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Linux Mint Is Killing the KDE Edition (betanews.com)
BrianFagioli quotes a report from BetaNews: While both the Cinnamon and Mate versions of Linux Mint are decent choices for computer users, there was one version that was always utterly bizarre -- the KDE Edition. Don't get me wrong, KDE is a fine environment, but Kubuntu already exists. Having a version of Mint using KDE was redundant and confusing. Thankfully, today, the Linux Mint team announces it is finally killing the KDE edition. "In continuation with what's been done in the past, Linux Mint 18.3 will feature a KDE edition, but it will be the last release to do so. I would like to thank Kubuntu for the amazing work they have done. The quality of Plasma 5 in Xenial made backports a necessity. The rapid pace of development upstream from the KDE project made this very challenging, yet they managed to provide a stable flow of updates for us and we were able to ship good KDE editions thanks to that. I don't think this would have been possible without them," says Clement Lefebvre, Linux Mint.
Lefebvre further says, "KDE is a fantastic environment but it's also a different world, one which evolves away from us and away from everything we focus on. Their apps, their ecosystem and the QT toolkit which is central there have very little in common with what we're working on. We're not just shipping releases and distributing upstream software. We're a product distribution and we see ourselves as a complete desktop operating system. We like to integrate solutions, develop whatâ(TM)s missing, adapt what's not fitting perfectly, and we do a great deal of that not only around our own Cinnamon desktop environment but also thanks to cross-DE frameworks we put in place to support similar environments, such as MATE and Xfce."
Lefebvre further says, "KDE is a fantastic environment but it's also a different world, one which evolves away from us and away from everything we focus on. Their apps, their ecosystem and the QT toolkit which is central there have very little in common with what we're working on. We're not just shipping releases and distributing upstream software. We're a product distribution and we see ourselves as a complete desktop operating system. We like to integrate solutions, develop whatâ(TM)s missing, adapt what's not fitting perfectly, and we do a great deal of that not only around our own Cinnamon desktop environment but also thanks to cross-DE frameworks we put in place to support similar environments, such as MATE and Xfce."
It never ends.
I'm glad I never found Mint that appetizing. It always felt like an inferior version of *buntu distributions because it didn't have at least 1:1 package parity. The custom stuff like mintBackup was never that useful to me since these problems had been solved long ago by others.
Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
Mint is focused on providing a desktop environment that keeps everything consistent in the UI, never making a change unless absolutely necessary so as to not throw off the user. In that sense, desktops like KDE seem more experimental, changing things as they innovate.
I'm glad Mint is staying focused and consistent, that's why I stick with their distro. I want something for daily use for me and my family and it's been perfect.
Twinstiq, game news
I am writing this comment from Linux Mint KDE and I am wondering why the derisive tone for this distribution in The Fine Article linked. It was marginally better than pure Kubuntu and I was anticipating the next version. Sadly I'm more inclined to KDE than Mint so if they part ways I'll look for another KDE distro.
Captcha: repelled - is there an AI in this? :-)
I can't run Linux because it is not capable of running the majority of software I need for my business. I can't afford to fiddle-fuck around with my computer trying to get things done; there's 100 more urgent things I need to spend my time on and the ROI on using an accepted, industry-standard OS like Windows is worth it 1,000x over.
Since Canonical nor Mint really gave KDE much love, there's little reason for KDE Mint or Kubuntu to exist when KDE now have their own Ubuntu spin.
Very good! Keep using what works for you, as shall we.
I can't run Linux because it is not capable of running the majority of software I need for my business. I can't afford to fiddle-fuck around with my computer trying to get things done; there's 100 more urgent things I need to spend my time on and the ROI on using an accepted, industry-standard OS like Windows is worth it 1,000x over.
Speaking of ROI, there ain't nothing like a good Windows infection. Ah, the joys of paying the ransomware to avoid fiddle-fucking around with re-creating thousands of man hours worth of work, and at the bargain price of only 1,000x more than your budget. Yeah, it is a damn shame no one thought that malware would target your backup files.
(The funny part is all those rock-solid cloud solutions you rely on for your business, run Linux.)
Now I have to go find another distro to move to. I have multiple computers with multiple users, all running Mint/KDE. I thought I'd finally found a easy to use, Debian based distro with KDE. I tried Kubuntu a couple of times, and it was very clearly a second class citizen, even to the point where it almost imploded in Oct 2015. Unless it has improved very dramatically in both quality, focus, and stability it's not a viable alternative.
Sigh. Fine. Back to the drawing board.
Dammit.
-- "Never underestimate the power of human stupidity." - R.A.H.
Well; probably not. Quite a lot of them donâ(TM)t.
Yet you can afford time to come here and post completely off-topic. Must be really busy mate!
I think it is confusing in the sense, that if you were to log in to a KDE Mint system, you wouldn't know the difference between a Kubuntu system. So you may do things the Ubuntu way vs the Mint way, and finding a bunch of packages that you expect are not there and replaced with a bunch that you didn't expect.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I love the geeks who complain about KDE's stability or being bloated.. as if you run a real time system and painfully notice every nanosecond. KDE is a well built, well designed desktop that has been on Linux from the very beginnings. If it weren't for some licensing issues in the early years of Linux, GNOME would never have gotten started.
The fact is, if you have a wonky KDE desktop, it's because the people who maintain your distro are biased towards GNOME and half-ass their KDE builds. If KDE is so bloated and terrible, why is it that it has never been forked (other than Trinity, which is just a continuation of KDE 3), yet there's what, 3? 4? GNOME forks going, most of which were sparked by GNOME being such a clusterf*** to build.
ONE KDE environment is "bizarre and confusing" but 4 GNOME environments are not? Biased much dude?
Yeah, that's the consensus, GNOME is a better fit for most users /sarcasm
Lemonade stands are notoriously Windows-centric.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
I can't run Linux because it is not capable of running the majority of software I need for my business. I can't afford to fiddle-fuck around with my computer trying to get things done; there's 100 more urgent things I need to spend my time on and the ROI on using an accepted, industry-standard OS like Windows is worth it 1,000x over.
I can't figure out if this is bragging or whining.
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
I've been using and writing about various Linux distros for well over a decade, and it constantly amazes me how utterly clueless the Linux "community" is when it comes to making serious inroads into the mainstream desktop. From the viewpoint of an average consumer walking around Best Buy or clicking around on Newwegg's site, Linux is a nightmarishly confusing and just plain weird dumpster fire. Between things that simply won't run on Linux that customers want, things that are much tougher to do, and the surly online "help" from fellow users, it should be no surprise that most mainstreamers sprint to Windows or Mac systems when you suggest they give Linux a spin as their only system.
And it's not just end users. Go to a trade show and ask vendors behind the scenes why they don't have drivers or apps for Linux, and they laugh, roll their eyes, and talk about the endless incompatibility issues. Yes, they almost always mention that before talking about the size of the installed base.
But the Linux "community" will blissfully keep doing what they're doing and wallowing in their persecution complex while everyone else considers their OS to be a geek's toy.
Kubuntu is the redheaded stepchild of the Ubuntu family. It's chained to the radiator and beaten more often than it is fed. Even if you brushed its hair and gave it some love it would still bite your dog and shit under the Christmas tree.
I would sooner go back to XP than use Kubuntu again and I've used KDE as my primary DE for 18 years.
Mint was a quality KDE distribution. I'll be sad to see it go. Luckily we still have KDE Neon.
Please elaborate, you have not provided any useful details.
Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
what's with overuse of kill
Let's just use discontinue, because there have been too many already killed, too much use of the word in our newspapers, and in our media.
What say you now
Who used Mint for KDE anyway? Those 5 people will surely be pissed off.
Well, it *can* be ok, for 'most users' is the hypothetical case among the general computing population.
Of course, the Linux desktop is more enthusiast centered, and I think we have to recognize that reality and accept it, instead of continuing to sacrifice enthusiast friendly flexibility and power for the sake of the mythical casual linux desktop user that is using a traditional linux distro rather than android or chromeos...
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
why does another distro having a KDE desktop option have anything to do with another
its linux, the whole fucking thing is redudant, which is why there's umpteen billion distro's based on ubuntu in the first place, which is one of the umpteen billion distro's based on debian
is it not the whole linux mentality to have unlimited choice while in reality its all the same crap?
I was a KDE lover back in the early 2000's. Until KDE 4. I had no choice but to switch to a desktop that actually worked, even if not as nice as KDE. Now, more than a decade later, I sometimes think of trying KDE again. Looking back fondly to KDE 3. How integrated everything seemed. But I just can't get over the inertia to even give it a try.
Now one of my favorite distros, Mint, that was the one that might have let me dip my toes into the waters of KDE, is abandoning KDE. Oh, well. It was nice knowing KDE. Like Apple back in its heyday (I mean the 1980's and early 90's) it was great. But things change.
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
The Debian 9.2.0 of KDE, is so unstable and put together by somebody who hated KDE. The Russian version the Japanese, version and the English version are greeted by a logon U.S. flag! As you go through it you can see it is bits and pieces slapped together without any consideration.
I would not use KDE if somebody paid me to. it is not a work environment it is a mishmash that cannot be taken seriously as a desktop.
They better offer a Gnome option.
Stuff Windows in a VM and live happily ever after. At that point, the choice of host OS becomes less relevant, so long as the system is stable. Almost entirely upsides to this, unless you're dealing with software that is dependent on hardware acceleration for tolerable performance. Being able to snapshot Windows instances is a godsend when you're doing non-trivial reconfigurations... a couple minutes to restore a disk snapshot, versus taking your chances with System Restore, or spending hours trying to pull down backups from 'the cloud'. Being able to migrate the VM to other hardware without a fuss is also huge.
There is no XUL, only WebExtensions...
I'd like to see mint go with TDE as an option.
I won't use KDE4/5 or Gnome but I still use TDE.
When I finally gave up Mandriva, I went with Ubuntu because TDE was an option.
LK
"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
Like every modern laptop. Need a magnifying glass to get anything done on Chromebook Pro for example. With KDE, I can just change a setting and it works great.
I can't run Windows because it is not capable of providing the security I need for my business. I can't afford to fiddle-fuck around with my computer trying to get things secure; there's 100 more urgent things I need to spend my time on and the ROI on using an accepted, industry-standard, secure OS like Linux is worth it 1,000x over.
I've found KDE bloated and complex, gnome is a better fit for most users, while LXQt is great for users wanting a traditional WIMP GUI.
The only thing more obnoxious than KDE is Gnome. To each his own.
KDE is so superior to Gnome/Mate/Cinnamon that it's not even a competition. This won't come as news to Linux fans.
And what fool uses a crap derivative distro like Ubuntu or Mint?
Servers get Debian.
Workstations get Arch.
there's 100 more urgent things I need to spend my time on and the ROI on using an accepted, industry-standard OS like Windows is worth it 1,000x over.
I can't figure out if this is bragging or whining.
Anonymous humble brag fellating Windows? I'm betting advertising. Nobody gives a damn what an AC says unless they prove their chops right in the comment, so they're just doing their job and moving on.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Linux mint is for suckers. Use a real OS. (not suggesting names bc I don't teach script kids)
I've found KDE bloated and complex, gnome is a better fit for most users, while LXQt is great for users wanting a traditional WIMP GUI.
The only thing more obnoxious than KDE is Gnome. To each his own.
Gnome is simpler and easier. It doesn't do all the things nerds want to do (although you can get most of those things with Compiz if you care) but most people don't want to do those things anyway. Even lots of nerds don't give a damn, and would prefer the ease of support that comes with a common configuration.
I do think that the more primitive desktops would serve lots of users better, though. Whether it's LXDE or XFCE or something else simple and light, they have a tendency to just stay out of your way and not crash. That's a massive win in my book.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
it's just a window composer for god sake , why do we need to have diff distro ? this is why i only use the mini installer , install base system , and then apt-get your fav. GUI wether its KDE Gnome , Unity who cares , it's only usefulness is tiling shell windows
They should have killed of Gnome 3 linux mint
Bill Gates owes the world billions of dollars back for lost productivity caused by shitty MS software.
"I've found $DE bloated" and "just stay out of your way " two of my favourite phrases than mean nothing
"The hands that help are better far than lips that pray." - Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899)
"I've found $DE bloated" and "just stay out of your way " two of my favourite phrases than mean nothing
I've found that your comment means nothing, unless you consider whining to be something.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
KDE have worked verey hard to reduce the memory footprint and CPU use of plasma. Plasma 5 is less resource hungry than plasma 4.
For a (very unscientific) comparison let's take a look at distro reviews from https://www.dedoimedo.com/computer_software.html#linux - all operformed on the same hardware:
Memory requirements
Fedora 26 Gnome 3: 1700MB
Linux Mint 18.2 Cinnamon: 847 MB
Xubuntu 17.04: ~ 700MB
Kubuntu 17.04: 550 MB
Opensuse 42.3 KDE: 470 MB
On my main machine, opensuse 42.2 KDE uses 420 MB RAM, on my secondary Manjaro KDE uses 385MB. If you look up the resource usage in the task manager screenshots of said reviews, you'll dicover that the other DEs also tend to use up more CPU cycles.
Unless you want to go for a bare-bones window manager, KDE is as good as it gets.
And don't me even get started about Nautilus/Nemo/Files or whatever that thing is called: I wonder how anyone can put up with that as a file manager.
Has anyone figured out how to root ubuntu/mint so that it is usable?
because desktops like KDE, Deepin, and others that take queues from current UIX developments, try very hard to be modern desktops for modern users, while older desktops try very very hard to be strictly a Linux desktop, for Linux users. That's not how you market your product for the masses and build Linux adoption.
17.3 was the last Mint version where they integrated KDE right. Everything after just sucked bad.
I like/prefer KDE as my main desktop environment compared to most of the others out there and I liked Linux Mint as an alternative to Ubuntu which is why after many years of using Slackware I started to use Linux Mint KDE edition. Looks like I will be saying goodbye to Linux Mint now with this decision.
Well one example of an interface that doesn't stay out of your way would be one where things jump at your face, move, cover parts of your applications (e.g. side bar in windows 8 can be ignored most of the time but not for connecting to wireless networks, and you can't work if you want to watch the connecting go to completion). Or interrupt you with noises. Or monkeys invade your desktop everyday at 2 AM and 2 PM and 4PM and 8 PM.
That's going far. But there are things not too unlike this, e.g. autohide docks are something of an annoyance.
I would like if KDE defaulted (or had a profile, and prompted me to choose at first run), if KDE defaulted to animations disabled, no task bar transparency, no shadows, a simple desktop background (hint : microsoft build an empire by putting a single flat color there, and gray for the taskbar). No animation in the start menu either. No clever shit that spawns out of nowhere triggered by accident (but keep the clipboard manager in the form of scissors icon in the icon tray if you wish.)
If you want animations you can go enable them.
Mate has about no animation (perhaps a small hint when minimizing, 1990s style) but you can go enable compiz by checking a single option in a control panel. XFCE, LXDE don't smother you with animations either.
Hi Guys and Girls,
I've been a Linux Mint KDE user for years and loved it (Since Linux Mint 7). However, due to to the issues I experienced with the early Linux Mint 18 KDE releases and Plasma 5 bugs, I decided to give Maui Linux a try.
Maui Linux:
- Ubuntu 16.04 Base
- Based on KDE NEON
- Rolling upgrade of KDE Plasma ONLY (Currently on 5.10.2 @ October 2017)
- Linux Mint tools integrated
https://mauilinux.org/
I've not looked back and would highly recommend the switch.
Zubin