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KDE's Plasma Active Ported To Nexus 7

Posted by timothy on from the looking-handy dept.

sfcrazy writes "KDE developers have succeeded in running the touch-optimized Plasma Active Linux Distribution on Nexus 7. Earlier Ubuntu developers managed to create a installer for Nexus 7, but those builds also showed that Unity, in its current form, is not ready for touch-based devices. KDE has an edge here as they have optimized versions for netbooks, desktops and touch-based devices so a user doesn't have to make any compromises as one has to do with other DEs or shells which are focusing more in touch-based devices only." Here are detailed instructions on how to install it.

3 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. Unity, in its current form, is not ready for... by BlackPignouf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Unity, in its current form, is not ready for touch-based devices

    Well, it isn't ready for desktops either! :D

    1. Re:Unity, in its current form, is not ready for... by blackest_k · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I tried it with ubuntu on an archos G9 101 and touch orientated devices need a different interface to a desktop. Scroll bars are very tricky selecting a tool from the toolbox in the gimp for example too small to be usable. Now if you plug in a mouse and keyboard its pretty much the same as a 10 inch netbook. Theres a good number of gui's for linux but maybe kde plasma might be the only workable one. Theres a few things that need rethinking such as arranging text boxes to be visible when you bring up a keyboard even bringing up a keyboard when it is needed also needed.

      In theory it should be possible to get tools such as gtk and qt to respond in a touch friendly way on a touch friendly device but there is a long way to go before you can just run what you want on a touch screen.

      --
      Blarney Quality Restaurant, Plants
  2. on an android tablet... by drankr · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ... all I want to run is Android. That being said, I'm interested to see that KDE tablet they've been announcing. There I'm sure plasma active will make all the sense in the world. Unity per se was not bad on a laptop, but they really blew it with that Amazon thing. That rendered Ubuntu totally ridiculous and unusable.