Submitted by The KDE community is happy to announce KDE 3.5 release candidate 1. More info here.
KDE 3.5 Release Candidate 1 Available
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Eugenia Loli
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So is it 3.5 or 3.4 RC1?
KDE is looking better every release, great work!
3.4 has already been released! We’re up to 3.4.3 already! It’d be RC1 for 3.5, since the beta for 3.5 was released around 4 weeks ago.
Dave
It did say 3.4 RC1 in the story on osnews before…they fixed it. I was being a smart ass
KDE 3.4 has been rock solid (3.2 and 3.3 were both pathetic) for me so far. Let’s keep up the good work and not ruin it with feature coding
.
> Let’s keep up the good work and not ruin it with feature coding
Don’t worry, there are no new features entering KDE 3.5 since the feature freeze in August (IIRC). KDE doesn’t add new features in KDE 3.5.x releases either so that’s it for the KDE 3 release cycle.
Good, it’s like a work of art as it is. I keep discovering new little things where kde just shines.
Rock on! Of course, I’ll be happier when the real deal hits the stands. The preview release I installed a while back on my breezy box was pretty sweet – they’ve really improved Konqueror.
Well my favourite splash screen was the KDE 3.3 one. Man, it was awesome!
What about you?
Do you like the KDE 3.5 one?
What is the new stuff in KDE 3.5 there is not in 3.4.3 I guess that it is not only a bugfix release
na, not really. not that its very bad, but they can do better, imho 😉
i like bright colors. well, maybe, big commercial corporations don’t seem to like bright colors (look at how they ruined a certain other desktop environment) so maybe KDE looks better this way.
btw – congrats, KDE for the 1000 desktops at free-recordshop in the netherlands
http://dot.kde.org/1131711558/
overall, i run KDE 3.5 SNV already for some time, and it’s great, so i think its time to get KDE 4 up steam
What is the new stuff in KDE 3.5
Lots of changes all over the place, here’s a few of the more noticeable ones.
– AddBlock filter in Konqueror.
– MSN webcam support in Kopete.
– Support for receiving Yahoo webcams in Kopete.
– Add support for POSIX file access control lists (ACL) to kio_file and the file properties editing interface.
Goodness I’m behind. I have to try this stuff out!
– Add support for POSIX file access control lists (ACL) to kio_file and the file properties editing interface.
Great! That was long overdue. This will probable help a lot of systadmins switching from windows to Linux. I guess we have had to wait for it so long because most Unix peolple don’t think they need it unless they have very a very complex permissions set up, while it is the normal way of thinking with respect to permissions in windows.
Now, if only Gnome could add the same functioality. Gnome user will be sort of sitting ducks if they share files with users using KDE. The kde users could easily hide read and write permissions to files that the Gnome users will think is theirs and only theirs.
It would make more sense to release Kopete supporting both MSN wecam and VOIP so as to converse with MSN Messenger 7.5 users. Same for the Yahoo protocol for users to chat with Yahoo Messenger 7.0 users. Otherwise the third party who initiates a MSN or Yahoo chat will be under the impression the Kopete user can chat with voice not just use his/her webcam and have to type a response.
I love KDE…the only problem is, UNLIKE most people. I also love gnome and Xfce too! (Coming from the Chicago area, this would be oxymoronic because you JUST can’t love the Cubs AND the Sox, right?)…
But both KDE and gnome have made different kinds of improvements over the last months that are just great. KDE seems to be on a more straight path and more consistant than the gnome crew, who can’t seem to make up their mind on some things, but they both look great.
Anyone REALLY looking forward to KDE 4 as I am?
Good going, KDE Krew!
“Anyone REALLY looking forward to KDE 4 as I am?”
I suppose each of us.
I really love KDE: same look and feel everywhere, consistent menus and toolbars, kioslaves, browsing gzipped files, responsive interface customizable shortkut keys everywhere.
My only complaint about KDE is flicker. It is everywhere, especially when refreshing icons on desktop, in konqueror, when switching tabs etc. It makes desktop look sluggish and unprofessional while this is not the case certainly.
Also, maybe this is something to do with desktop linux in general, but web pages and terminals with lots of text and images are very slow to scroll, the scroll bar just lags behind mouse cursor and I can see text redraw. Same browsers work very fast on windows. Safari which is based on khtml is damn fast at scrolling too while konqy is too slow rendering the same page.
Anyone has sollutions to these problems? These really kill my productivity
I never saw any flicker in KDE, even on my 233 MHz pentium II pc.
I guess, from reading your post, that you have a problem with your X settings.
Sounds like an xorg problem, not a KDE problem. It is really hard to help without knowing the details (hardware, xorg.conf settings, etc…)
I use powerd on my home desktop (meaning my sempron runs at 382Mhz while I write this (and amarok is playing music in the background) – and I experience some lags here and there, but they are far from bothering. For example, when I start up mc on konsole, instead of instantaneous appearance now it takes a fraction of a second
)
Otherwise, I think it is a config problem (or hardware?) – konqi rendering is superfast here, like everything else (kde 3.4.3).
Thanks for replies guys, but I don’t think there is a Xorg problem here as I have tried different distros (Kubuntu, Suse and Fedora Core) and had the same problem on all of them. Not only on single PC, but on each PC I have used so far.
My current hardware is: p4 1.7Ghz, 512 ram, 120Gb hd, Geforce MX400 with nvidia drivers installed.
Haven’t tweeked the default x.org configurations except adding “nvidia” to driver line. Is something else needed? The problem is there with or without using nvidia drivers though.
I’ll appreciate any kind of help, thanks.
This might be because of desktop double-buffering, which still isn’t very well supported by Xorg.
Try adding this option to your xorg.conf file (in the “Screen” section):
Option “backingstore” “true”
Well I made the same experience and I don’t think that anything is wrong with your configuration. I’m not sure if it’s still the case, but especially on switching tabs in Konqueror it was very noticable. Not a video thing, just some interface elements quickly getting reshuffled to create a flickering effect.
Just a thought: what theme were you using? None of the default themes shipped with KDE exhibit such behaviour, but I think I saw something like this with one of themes I downloaded from kde-look (though it was a long time ago, so I don’t remember which one it was).
Or are we talking kde 3.0/1 here? Because what you call “reshuffling” of the the tabs was characteristic of the first implementation of tabbed browsing in konqi (quote: “I’m not sure if it’s still the case”). I don’t think parent’s problems are related to the visual glitches of tabs in konqi from years ago
)
It did happen with the default theme. I can’t answer specific questions about it right now since I have no KDE installed, but I doubt that the parent poster mentioned this specific case coincidentally.
“except adding “nvidia” to driver line.”
It shouldn’t flicker with the simple nv driver either. But if you’re using nvidia binary drivers, you’ll need a few more options (Load “GLX” in the modules sections for instance).
Here is my xorg.conf file: ftp://hatvani.unideb.hu/pub/personal/conf/xorg.conf
Ignore Screen section and Option “ConnectedMonitor” “DFP” (unless you have a 19″ LCD panel @ 1280×1024)
My only complaint about KDE is flicker. It is everywhere, especially when refreshing icons on desktop, in konqueror, when switching tabs etc.
I’ve never had that on any version of KDE I’ve tried, even those I’ve compiled. That’s definitely not something I can reproduce.
Same browsers work very fast on windows. Safari which is based on khtml is damn fast at scrolling too while konqy is too slow rendering the same page.
No I haven’t had that problem – the exact opposite. When I first used Suse 10 I used Firefox as my primary browser, and it is excruciatingly slow. I’m not just talking about redraw or load time, it just takes ages to render any web pages. Firefox on Windows by contrast is fine. The only web browser I can feasibly use on Linux right now is Konqueror. It loads web pages very fast, and the difference is like night and day.
I’ve had a bit of lag with some applications like Konqueror, using tabs and things like that, and other times it won’t happen. However, in my experience it’s about ten times better than running a GTK-using application.
I’m not sure if it’s just my imagination, but I remember early versions in the 3.x series being quite fast (e.g. Konqueror started almost instantanously) but the latest versions seem damn slow (Konqueror seems to take a few seconds to appear).
It is your imagination, most likely – or if it isn’t, it might be some config problem. If you haven’t changed your hardware, it might be some cruft (this is just speculation) accumulating in your home/.kde directory may be responsible. What happens if you create a new user, and login with that user account.
Actually, KDE is getting faster and faster with each release in my experience. Also, have you changed your performance settings in kcontrol by any chance? Instantaneous appearance is when konq has a few spare instances preloaded (I have max 4 set up). A few seconds seems too much either way (without preloading, it should take ~1 sec on a modern hw. Modern meaning: I have a 3100+ Sempron).
Make sure you always have an instance of Konqueror preloaded in memory.
In the KDE Control Center, check KDE Components –> KDE Performance (note: I’m in french, so I’m not sure if those are the correct names). There should be an option saying how many preloaded instances you want (mine is a two), and also make sure that the two options underneath are checked as well.
you might try running fc-cache -f -v as root. Since you installed you may have added or removed or upgraded some fonts (when upgrading X perhaps) and your font cache may be out of date, forcing your comp to recreate it on the fly when you launch an app.
Getting a current cache bypasses that and can speed up app launching a great deal in my experience.
(some terms may be “wrong,” general idea applies)
I just tried this, and it sped up my Konqueror launches! Excellent!
MamiyaOtaru:
Hmm, thanks for that, it does seem to speed it up a bit.
molnarcs:
I will try that. I did delete .kde when I upgraded to 3.4 but I can’t remember if it has slowed since then.
BTW my hardware is Athlon XP 1800+ with 512 MB RAM.
archiesteel:
I seem to have configured 1 pre-loads for Konqueror. I might bump this up a notch.
this is definately a videosetting issue. maybe your videodriver is set to vesa, instead of the right one? it has nothing to do with kde…
…and to screenshots of the improved Konquerer?
I like KDE but they do seem to be putting alot of features in without thinking of how they are implemented. Konqueror configuration is way over the top and it’s feature after feature. KDE dont need alot of the stuff that they have already, never mind adding even more bloat.
The thing about gnome is they only add small features which do make a nice touch and configuration is minimal. I just think KDE is taking configuration and features to the extreem. i’m also applaude by KDE’s conduct when invited by Gnome devs and the person turned out to be a spy, then slagged off gnome. Very unprofessional move by KDE espeically since people claim there that far ahead of gnome.
Konqueror configuration is way over the top and it’s feature after feature. KDE dont need alot of the stuff that they have already, never mind adding even more bloat.
Agree there. They’ve created a swiss army knife file manager and browser and it just hasn’t really worked.
Look out for a separate Konqueror browser and file manager in KDE 4, based on the same common components, but designed as applications for each specific purpose.
i’m also applaude by KDE’s conduct when invited by Gnome devs and the person turned out to be a spy, then slagged off gnome.
Hmmm. Whatever.
well I think that it is not too much.
for example when I use dowload stuff fromo konqueror and put them in a folder I can just open a tab or make a window below my webpage and work on things I don’t have to minimize konqueror and then open a file browser and then close it and go back to it. I like it when I have to review files or when I have to follow instruction into how to install a new program it is really helpfull.
> > i’m also applaude by KDE’s conduct when invited
> > by Gnome devs and the person turned out to be a
> > spy, then slagged off gnome.
> Hmmm. Whatever.
Any idea what he’s talking about? Or is this just a troll?
Agree there. They’ve created a swiss army knife file manager and browser and it just hasn’t really worked.
I disagree. Konqeror is probably one of the best Linux/*nix app out there. I miss it a lot when forced to use Windows (though I’ve heard that Directory Opus is pretty good).
The “bloat” can be controlled for various Konqueror profiles by the default configuration set by the distro makers. Personally, I love having the same application to browse pages, folders, ftp sites, zip archives, images, filesystems over SSH, etc. It is a very efficient app and the default profiles on Kubuntu are adequately streamlined.
The “bloat” can be controlled for various Konqueror profiles by the default configuration set by the distro makers.
Bloat should not need to be configured by default.
There is no getting away from the fact that having browser, file manager and other configuration settings in the same configuration dialogues in the same app is just not doable. You can’t get around that with profiles.
People often misunderstand that having different apps from Konqueror components takes things away. It doesn’t. Because you’re using the same components it is possible to do any of those things in each of the different applications, but you’ll have different ones tailored specifically to different functions.
Well, we’ll have to agree to disagree. I like having all of these browsing mode in the same app. It’s a boon, not a drawback.
There is no getting away from the fact that having browser, file manager and other configuration settings in the same configuration dialogues in the same app is just not doable.
Of course it’s doable – they’re doing it right now and it works great. The Konqueror setup window is well-organized. Sure, there are lots of options, but not much more than what you’d find in IE’s “Internet Options”, and much less than what you’d find in other popular apps such as Photoshop, Office or (heaven forbid) Lotus Notes.
If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. And Konqueror is far from being broken.
People often misunderstand that having different apps from Konqueror components takes things away. It doesn’t.
It’s not a matter of “misunderstanding” at all – in fact, I find your assertion more than a little condescending. Because people don’t agree with you, it’s because they’re mistaken? Come on.
The fact is that lots of people prefer Konqueror the way it is, which is why it often comes up when there are online polls asking users what their favorite Linux apps are.
Then again, I’m quite opposed to the school of thought that says we should constantly “dumb down” apps for users. In my experience, users aren’t dumb – they can navigate lots of menus and options when these are clearly laid out.
So it all boils down to a matter of opinion: you think Konq is bloated, I don’t. There’s not much else to say!
Edited 2005-11-13 01:01
Of course it’s doable – they’re doing it right now and it works great.
No it doesn’t. The only way you can do it is to have completely separate configuration dialogues and settings for each task, and by the time you’ve done that you have separate applications anyway.
The Konqueror setup window is well-organized.
*Blinks*
Sure, there are lots of options, but not much more than what you’d find in IE’s “Internet Options”
The point is that they’re all completely unrelated to the task at hand, whether it be web browsing or file management.
It’s not a matter of “misunderstanding” at all – in fact, I find your assertion more than a little condescending. Because people don’t agree with you, it’s because they’re mistaken? Come on.
People do misunderstand. Konqueror is made of KParts, but if you separate those KParts into different apps (but still have the reuse) people somehow think that Konqueror is then gone.
The fact is that lots of people prefer Konqueror the way it is, which is why it often comes up when there are online polls asking users what their favorite Linux apps are.
Unfortunately Konqueror can never be a focused web browser or a focused file manager as it stands. It is a jack of all trades and a master of none at the moment.
That comes out a lot. Konqueror, yer quite good, but there’s too much browser in the file manager and too much file manager in the browser which makes it difficult to use.
Then again, I’m quite opposed to the school of thought that says we should constantly “dumb down” apps for users.
That’s not dumbing down, it’s just getting organised! Again you misunderstand. Many people think it’s about cutting stuff out of the apps, but in no way would anyone lose any functionality as a result.
snip snip snip
I wonder, am I the only one who thinks Konqueror (the web browser) is the best browser out there today when it comes to eye-pleasing rendering of webpages?
Almost every webpage renders better in Konqueror than in any other browser on my boxes. Konqi used to have a speed problem but those days are also gone. Konqueror renders pages as fast as Firefox and only a split second slower than Opera – and the visual quality is a whole lot better than both.
So … have anybody else noticed this?
Olav
Heh – Konqueror is my favorite browser by far – simple, very fast, and I miss the UP button from every other browser
) But font rendering largely depends on your browser settings – I set luxi sans/serif in both konqi and firefox, set up a custom fonts.conf file for antialiasing (for my LCD – kcontrol antialiasing settings is not adequate imho) – and fonts look very nice in Firefox as well 
What I like about Konqi is its stability – there are some pages where firefox simply bails out (some flash pages) – and I don’t see a separate process to kill. With konqi on the same pages (to tell the truth, there aren’t that many) I can kill the offending process (usually nspluginviewer) without taking out the entire browser (and all my opened tabs).
Almost every webpage renders better in Konqueror than in any other browser on my boxes.
Well, it’s the only Linux based browser I can use right now on Suse 10. Firefox is way, way, way too slow. I was quite shocked actually. That happens if I run it in KDE, Gnome, whatever GTK theme I use……
No it doesn’t. The only way you can do it is to have completely separate configuration dialogues and settings for each task, and by the time you’ve done that you have separate applications anyway.
They’re not separate applications. They’re all browsing. Whether you’re browsing through web pages, files, remote filesystems, etc. it’s all browsing.
The problem is that you refuse to let go of the previous paradigm. Personally, I think that a “swiss-army knife” approach to browsing is a stroke of genius. Sure, at first it can be unsettling, but it quickly becomes a very powerful browsing tool.
*Blinks*
Blink all you want, I still think the Konqueror setup dialog is well organized. You have “file manager” options, “web” options and shared browsing options.
People do misunderstand. Konqueror is made of KParts, but if you separate those KParts into different apps (but still have the reuse) people somehow think that Konqueror is then gone.
Well, it would be, wouldn’t it? Basically, you want an app that lets me browse a file folder, but if I click on an HTML page inside that folder it starts another app to display it. Or if I’m browsing the web and click on a ftp link it starts another app. There’s no logic in that except to preserve a way of thinking that has been made obsolete by Konqueror, IMO.
Unfortunately Konqueror can never be a focused web browser or a focused file manager as it stands. It is a jack of all trades and a master of none at the moment.
That’s an empty statement. Why does it need to “focus” on either? It can just focus on being a browser, period.
That comes out a lot. Konqueror, yer quite good, but there’s too much browser in the file manager and too much file manager in the browser which makes it difficult to use.
I don’t hear that nearly as much as people finding that Konqueror is one of the Linux killer apps they most miss when going to other OSes.
Right now on my Kubuntu laptop the toolbars change whenever I’m in file or web browsing mode (and I have to possibility to customize more profiles that way), which should satisfy your concerns, but somehow you seem to really, really want it split into two apps. I just can’t understand why.
Can you give me concrete examples of the file browsing side of Konqueror getting in the way of web browsing and vice-versa? Because you still have to convince me that this is an issue.
They’re not separate applications. They’re all browsing. Whether you’re browsing through web pages, files, remote filesystems, etc. it’s all browsing.
No, they’re separate browsing tasks. As much as people want to believe it, browsing files is not the same as browsing the web, although you can probably use some of the same components and tailor them for each case.
Blink all you want, I still think the Konqueror setup dialog is well organized.
It falls apart right there then.
Basically, you want an app that lets me browse a file folder, but if I click on an HTML page inside that folder it starts another app to display it.
Correction. It starts the right app to display it.
There’s no logic in that except to preserve a way of thinking that has been made obsolete by Konqueror, IMO.
Hmmm. IYO.
Why does it need to “focus” on either? It can just focus on being a browser, period.
No because they’re different tasks altogether. You can’t just lump browsing into one defined category of functionality, but you can make it a general one. People do not want cookie options, browser ID options, cache options etc. when they are file browsing. Similarly, people do not want file association options and a lot of other stuff that is unrelated to web browsing. There’s simply no getting away from that.
No, they’re separate browsing tasks. As much as people want to believe it, browsing files is not the same as browsing the web, although you can probably use some of the same components and tailor them for each case.
Again, it’s a question of opinion. To me, browsing the Web and browsing files is similar enough to put them in the same app. I often have a web page on one tab and a file folder on another tab. I like having both as part of the same app (along with ftp, etc.)
Of course, web and file browsing are not the same – but they’re both browsing, and to me the link is clear.
It falls apart right there then.
In your opinion it does. Not in mine.
Correction. It starts the right app to display it.
Following what you say, it would still be a separate app. I don’t want it to. If I save a web page to disk and click on it, I don’t want to start another app (in another window) – I want it in the same app.
Hmmm. IYO.
Yes, in my opinion. This is all a matter of opinion and personal preferences anyway. Obviously you don’t have the same opinion – I like the swiss-army knife approach (and, judging from other comments on this thread, so do other Linux users).
You can’t just lump browsing into one defined category of functionality, but you can make it a general one.
…for which there is a general app, Konqueror. Again, I fail to see the problem.
People do not want cookie options, browser ID options, cache options etc. when they are file browsing.
That’s irrelevant. The fact that these options exist do not hamper file browsing in any way. I don’t know about you, but I don’t often access options when using Konqueror. It’s the kind of thing you set once and then forget about.
Similarly, people do not want file association options and a lot of other stuff that is unrelated to web browsing. There’s simply no getting away from that.
I’m sorry, but that’s just wrong. File associations are very useful when Web browsing, considering that files may be accessible as links on web pages (movies come to mind).
Look, I respect your opinion on the matter, I just don’t share it. I like Konq the way it is, and to me it’s an invaluable tool. You obviously don’t. As I said before we’ll have to agree to disagree.
You still haven’t given me concrete examples of how the web browsing component comes in the way of file browsing, and vice versa, however.
One nifty little feature that I find very useful is that I have the “run command” applet on my panel, I can type in a file location, web address, pdf file location, you name it and Konqueror just opens and does what it is supposed to do. In addition to all that I can type in various commands instead of searching the kmenu for it.
Anyway, point is, the “swiss army knife” Konqueror is pretty damn nice as it is and I am more productive with it then any other file manager.
Can’t wait to see what KDE4 has coming.
In konqueror I can type in sftp://host, it asks for my user/pass opens up, displays the files. I can click each file, they open in their default program (kde or not), I can edit them, click save, kde uploads them to the host. Completely transparent…
I can drag files off the website (images) into konsole, it dumps them to stdin.
Konqueror really is *the* swiss army knife graphical shell. It’s almost to the point where it competes with a CLI shell. I actually prefer it for a few things (specifically, editing files on my webhost via sftp).
This nonsense about large utilities is silly. Being against monolithic utilities is fine, but that doesn’t mean large is bloated. It doesn’t mean all large programs are buggy.
If konqueror is actually built in a monolithic manner, well, I’m floored. I’ve never seen something so large be so powerful and recoverable.
Large, powerful, configurable, modular utilities are a good thing. And a lot of what konqueror looks like it does it’s not actually doing, it’s just embedding other programs sometimes (like ark).
I dont use KDE but yes, konqueror is one of the best web browsers out there. KDE 3.4/3.5 is impressive but my heart is always with gnome and theres so many things I love about it. Konqueror is the best thing about KDE, but what is yet to be tested is it’s security.
normally i’m a gnome user but i’m really curious for konqueror in kde 3.5.
Add-blocker and as i have read konqueror will pass the acid2 test. That could be the absolute breakthrough for konqueror as browser.
You can say what you want about KDE and love GNOME as much as I. But KDE looks better and better and if we talk about integration and an overall desktop, KDE is just great!
I enjoy KDE mainly for konqueror (like the file browser) and kdm’s simplicity. Other than that, I boot into xfce or fluxbox. KDE has come a long ways though, both in terms of useability and speed. I would like to see more emphasis on speed and panel apps (kweather which crashes). But, overall, KDE is progressing very well.
What can I expect in terms of performance from KDE 3.5, will it be faster than KDE 3.4?
In the past, newer versions have mostly been faster than previous ones, is this trend continueing with KDE 3.5?
I hope it is…
I am currently using KDE 3.4.0 with Slackware 10.0 on a 550MHz pentium III with 128mb RAM, and believe it or not, it’s actually quite comfortable
(but apps like thunderbird tend to slow it down a bit)
Cheers
Forrest
KDE is progressing very nicely, and I have to agree that Konqi is a great app. Not only for experienced users, but for users that are new to Linux as well just because of its multi-functionality. I have never felt any particular need to find and download any other ftp/sftp browsers. Of course, it is not as feature rich a web browser as Opera or as capable a photo album manager as digikam, but for 90% of my file/web/ftp browsing needs it is all I need. It is very time/effort-efficient tool. The KDE team has really produced something unmatched in any other OS. And yes, it renders web pages very nicely. Default Firefox looks like crap in comparison.
That said, one thing I really miss in KDE is efficient window management. Grouping windows, only displaying the titlebar, having layers etc. Having used Fluxbox for years now, using KDE for window management feels very slow and not very intuitive or powerful. Many KDE apps are very useful (Konqi, Kopete, Konsole, Kcontrol, Ksysguard, KOffice, Kontact/Kmail), just not the WM.
Also, dockapps-compatibility would be nice.
Having used Fluxbox for years now
I find that KWin has the functionality I need from a WM and not even the slowest styles give me any speed problems. That aside KDE works well with different WMs so that are really no big problem anyway. Pick one you like:-) In your case I’d guess its something like Alt-F2 fluxbox –replace or similar.
dockapps-compatibility would be nice.
Dockapps, like those AfterStep/WindowMaker applet thingies? If so, KDE has supported that for years: Panel Menu -> Add New Panel -> Dock Application Bar. I have not tried it since the KDE2 days, it worked then at least.