KDE 3.5 Released

WhiteFoxBR writes ""The KDE Project is happy to announce a new major release of the award-winning K Desktop Environment. Many features have been added or refined, making KDE the most complete, stable and integrated free desktop environment available." Here a Visual Guide to new features, including build-in ad-block for Konqueror and support for MSN and Yahoo! webcams in Kopete. "

Lopete link

[Cougem]

The link to Kopete actually links to Konqy. You want this [kde.org].

KDE.org mirror

[Bananatree3]

Sicne it seems like Kde.org has taken somewhat of a hit, here is a mirror for it: http://kde.mirror.fr/ [mirror.fr]

Mod Parent Down!

[Omicron32]

QT has been released under the GPL for years.

Visual Guide Mirror

[Anonymous Coward]

Courtesy of Mirrordot [mirrordot.org]

Re:Let's just have one Linux desktop

[Ngwenya]

The problem is that Qt is proprietary and this upsets some people. Also, we should have some sort of Open Source widget toolkit that we can fall back to when trolltech goes by the wayside, though they will probably just release Qt as Open Source

Qt was released under the GPL a long while ago. You can license it for non-GPL applications, but then you have to pay TrollTech money. The "Qt is not free" myth is covered in the KDE Myths section: here [urbanlizard.com]

--Ng

Re:KDE.org mirror

[myspys]

too bad that mirror isn't up-to-date

here's a link via mirrordot for the visual guide: http://mirrordot.org/stories/e5a9203473858cda85ab8 111baf58ccb/index.html [mirrordot.org]

Google Maps and Blogger

[p0z3r]

Two things.. if you want google maps to work, you have to add a user agent for maps.google.com/local.google.com to Konqueror as Safari.
If you want blogger.com to not post blank blog entries, add a user agent for www.blogger.com to Konqueror as Firefox.

Now email google to fix both of them so we don't have to do these silly workarounds.

Notable changes

[Anonymous Coward]

• Konqueror is the second major web browser to pass the Acid2 CSS test, ahead of Firefox and Internet Explorer
• Konqueror can also free webpages from adverts with its new ad-block feature
• SuperKaramba is included in KDE, providing well-integrated and easy-to-install widgets for the user's desktop
• Kopete has support for MSN and Yahoo! webcams
• The edutainment module has three new applications (KGeography, Kanagram and blinKen), and has seen huge improvements in Kalzium

Re:troll?

[Short Circuit]

I can run Qt/KDE programs under Gtk/GNOME, and vise versa. A developer need only select the toolkit/desktop that best fulfills their development needs.

Kubuntu packages available

[ganache]

KDE 3.5 packages have been released for Kubuntu http://kubuntu.org/announcements/kde-35.php [kubuntu.org]

Re:Filterset?

[Anonymous Coward]

I wonder if the adblocker from Konqueror is compatibile with firefox Adblock.

Yes, it is.

Re:What I didn't see

[10Ghz]

What I didn't see was much change in KDE's horrible default settings.

KDE4 is what you need. Not only are there some serious usability-improvements, polishing, cleaning and other improvements in the pipeline (yes, seriously. Lots of KDE-devels seem to be fed up with the clutter), there seems to be some really low-level changes thought of as well.

Good things come to those who wait, and KDE4 will deliver lots of goodies. KDE3.5 is "just" an extension of KDE3.

Re:Let's just have one Linux desktop

[Kjella]

Also, we should have some sort of Open Source widget toolkit that we can fall back to when trolltech goes by the wayside, though they will probably just release Qt as Open Source

Also, to top that off the KDE foundation has an additional agreement that if "trolltech goes by the wayside", they get a completely unrestricted (as in BSD-like) license to the code. And Qt4 is now also GPL'd for Windows (always a source of confusion/FUD), previously only the X11/Mac version existed as open source.

The only annoying thing is that the Windows/GPL version does not have compiler support for MS Visual C++, and the patches that are supposed to add that produce libraries that compile, but are flawed. I really wish KDevelop would come as Windows native, it's a brilliant counterpart on the Linux side (and yes, I know you can do Cygwin etc.)

Re:how to upgrade?

[Jonny_eh]

Go into YaST (Menu->Systen->YaST).

Open Software->'Installation Source'. You want to add a yast repository that contains the KDE 3. rpms. Lucky for us SuSErs, almost every suse mirror has them!

You can find mirrors from google if you search 'suse mirrors', and choose the 2nd result.

The directory that you need to choose depends on the mirror, but it is usually along the lines of pub/suse/i386/supplementary/KDE/update_for_10.0.

Make sure you choose FTP, or HTTP depending on the server. Enable refresh on the server (this makes yast check to see if the repository is updated each time it's accessed).

Then click finish to close the 'installation source' window. Now in YaST, open 'software management'. What you want to do is display all your installed packages, so you want to filter based on the 'package groups', then choose 'zzz all packages', located at the bottom of the left side. This will show you every package that you have installed, and is available to install. Now click 'Package->All in this List->Update if Newer Version is Available'. Now all the installed packages that can be updated have been selected!

Click 'Accept', and try an solve any conflicts that arise, usually solve each conflict one at a time and click 'OK - Try Again' each time, sometimes solving one conflict removes others.

It'll then tell you of any extra packages that will be needed, and away you go!

Removable media, finally

[Anonymous Coward]

I remember when I first tried Linux. It was Red Hat 4 and I remember grumbling about having to type something to use my newly inserted media. Over the years there have been some solutions but none without major drawbacks.

From the screenshots of KDE 3.5 it seems that this long-standing problem has been solved. FINALLY. It's about 10 years late but it's finally here! A viable solution for removable media!

PS! I can't wait for the new ebuilds, so someone hurry up. ;-)

Re:Webcam - yes!

[big_groo]

Be careful which webcam you buy. The Logitech Quickcam Messenger is a Windows only POS. The chipset is incompatible, IIRC. I have the Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000, and it runs like a champ in Gnomemeeting. If you want a really good cam, get the iSight - it works under linux. From what I recall, most of the head tracking stuff is Windows only. Can't wait to try this out tonight - we'll see how it works from Linux->Windows and Linux->Mac.

Re:Filterset?

[the plant doctor]

Export Firefox Adblock filters. Import in Konqueror.

Re:Now we just need...

[Anonymous Coward]

I know under the hood Gnome is supposed to be better .... Gnome seems to have the API right but the desktop wrong and KDE has the desktop but not the API

Huh? When did that happen? I thought the KDE API was supposed to be cleaner and the better integrated of the two, more easy to develop to, better plug-in architecture, better code reuse, etc, etc. That certainly used to be the case when I looked at them 2 years ago. Has Gnome has some kind of epiphany or something?

I might be totally wrong here because I have never used the API of either

Then why make statements like that based on just heresay.

Re:Now we just need...

[Klivian]

I know under the hood Gnome is supposed to be better

That's rather the strangest thing I have heard all day, KDE is generally thought to be cleaner and better than Gnome under the hood. With the better underlying technology and architecture.

Gnome seems to have the API right but the desktop wrong and KDE has the desktop but not the API.

Seems like you have got that one backwards, the API are the one thing people usually praise with KDE. The complaints are about the "cluttered" desktop, indication that they think Gnomes is better.

but quite frankly as long as it works I don't really care.

Agreed, and there's the point where KDE wins out in the end. It got the applications and features making it possible to get the things you want done.

The other main argument against KDE is that it is too much of a Windows clone.

Anyone who have actually used KDE know it's not true, as KDE is much more. Funny thing is, set KDE up with a non-blue color scheme and those complaints dissapear.

Re:Kool!

[naelurec]

What does using a third party (rdesktop, vnc, etc) or built-in (ssh, telnet) app to work on remote servers have to do with an environment manager?

Hmm.. he is talking about ioslaves .. its very cool -- you should check it out.. it allows KDE apps to utilize network resources (via smb, nfs, ssh, ftp and a LOT more..) as if they are local files (ie via save/open dialogs, drag and drop, etc..). Once you start using it, you REALLY miss it when working on other platforms.

Repeat after me: That is not autorun.

[Daedala]

That is not autorun. K? Got it? Try again.

The problem with Windows autorun is that it automatically ran untrusted code from the CD you just put in. This appears to let you automatically do something using the trusted code on your own computer. That's what OS X does, and it's fine.

There is a BIG difference between opening the CD ripping app on your computer, and opening some random app on the CD itself. If the CD ripping app on your computer is a Trojan, it's on your computer and you're already rooted. This is no more dangerous than a script you write yourself to call applications on your own computer.

If KDE allows the CD maker to point to a random file on the CD and say "Run me!" then they deserve all the scorn one can pour upon them. But if the computer just says, "Hmm, I see a bunch of audio files! I will open my trusted audio application!" then it's a timesaver and not a major risk. (Ok, there might be some exploitable overflows in the code that does this, but that can happen anywhere.)

Re:Windows lookalike?

[Illissius]

I don't see how or why you equate 'not showing a big intrusive dialog every time the user inserts a "medium"' with 'having to sudo (u)mount everything by hand'. I much prefer to just have an icon put on the desktop, which I can access at my leisure. (This, incidentally, also happens, and I turn the big intrusive dialog off.)

Re:Let's just have one Linux desktop

[BrookHarty]

[snip]The problem is that Qt is proprietary...

Its free for opensource, but if you want to sell your application you can buy a commerical license. I think this is awesome and allows Trolltech to have income to hire developers.

QT licenses where an issue but not anymore, pick your license GPL or Commerical.

Re:Now we just need...

[Jason Hood]

Actually I think the opposite is true. Under the hood (Qt, ioSlaves, kParts), KDE is currently the cleanest most extendable platform available OSS desktop out. The difference is Gnome and KDE just have totally different directions. Both want to be usable but in different ways. Gnome for instance seems to be more focused on cleaner minimalistic interfaces, almost more like a WM than a DE. KDE wants to be more usable from a system standpoint, an entire integrated desktop environment that is seamless. kparts and ioslaves are truely remarkable and help developers makes quickly. Gnome on the other hand has a very fragmented framework.

Take gthumb for instance, since gnome doesnt really support the notion of ioslaves. The ssh protocol is only partially supported. Different parts of the app can use it, others can't. Makes it very confusing and frsutrating for the wife. In KDE ioslaves do not even come into play for most applications. If you make a simple app that needs reads and writes files in gnome, you need to account for each io protocol that the desktop may use. In KDE, its a completely decoupled. As new ioslaves are implemented, applications do not even need to be recompiled.

I am a gnome user, but do accept the fact that KDE has a far superior framework and implements very usable (and modern) design patterns. Arguably, this is partially due to the fact that KDE uses C++ and gnome uses C. OO programming opens the door to more possibilities while minimizing code replication.

KDE needs to accept the fact, that most people hate the 1 inch bar on the bottom of a default install. I do not know a single person (~30) that do not rearrange the bars to look like a Mac. The nice thing is they can, the bad thing is, they have to. Plasma and KDE4 should change that by creating a cleaner more intuitive interface to the average user.

Re:Autorun? What the heck?

[Proteus]

You are confusing AutoRun and Media Insert Notification (MiN). MiN simply detects that removable media has been inserted and notifies the MiN manager (in this case, the KDE window manager). The individual MiN manager then has a choice about how to react. In general, this is a pretty good idea because it lets the user choose what to do, or do nothing. Advanced users can configure most MiN managers to just ignore notices, so everyone wins. No malicious code is executed unless you choose to instruct your system to do something stupid with the notification (like automatically execute the first EXE it finds or some crap).

AutoRun is MS's addition to MiN. Windows' MiN manager will pop up a choice for certain media types (which is OK), but if AutoRun is on and the removable media contains an AUTORUN.INF file in its toplevel directy, Windows blithely executes the instructions therein. That's how the Sony BMG rootkit propagated.

As to the implication that it's not a particularly novel feature, I have to agree: MiN has been in most modern OSes for some time. It is, however, a commonly-requested feature, and I think KDE has done well to include it in a way that satisfies their customers[1] and is still admin- and security-professional friendly.

[1]: they are customers, even if they aren't paying.

Re:If 3.5 is a major release...

[hummassa]

Then KDE4 is another version, ie, a rewrite.
Got it?
KDE 3.3 -> KDE 3.3.1 minor release, bug fixes, small enhancements
KDE 3.4.3 -> KDE 3.5 major release, re-engineering things, big enhancements
KDE 3.5.4 -> KDE 4.0 new version, re-written, ported apps to new Qt version

Re:Kool!

[Arandir]

It's time to wake up and join the world of 2005. Heck, wake up and join the world of 2004! Keramik is old hat. The new default theme is Plastik, which is wholly unlike Keramik. There's also Phase and Lipstik which are original themes and still wholly unlike Keramik (or Windows or Aqua). Then there's Baghira for your eye candy needs. Check out www.kde-look.org for dozens of high quality KDE themes.

To repeat, Keramik is old. It's still there if you want it, but you're only showing your ignorance by bitching about it.