KDE Archive
Groupware Overload in Linux?
"KDE has announced a project that will produce a unified groupware product for the KDE desktop. In keeping with the usual KDE naming convention – it has been dubbed, inelegantly, "Kroupware." I'm hoping that this name gets changed at some point – if you've got a better alternative, post it in the forum and maybe we'll pass it onto the KDE folks as a suggestion. The other issue: "cloning" Microsoft software. Should Linux developers mimick the interface for products like Outlook? Is that really the right direction? Evolution is obviously a clone of Outlook." Read the editorial at ExtremeTech.
KDE to Support RandR
X Resize and Rotate is an extension to X which allows resizing, rotating, reflecting, and changing the refresh rate of each screen of an X display on the fly. The extension has recently been committed to XFree86; the next version, 4.3 is planned for release this year. Hamish Rodda commited a user interface for this extension to kdenonbeta/kcmrandr. Screenshots here, discussion here.
KDE 3.1: The Best KDE Yet
"As most of you desktop users already know, the KDE Project recently released KDE 3.1beta2, which will be the final development release before KDE 3.1. The good news is, KDE 3.1 is scheduled for release in just a few weeks. KDE 3.1, the strongest KDE release to date, promises new goodies for just about everyone who gets to enjoy the full KDE desktop experience. Here is a sampling of what is in store for you:" Read the promotional article at promo.kde.org. In the meantime, KDevelop reached the alpha release of KDevelop-3.0 (Gideon). Changelog here.
KDE 3.0.4 Released
The KDE project just released KDE 3.0.4 for Mandrake (8.2, 9.0 and Cooker), Debian, SuSE (7.3, 8.0 and 8.1), Slackware (under the contribution dir) and TurboLinux. Read the ChangeLog here, however it is important to note that this is bugfix release. Update: Read regarding the recent KDE League issue.
KDE 3.1-Beta2 Released
The KDE Project today announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.1 beta2, the third development release of a significant feature upgrade for KDE 3. KDE 3 is the third generation of KDE's free, Internet-enabled desktop for Linux and other UNIXes. KDE 3.1, scheduled for final release in October 2002, will provide substantial improvements to the KDE desktop experience. As the KDE 3 API is frozen for binary compatibility, KDE 3.1 will be binary compatible with KDE 3.0.
KDE Ships KOffice 1.2
The KDE Project today announced the immediate release of KOffice 1.2, the third major release of KDE's free, integrated office suite. KOffice utilizes free and open standards for its document formats, component communication and component embedding, and provides a variety of filters to interoperate with other popular office suites.
KDE 3.1 Beta 1 Released
The KDE Project today announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.1 beta1, the second development release of KDE 3.1, which follows 6 weeks after the release of KDE 3.1 alpha1, a significant feature upgrade for KDE 3. KDE 3.1, scheduled for final release in October 2002, will provide substantial improvements to the KDE desktop experience.
Pouring Over the Facts: Andreas Pour on KDE
Andreas Pour is well known to most everyone in the KDE community. Considering that KDE is the leading desktop for Linux, if you are investigating GNU/Linux workstations, you are sure to run into Pour's work. He graciously agreed to participate in a series of exclusive interviews with Open for Business' Timothy R. Butler. In other KDE news, the KDE Project opens the doors to 3rd party developers with the "Extra Gear" initiative.
KDE 3.0.3 Released
Red Hat to KDE: “Do as I say, not as I do”
"A letter was received by one member of the KDE development team asking the KDE Project to use Red Hat Linux on machines at LWCE and to display RedHat's shadow man logo on those machines. In exchange, the letter from RedHat explained, KDE would "benefit from many valuable marketing benefits in our booth, on our website, and in our newsletter." At press time, Open for Business was unaware of any response by Mann or others at RedHat concerning this PR disaster. It does, however, raise an interesting question of what the software vendor hopes to accomplish with its continuing near boycotting of KDE. As Red Hat's might is considerably weaker in the desktop segment, with its preferred desktop (GNOME) taking only about 20% of the desktop market versus KDE's over 50%, they would be wise to change course. While being at 70% market share 2-3 years ago, Red Hat hardly enjoys more than 25% market share nowdays." Read the whole story about the PR fiasko at OfB.
Bringing KDE Closer to Joe User’s Desktop
KDE 3 was released only a few months ago, and it is, to date, the most successful version of the series, serving more than 50% of the Unix and Linux desktops, surpassing Gnome (~21%) and the rest of the gang. However, KDE is not perfect, and still not as comfortable as the Windows or as sexy as the MacOSX desktops. It lacks two things: integration with the underlying system and UI polishing. Today, I will mostly talk about the polishing part, as a lot has been already said elsewhere about the seemingly unsolvable integration issue (because of the modularity and completely independant/remote software projects.) Update: And as I was just publishing this article, KDE 3.1-Alpha was released. I hope that some of my recommendations will make it to the final version of KDE 3.1.
The Itchy Open Source Problem
"In Dennis Powell's 'The view from the desktop' column last week, he noted a problem with the development of KDE (and other Open Source projects). Generally speaking, KDE developers work on KDE for fun, and while interested, they are not necessarily concerned about the needs of end users. Obviously hobbyist developers should not be required to do anything for those using their code, but this situation often causes features that users want and need to be overlooked." Editorial at LinuxAndMain.
KDEvelopers on KDE users
"I guess I started it, this round at least. In this space last week I discussed what I saw (and see) as a disconnect between users of KDE and those who develop it. A few days later, Shawn Gordon offered a moderating view. Soon others weighed in. Many people grew angry. I'm sorry for that, but I think that if the use of Linux is to become more widespread, the questions demand answers: What, if anything, is the responsibility of developers to users? How does this affect the future of Linux as a desktop operating system?" Read the editorial at LinuxAndMain.
KDE 3.0.2 Released
The KDE Project today announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.0.2. KDE 3.0.2 primarily provides useability and stability enhancements over KDE 3.0.1, which shipped in late May 2002. The new KDE version also compiles with GCC 3.1, so it would be a great opportunity to build it manually for better perfomance (change the "i686" option with the kind of CPU you have).
Shawn Gordon: KDE and Third-Party Applications
"Recently Dennis E. Powell wrote a commentary entitled "The future belongs to GNOME; inertia, to KDE" that has generated much feedback, and a lot of flames in the KDE community. From my perspective as a software company that was/is doing KDE specific applications I think I see where the fundamental disconnect is between the two, and in my discussions with a number of the core developers, they have substantiated my opinion on this." Read the editorial at LinuxAndMain.
KDE 3.1 Release Schedule & Feature Plan Available
The following is the outline for the KDE 3.1 release schedule. KDE 3.1 is the first feature release in the KDE 3.x series. The list of planned features can be found in a separate document. All dates given there are subject to revision.
KDE Project Ships KDE 3.01
The KDE Project today announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.0.1, the third generation of KDE's free. KDE 3.0.1 is primarily a translation release for KDE 3.0, which shipped in early April. In addition, KDE 3.0.1 offers a number of performance and usability enhancements. For an extended list of changes since KDE 3.0, please see the change log. Our Take: I spent most of the day yesterday compiling KDE 3.01 from source on my Red Hat 7.2 box. Here's a screenshot.
Kode KDE Kindly, Kan You?
"There are many toolkits to choose from for building Linux desktop applications. Some say this is Linux's downfall; others say it is its greatest feature. I'll stand somewhere in the middle and say choice is good if you choose what meets your needs. Most graphical user interfaces (GUIs) on Linux are based on X, a client/server architecture that allows for networked computers to share GUI applications." LinuxJournal has the tutorial.
KDE 3.0.1 Coming soon
As seen on PCLinuxOnline: "KDE 3.0.1 Release - According to Dirk Mueller, KDE-3.0.1 is supposed to be released this coming Wednesday. He is asking all developers to double check all bug fixes and get them checked into the main branch."