]

I smell a recipe for disaster!

If you want the same long term base as Mint but with KDE got for Kubuntu 20.04.2 LTS (prefer minimal install and build up from there)

Once installed THEN enable backports to get newer versions of Plasma

If you're more adventurous go with KDE Neon, this always receives the latest version of Plasma. It's my daily driver but I do have two Mint Cinnamon machines. One will soon be retired and replaced with a Chromebook though.

[alicuk]

I'm not sure what this big disaster is? I have plasma 5.18.5 running very nicely on 20.2 mint.

Just wondering if there are newer KDE repositories for mint (I think this is focal base), without having to do the full Neon thing.

[Hoser Rob]

The backports repo is new enough.

I have to agree, though, that if you want KDE you should install a distro that actually supports it, which Mint does not. You won't get a lot of KDE help on Mint sites anymore.

Kubuntu perhaps, or Neon. I think the MX KDE spin looks pretty good too, but MX KDE isn't the newest KDE. But being Debian based it's quite stable and doesn't use systemd. And their forum is pretty good.

[Moem]

I'm not sure what this big disaster is?

KDE is known as a DE that does not play nicely with Cinnamon on the same installation. If people want to add KDE to Mint, it's strongly recommended to use XFCE as a base.

[xenopeek]

If you're happy to experiment and reinstall if this blows up you could try removing the backports repository and instead add the KDE Neon repository. Put these lines in your /etc/apt/sources.list file, or in the file /etc/apt/sources.list.d/neon.list:

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deb http://archive.neon.kde.org/user focal main
deb-src http://archive.neon.kde.org/user focal main

That has Plasma 5.22.

I have no idea how well this will work hence the warning.

While it's fine to install KDE on Linux Mint — just as you can install any other desktop environment and you will be fine doing that — KDE Neon has it all set up for you so may be the easier option, so I'd second the suggestion to consider it. It also has a dedicated support forum: https://forum.kde.org/viewforum.php?f=309

Anyway I'd add that when you install other desktop environments on Linux Mint is that you may end up with some duplicate programs. Like you will have 2 file managers, 2 calculators, 2 terminals, 2 image viewers and so on — because each desktop environment has its own set of standard applications. Fills up your menu. Unless you uninstall whatever desktop environment was originally installed. Hence as mentioned above I always recommend to use Linux Mint Xfce as a base if you want to install a different desktop environment: of Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce by far the easiest and most trivial to uninstall is Xfce. Trying to remove all Cinnamon or MATE components is going to give you a headache.

And I would create a new user account for using a different desktop environment. Otherwise you get the situation that some background processes are started for the other desktop environment. I've at one point years ago tested dozens of desktop environments and window managers on Linux Mint; I had a separate user account for each so that wouldn't happen.

[kc1di]

Kubuntu LTS 20.04 - was released with Plasma 5.18 and it will stay with that one only getting security updates and such. In order to get newer version you would have to go with a 20.10 backport Or even 21.04, because the Qt versions also must be changed.
Here's a excerpt fro Kubuntu Forums on the issue:

In Kubuntu, if you want more current Plasma releases, you need to be on the current, non-LTS version and use the kubuntu-backports PPA

Problem is with using those is they are only supported for a very short time. So you would have an LTS base (Mint) with non supported DE. Not good Idea.
Thus if you want the latest Plasma as suggested by others you should try either a rolling release Like Manjaro or KDE Neon or Opensuse Tumbleweed is also fairly new. But you must understand you will not get much support on Mint with KDE. Good luck with your choices.

[alicuk]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. Some important considerations to be made

[Beerislife]

I'm running KDE Neon and woke up to an incremental Plasma update today. from 5.22.3 to 5.22.4

Neon is fairly stripped down and the only third party apps installed are Firefox and VLC. Most KDE apps are also not installed (KDE-Telepathy, Partition Manager and more)