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KDE 2.0 Release Schedule

Posted by Hemos on from the getting-a-timetable dept.

jhittner wrote to us with more news about the release of the KDE 2.0 beta. We're currently looking at a release towards the end of this month. As well, there is a new timetable on the KDE development mailing list. Update: 03/14 01:26 by E : To be more clear - it is kdelibs 2.0 that are being frozen - KDEBase is frozen around the end of April.

43 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. Wishware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    Great! YAWC (Yet Another Windows Clone). When are we going to get a desktop for Linux that doesn't appear to have come from the Microsoft school of GUI design? I mean come on, it's nice to have a GUI and all that rather than using console-based tools with obscure command-line parameters, but what does KDE offer that my Win2K box doesn't?

    I think that the state of play for Linux applications is in a sorry way. There seem to be two kinds of applications - the first being "whereware", as in "where the hell is the software" or "where's the final version". Let's face it, Mozilla falls into this catagory. Then there is "wishware" as in "I wish it did this" or "I wish it had feature X which equivalent Windows/Mac software did". This is where KDE is at IMHO. It seems the KDE team are stuck in the Windows GUI paradigm and are just trying to emulate rather than innovate. It is attitudes like this which are holding back the true success of Linux in the Microsoft market and preventing the only current OS of any worth from being accepted by the unwashed masses.

    To the KDE team: please, less wishware, more software. Thank you.

    1. Re:Wishware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2
      Yes, you're right! No more copying Windows ergonomy (which is slightly the same as all GUI ergonomy)! Let's INNOVATING!

      First, all validations ought to be made with the space bar, 'cause it's large, not the enter key, too small for a repeated use. On the mouse, it's the right button which is the most appropriated, the left will be for lauching on-line help.

      Then, all menubars and toolbars must be floating, like on Macs, and vertical, as it will save more room for our documents (nearly ever vertically oriented).

      The taskbar should be forgotten and replaced by a window showing every application running as icons.

      Drag&Drop must be abandoned, and will only be reconsidered if we didn't find anything more practical.

      Text must be read alternatively left to right then right to left, as it require less eyes movements.

      Computer must be renamed as Camenber.

      Lots of other more or less stupid things can be found. Instead of complaining because a same solution as been adopted both by MS's GUI and other Desktop Environment, try to search alternatives, verify in what they can be more practical than existing one, and propose them if they deserve it. Saying "code less untill you've found another way to invent the wheel" isn't a good method.

      Also, don't forget that people love to have things that behave as usual, as their previous experience stay worthy. Just an example: VI ergonomy is a real disaster, huh? It's a great editor for those who know how to handle it, but a nightmare for a beginner. One could think that with the widespread of the mouse, VI will be abandonned, right? No. It isn't. There was much people on the KDevelop forum wanting a VI-style editor support in this IDE. Using VI for GUI programming...

      Linux is beginning to spread outside of the nerdworld thanks to KDE (mainly) and Gnome. What's the default desktop for Corel Linux, clearly aimed at newbies? KDE. Not TWM. KDE.

      > It is attitudes like this which are holding back the true success of Linux

      False. An alien interface with unknown conventions WILL prevent new users from using Linux. I've tried Blender once, and have been really disoriented by it's ergonomy. Not that's a bad ergo, just that it wasn't using much things I already know. A new ergo, better or worse, force users to swith paradigm. It demands a great work of relearning, and, if nerds and geeks happily do it, most end-users will never. The familiar looking of KDE will appeal them, not an alien desktop with strange (for them) behavior.

    2. Re:Wishware by Thrakkerzog · · Score: 2

      You only think it is a Windows Clone because you came from windows. If you came from CDE, you would think it was a CDE clone.

      I think they've done a good job.


      -- Thrakkerzog

    3. Re:Wishware by Shadowlion · · Score: 2

      I'm going to take issues with (b).

      Visually, I mostly agree. The desktop is much more visually customizable than, say, Windows. I can configure window bars, toolbars, buttons, text, etc.

      However, there are still gaps. Perhaps I want my GNOME or KDE "bar" to look less like the Windows Start bar and more like, say, BeOS' Deskbar. Can I do that? Nope. So it's not quite reached the point of true customizability.

      Why is that? Because neither KDE nor GNOME support the ability to customize *behaviour,* which would be required for me to have something resembling a BeOS Deskbar. Looks are one thing, but when it comes down to it neither KDE nor GNOME really provide for action customization.

      For instance, having used BeOS at home for a while, I find that the ability to right-click on a window tab and have that window go to the bottom of the z-order is an *invaluable* behaviour. When I have several different windows open, that ability becomes incredibly useful to toggle between them without resorting to pull-down or context menus. However, not only do KDE nor GNOME provide that, but they don't offer a mechanism for me to specify that action.

      Further, one of the other nice features is that I can drag the window tab around in BeOS to organize my windows logically. Many of the themes for E, KDE, and GNOME feature similar window "tabs" (as opposed to a straight bar, like Windows or the Mac). I would like to be able to program that dragging behaviour for a theme that has a tabbed window - but again, neither KDE or GNOME provide that.

      Granted, neither BeOS nor Windows provide much in the way of user customization for either visual or behavioural aspects, but the point is that the Linux GUIs still have a long way to go before you can honestly say that they are "COMPLETELY *customize*"-able.

    4. Re:Wishware by Arandir · · Score: 2

      I fail to see what KDE has to do with Windows. I haven't used Windows for a long time, but as I recall, the only thing Windows did UI-wise was put a frame around a window and slap a task bar on the bottom of the screen. Replace the task bar with the Gnome panel, KDE panel, Wharf, Dock or IconBox, and you still have essentially the same thing. Yet this criticism is ALWAYS leveled at KDE and never at Gnome, WindowMaker or Enlightenment.

      In terms of look and feel, there is no comparison between Windows and KDE2 beyond the use of windows, icons and mice.

      --
      A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
    5. Re:Wishware by RPoet · · Score: 2

      It's a tragedy that you hold all these brilliant ideas inside of you. You should let them out, get heard. Join the mailinglists. Commit your changes to the CVS or send the patches that you already must have (I presume) to the core developers.

      --
      "Oppression and harassment is a small price to pay to live in the land of the free." -- Montgomery Burns.
    6. Re:Wishware by jpeters · · Score: 2

      It sounds like you should try Sawmill. It has GNOME support, and it would be dead easy for you to bind 'lower-window' to whatever key or mouse action you want.

      As for your second request (dragging window tabs), I just posted some code to the sawmill mailing list this morning that does just that. You can get the code and a theme that uses it at:

      http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/students /jdpeters/

    7. Re:Wishware by Zoltar · · Score: 2

      Mozilla is not even at the alpha stage yet. I would expect it to crash and burn.

      I too get frustrated with some of the software developed for Linux... most of it is barely beta quality. It seems that the Linux community is too caught up in "competing with Microsoft" instead of placing the focus on good software. But I still think the future looks bright and I love the fact that if you don't like something you can try something else or fix it yourself. These are options you don't have with the Microsoft paradigm.

    8. Re:Wishware by dlc · · Score: 2
      • It's nice to have a GUI and all that rather than using console-based tools with obscure command line parameters, but what does KDE offer than my Win2K box doesn't?

      KDE offers the stability of *nix, rather than the uncertainty of running on an mostly untested platform with over 65,000 confirmed bugs released by a company with a spotty track record. Other than that, nothing.

      That's enough for me.


      Cthulhu for President!
      --
      (darren)
    9. Re:Wishware by Simon+Brooke · · Score: 2
      To the KDE team: please, less wishware, more software. Thank you.

      That's how it goes with open source.

      You want it, you get off your backside and write it. If you can't be bothered to write it, you don't complain.

      --
      I'm old enough to remember when discussions on Slashdot were well informed.
    10. Re:Wishware by divec · · Score: 2
      Or perhaps [...] you prize things like fade-away pull down menus and a colorful splash screen? If that's the case, by all means, Microsoft has everyone beat hands down!

      Surely you mean "enlightenment"? Or maybe xscreensaver.

      --

      perl -e 'fork||print for split//,"hahahaha"'

    11. Re:Wishware by MosesJones · · Score: 2

      Whow calm down there, the issue isn't that work hasn't been put in, it clearly has. And for that the KDE boys have my respect and admiration. Where the release lacks is in its look and feel. KDE _isn't_ a better GUI than Windows, it is more complex it has possibly more configuration options but that does not a great GUI make. The good news is that that can be retro fitted as a later project (not a theme, I'm talking about a proper GUI design).

      The real question is how can we manage that sort of project, its part code and part idea and concept. Traditionally we've only had to worry about the technology, now its time to care about the Users. And not in the Windows/Mac/KDE/Gnome way but a new approach to GUI design.

      That could really change the perception of Linux and OSS, if we have the best interaction system, truly we'll dominate the world.

      --
      An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
    12. Re:Wishware by Surak · · Score: 4
      Great! YAWC (Yet Another Windows Clone). When are we going to get a desktop for Linux that doesn't appear to have come from the Microsoft school of GUI design?


      Oh, come now. Its perfectly clear the Microsoft didn't invent the Windows GUI. Besides, KDE offers a much cleaner GUI than Windows, and offers a few things that Microsoft doesn't, like a fully configurable panel. (And don't tell me that stupid active desktop toolbar crap is even close). Besides, KDE offers stability, performance and strives toward a truly object-oriented desktop environment with things like CORBA.

      Or perhaps rather than stability and performance, you prize things like fade-away pull down menus and a colorful splash screen? If that's the case, by all means, Microsoft has everyone beat hands down! I give up!

      KDE is not wishware ... it offers a fully-functional desktop on top of Linux RIGHT NOW. You people who whine and complain about what KDE doesn't have should stop your pissing and moaning and BE GRATEFUL that KDE brings at least 90% of the useability and functionality of the Windows/Mac/whatever desktop right on Linux. \

      And KDE 2.0 will be better than ever, offering a full office suite, a better file manager, and even better integration features than before. I would personally like to THANK the KDE team for all of their hard work. These guys don't get enough thanks. I mean, they're doing this stuff for FREE. Sheesh. If you don't like it, maybe YOU can do better. But judging by this brain-free post of yours, my money's on them.

      --
      My journal has hot /. gossip.
    13. Re:Wishware by divec · · Score: 4
      Open source seems to have failed in everything except the kernel and Apache.

      That comment was posted with the aid of glibc, perl, php, bind and possibly a full GNU system, depending on what you have at your end.

      --

      perl -e 'fork||print for split//,"hahahaha"'

  2. Re:KDE Office ? by jbrw · · Score: 2

    The HelixCode chaps are writing something called Evolution which may go some way to solving your particular problems. From a look'n'feel point of view, it seems to be heavily inspired by Outlook 2000, and from reading the brief description at the above URL, it seems as though will have similar functionality. It's not clear it will support the (admittedly good) calendar/scheduling functionality as Outlook 2000, but I would guess that couldn't be too far away.

    Ofcourse, this is for Gnome, rather than KDE, but i'm sure that chunks of it will be reusable by the KDE developers, or, at least, it should provide the push to get similar functionality under KDE (or is it already there?).

    ...j

  3. Re:evolution of KDE C++ libraries... by Guy+Harris · · Score: 2
    Second, the alternative to C++ for system programming is C, which is from the 1960's, even earlier.

    Presumably you mean that its philosophy comes from the '60's, not that the language itself comes from the '60's, given that Dennis Ritchie indicates that this version of the original B Reference Manual is dated 1972, and C is a descendant of B, so C is from the '70's.

  4. Re:evolution of KDE C++ libraries... by jetson123 · · Score: 2

    Well, C++ was already old technology by the time it was "invented" in the 1980's. The lack of runtime safety, dependence on storage layouts, and static approach to OOP it represents is more characteristic of the languages of the 1960's and 1970's. By the 1980's, dynamic OOP was already widely available.

  5. evolution of KDE C++ libraries... by jetson123 · · Score: 2
    Kdelibs must be frozen to the point that they will not become binary incompatible again for a long time, at least a year or more. However, we do not want to preclude the possibility of making important fixes and additions after the release. For this possibility to exist, we must add private member pointers to each class,

    This is one of the reasons why C++ is such a poor choice for implementing toolkits and other large libraries. Worse yet, if you break binary compatibility, most likely, you'll get memory corruption, often in some unrelated piece of code. The workaround that the KDE folks are taking, adding private member pointers, is also pretty cumbersome (I find that there are better approaches).

    Altogether, I find this pretty depressing. We are in the year 2000, and people are still writing software and using tools like it's the 1970's.

    1. Re:evolution of KDE C++ libraries... by Arandir · · Score: 2

      We are in the year 2000, and people are still writing software and using tools like it's the 1970's.

      First of all, C++ is from the 1980's. You're off by a decade. Second, the alternative to C++ for system programming is C, which is from the 1960's, even earlier.

      --
      A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
  6. Debian by JamesKPolk · · Score: 2

    Out of curiousity, does anyone know whether Debian plans to add KDE 2 to its mainline package lineup, as the QPL, unlike the Qt Free license, meets the DFSG?

    1. Re:Debian by Arandir · · Score: 2

      As of today, Debian does not intend to include KDE2+Qt2. Before they will, Qt will either have to be released under the LGPL or all of KDE2 will have to be released under a non-GPL license. I don't foresee either scenario.

      I personally think that a few members of Debian are deliberately blocking KDE2. They do this through intentional misinterpretations of the GPL and outright FUD. The last I heard, one of them was trying to find someone willing to sue KDE and get a restraining order so that it couldn't be distributed with ANY distribution.

      Although they have myriad reasons for not including KDE2, all of those reasons are based upon non-existance or misapplied laws, or extremely convoluted interpretations of the GPL. In one particularly bizarre instance, a Debian developer accused Troll Tech of GPL violations because KDE linked to it!

      There is nothing stopping Debian from including KDE2, but so long as Debian has to please 600 developers before anything can get done, it won't happen.

      --
      A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
    2. Re:Debian by Arandir · · Score: 2

      It would be nice if the KDE folks could issue a statement on whether GPL'd stuff could be linked to Qt2

      But the problem is, there's absolutely no reason to do this than to appease a few Debian developers. Of course it can be linked! This isn't a case of you deriving from GPLd code in order to link to Qt, which may be problematic. The original GPLd code itself already links to Qt.

      To summarize, the GPL imposes no restrictions upon the original author, who chose to link with QT. And Qt is included with every major distribution including Debian, and the GPL makes exceptions for code included with the OS. Furthermore, the source code for Qt is included with every major distribution, including Debian. Finally, you have implicit permission to link KDE to Qt by the very fact that it already does so. In fact, I would consider the include statements to be more on the order of explicit permissions.

      --
      A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
    3. Re:Debian by Arandir · · Score: 2

      I'll agree with everything you say. I probably would have said the same thing myself, but chose to limit my post.

      Having been involved in that recent debian-devel discussion which Andreas Pour was a member, I can tell you some of my observations regarding the small subset of Debian developers concerned with the KDE/Qt issue. (I have since left that list due to the extreme acrimony found there)

      That group is divided into three factions. The first faction wants to make sure that they do the right thing. They have heard that giving a copy of KDE to your friend is both wrong and illegal, and wish to discern the truth of that rumour. The second group sees nothing illegal about KDE and uses the text of the GPL and copyright case law to make their point. The third group wants nothing to do with KDE and resorts to ad hominem attacks, pointless irrelevancies, deliberate obfuscation, and when all else fails, personal mudslinging.

      --
      A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
  7. I hope not by JamesKPolk · · Score: 2

    I hope GNOME doesn't go away... the GNOME/KDE interaction has produced some good, and is bound to lead to more benefits.

    GNOME/KDE collaboration has led to the development of a Window Manager standards (no more wierd WM-specific hints making incompatibilities all over the place).

    There is also now a .desktop file standard, Hopefully leading to easier packaging of applications.

    There's probably more, that I can't think of/don't know about...

  8. Re:KDE Office ? by Zico · · Score: 2

    Well, take the same group, and imagine them talking about which Office suite they wanted to use..............Ayup

    I'm not sure what you're trying to get at in your post. I mean, "way to go" to the KDE team and all, but what Microsoft Office user in their right mind would really want to give it up to use KOffice?

    I have a feeling that there's some corporate version of Slashdot out there, and the guys in your company are posting about this one IT guy who wants to ram his favorite platform (plus ideology) down their throats.

    I've gotta admit, if I manage to find that corporate Slashdot, I'll be moderating that guy's post up.

    Cheers,
    ZicoKnows@hotmail.com

  9. Re:I agree, it's the new standard by Skeezix · · Score: 2
    Take a look at the commercial distributions and you'll find a nearly unanimous standardization on KDE - with RedHat being the obvious exception, of course, and Corel leading the charge.

    I don't quite see this "unanimous standardization" that you are referring to. Redhat and TurboLinux both offer Gnome as the default desktop. Mandrake, OpenLinux, and Corel Linux offer KDE as the default. Most distributions offer both as desktop choices.

    Like it or not, while the Linux community is doing the parallel development thing, in the Linux industry, the race is pretty much over.

    Far from it. I can name 3 companies devoting many manhours and cash to Gnome development: RHAD Labs, Eazel, and Helix Code. Companies such as MandrakeSoft and Corel are funding KDE development. The race, if anything, is just beginning to get interesting...

    Yeah, I know about Eazel. Judging by the amount of hype they've generated, all I can say about them is: show me the code.

    okay:

    here is some of it.
    ----

    --
    Celebrate the finer things in life
  10. Re:KDE 2.0 looks gorgeous by Skeezix · · Score: 2


    This is a pretty ignorant statement. First of all, gnome has C++ bindings and there are a number of gnome hackers that use C++ as their primary language. Secondly, it isn't so much the language, but rather the environment and libraries that the developers in the gnome camp prefer.
    ----

    --
    Celebrate the finer things in life
  11. Re:KDE 2.0 looks gorgeous by Skeezix · · Score: 2
    I predict KDE 2 will probably signal the beginning of the end of the GNOME/KDE struggle - its been fun, but KDE appears to be keeping one generation ahead, and is certainly better looking.

    Your prediction will most certainly fail. Watch and see. Perhaps what you are overlooking is that different users prefer different things. I will grant you that KDE is more advanced than Gnome in some areas, primarly in the number of applications they have available. However, many developers prefer hacking in the Gnome environment much better than that KDE environment. And Gnome is doing things now that KDE can't do or hasn't yet. Both environments have their strengths. I can also think of at least 3 companies that are putting extensive amounts of money and manhours into improving Gnome (RHAD Labs, Eazel, and Helix Code). These companies aren't going to just drop their work on Gnome once KDE 2 comes out. You also say that KDE "looks" better. Let me remind you that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally find KDE to be hideous compared to Gnome. This is not a bash-KDE comment. Honestly, I love what KDE is doing. I keep up with the KDE development news, love looking at new screenshots, reading about KOffice and other such projects, and wish them all the luck. And I think the competition between Gnome and KDE is healthy. Neither community is going away anytime soon. I can assure you of that.
    ----

    --
    Celebrate the finer things in life
  12. Re:KDE, Gnome etc etc etc etc etc by Skeezix · · Score: 2

    Will you gives specific examples of what you'd like to see. What would the ideal interface look like?
    ----

    --
    Celebrate the finer things in life
  13. Re:Next distro release... by orcrist · · Score: 2

    How far did you say a quantum leap was?

    It's not how far, it's how radical. It describes 'leaping' to a different point, without traversing the intervening space; really it's more acurately described by 'teleportation' :-)
    I think in this case the metaphor is appropriate, even for pendantics.

    Chris

    --
    San Francisco values: compassion, tolerance, respect, intelligence
  14. I want Emmett's time machine by EricWright · · Score: 2
    How else do you explain the update coming 6 hours before the initial posting. What's that? Conflicting timestamps? Damn. I really wanted that time machine! Oh well...

    Eric

  15. Re:from the "beat the dead horse" dept. by Arandir · · Score: 2

    Troll Tech is taking a most sensible approach to licensing. Open Source for open source developers and Proprietary for proprietary developers. What could be simpler? It's certainly a better incentive to switch to open source development than RMS' exhortation not to use the LGPL.

    Qt Pro is more than twice W2K+VCPPPro? Let me know where you're buying your Microsoft products at, because I can't get them for that price. Yes, it's more expensive, but don't exaggerate.

    But if I understand your situation, I see an easy way out of it. I am under the impression that you are in the hardware sales business, but have some proprietary software of your own to support it. That software in turn links to other proprietary code. Since software is not your primary business, open source your OWN code, make sure that only that code links with Qt, and you're smooth sailing. The other proprietary code doesn't come into play if it doesn't link with Qt, since the QPL (like any license) is nonbinding on third parties.

    --
    A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
  16. Re:KDE, Gnome etc etc etc etc etc by MosesJones · · Score: 2


    Okay lets try it for the simple crowd. Jakob Nielsen is a GUI designer, most Websites are designed by Graphic Designers. These are mostly interested in pretty pictures and bright fluffy graphics.

    These also do not make a good UI. A GUI designer is about simplicity and ease of interaction. As a GUI designer I understand where your misunderstanding is comming from. But that is my point with KDE, technically they are brilliant, UI wise they lack certain skills. In the same way as most Web Sites are from the WILI school but on the excessive graphics and roll-overs side.

    There is a happy medium that equals an effective interface. If you want a cracking example of a good interface, look at some commercial devices (videos et al) and see how easy or hard an interface can make a product to use.

    --
    An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
  17. Re:KDE, Gnome etc etc etc etc etc by MosesJones · · Score: 2

    >I find it annoying that you feel you have to
    > bash Windows when it obviously is a commercial > grade UI.

    I understand what you mean by this, but IMO Windows is not a commercial grade GUI (some of my previous work has been in designing Air Traffic Control working positions) it contains too many "clever" touches and several inconsistent features in the major products. The use of pointless icons that are never used is widespread and the excessive use of pointless colours is just window dressing for the bored.

    The Mac is better but is far from perfect.

    Maybe its time to revolutionise the UI from the ground up ? Tech, interoperability, interaction model and look and feel.

    Trouble is this would require IMO a bigger effort than that to get Linux off the ground. Who is the next Linus ?

    --
    An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
  18. KDE 2.0 looks gorgeous by rambone · · Score: 2
    Take a look at some of the screenshots at http://www.mosfet.org/ - this release looks like it is going to be incredible, a huge improvment even over 1.x.

    I predict KDE 2 will probably signal the beginning of the end of the GNOME/KDE struggle - its been fun, but KDE appears to be keeping one generation ahead, and is certainly better looking.

    Hopefully Konquerer will be ready soon and add another option for browsing.

  19. KDE Office ? by cvillopillil · · Score: 2

    Great idea, but you must understand the corporate mindset.

    Allow me this opportunity to explain. While these maye be up and coming products, the corporate mindset will hamper them unbelievably in many ways. I know it's difficult to believe, but I've just sat through a meeting wherein there was huge debate, discussion, and shouting about scheduling programs. In the end, despite the fact that we have IN-HOUSE SOFTWARE developed for controlling our entire operation, The Sales Execs involved insisted on a seperate scheduler. Including the Managing Director of the Corporation.

    After ooo-ing and aaa-ing and also punching eachother, the agreement was - unbelievably, to buy a NEW server, put NT on it, put EXCHANGE Server on it, and use OUTLOOK 2000!!! I gaped. This after we have thousands of dollars of Sun hardware and Netscape, ACT, and other software - (all of which was tried for scheduling) - unfortunately, the Execs didn't like any of it.

    I explained that the implications of running Exchange were dire. It can be somewhat tuned into stability, but requires massive resources. Not only the kit - which will end up being no less than $10,000 I'm sure - but the software licenses (NT, Exchange, CAL's) - which will undoubtedly come to nearly as much as the kit!! maybe more !!

    How can anyone explain all this, just for 12 Sales Execs to schedule their meetings/etc etc?

    THAT is the Corporate Mindset.

    Now, what, you might be thinking, does this have to do with KDE Office? Well, take the same group, and imagine them talking about which Office suite they wanted to use..............Ayup. You get the idea.

    -C.Villopillil

    --
    no sig
  20. Tried it this weekend by Arandir · · Score: 3

    I checkedout KDE2 and KOffice this weekend and gave it a runthrough. Very impressive.

    No, it's not stable yet, that's why they call it "pre-alpha". But it's still very nice and I can't wait for the final release.

    It looks gorgeous! Makes Gnome look like it was drawn with crayons (hey, it's a joke, stop the flames alright!) Kudos Mosfet! It also loads much, much faster than KDE1 or Gnome. Konqeror kicks butt. KOffice will make Bill Gates very nervous when it's released. He should get his resume cleaned up :-)

    In short, KDE 2.0 will be the first Free Software desktop with the quality and finish that commercial users expect (but never get).

    --
    A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
  21. KDE, Gnome etc etc etc etc etc by MosesJones · · Score: 3


    While I applaud the efforts of both the KDE and Gnome communities neither of them are actually resulting in a commercial grade UI (Windows is not a commercial grade UI either IMO). Its a fantastic effort to make the interface more usable but as Jakob Nielsen said on Slashdot these are not revolutionary steps but the same old things again. Most of KDE and Gnome away from the interface itself is fine, its just that last bit to the user that fails to reach the heights that the more pure technology aspects of Linux reach.

    Is it time for some Cathedral to enter the Bazaar to enforce an interaction metaphor and a look and feel onto the Linux world rather than the continuing rise of the WILI (Well I like It) school of GUI design.

    Don't get me wrong, KDE and Gnome are superb as technology projects but as UIs they fail to reach even the marsh land set by Windows let alone the heights that could be reached.

    --
    An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
  22. Re:What we can expect by bero-rh · · Score: 3

    If you're using Red Hat Linux or something similar, you don't even need to recompile. There are daily CVS snapshots available from
    http://people.redhat.com/bero/experimen tal.

    --
    This message is provided under the terms outlined at http://www.bero.org/terms.html
  23. Magellan as well by zniper · · Score: 3

    The KDE 2.0 release schedule drowned out the fact that the KDE 2.0-based Lotus Notes++ clone Magellan was made available by rsync today. The combination of Magellan, KOffice, KDevelop and KDE2 will meet most of MY requirements, atleast. :)

    --
    -- Einar
  24. What we can expect by battery841 · · Score: 4

    Over the past few months, I have become friends with some of the core developers of KDE and then some not-so-core developers, but still developers. They convinced me to at least give KDE2 a try. I'd recommend that anyone interested, tries it. Every other Saturday, I run cvsup and update all my KDE2 stuff and recompile it. It's not too hard at all to do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But it's going to be a great environment when they're through with it.
    In regards to their timeframe, I have noticed that when I do cvsup, the most edited packages are either kdelibs or kdebase, mostly kdelibs. I do agree, it's an agressive schedule, but I do think that they can complete it.
    For those who want to try KDE2, but want to keep KDE1.x, when you ./configure, make sure you do ./configure --prefix=/opt/kde2/ I do that, and it keeps both environments totally separate of eachother. For qt2.1, do --prefix=/opt/qt2.1/ Not too hard, is it?

  25. Release this month??? by AlexA · · Score: 4
    We're currently looking at a release towards the end of this month.

    Uhh, I thought the schedule said that kdelibs will be frozen by the end of this month, and the first beta is planned to be released around May.

    Here's what I found on the KDE News Page: The schedule is very aggressive, with a true KDE 1.9 beta due out at the beginning of May. Looks like the final release is still a few months away!

  26. KDE2.0 Release Plan by rutger21 · · Score: 4

    There is a HTML version of the KDE 2.0 Release plan up at http://deve loper.kde.org/development-versions/kde-2.0-release -plan.html.