Kubuntu Wire seems to be down due to a server move so here's a Wire post on my blog written by Ilya Kowalewski as part of Google Code in...
Hey there, we’ve got some news for you, here in Kubuntu. Recently, we released Kubuntu 15.04 Alpha 1 (Vivid Vervet) with brand new Plasma 5 onboard and got some essential stuff updated.
Plasma 5, the next generation of KDE Software is still a work in progress, but is stable enough for everyday use and it keeps getting better as new versions drop frequently. The KDE Applications 14.12 includes a bunch of bugfixes and migrations to KDE Frameworks 5.
IT World Covers the 5 distros you need to consider and uses the classic photo above for Kubuntu with Billy Piper.
This edition of Kubuntu features one of the biggest visual changes in the Ubuntu ecosystem. The change of desktop is a major one and there will probably be some opposition to it. The new KDE Plasma 5 follows the same overall design, but it’s very different from what we were used to seeing.
Linux Veda also reviews the alpha with mixed feelings about Plasma 5..
It is, undoubtedly, a solid and stable desktop environment
We’ve recently got an email from Kubuntu user saying:
Please pardon the interruption but, KUDOS to the whole Kubuntu family.
Unbelievable, running ALL favourite apps off flash card (in USB 2.0 adaptor) on fairly mundane (‘dated’) desktop. So happy from smooth zsync upgrade.
Next, HD install. Stable, and now hooked on Kubuntu’s KDE plasma. Christmas gift, and Happy Holidays, New Year 2015 and beyond to you and yours.
Linux Veda covers things to do after installing Kubuntu, so you might be interested in this, in case if you plan to install Kubuntu.
We also released a new version of KDE Frameworks 5.5.0. KDE Applications 14.12 are arriving in Vivid Vervet, with backports, as soon as we can. For now, we wish you a Happy New Year and recommend you to meet it with new Kubuntu on your PC.
Good luck y Feliz Navidad! Remember, you know how to get off the naughty list..
Hey Dude,
you say: Will there be a backport of Frameworks 5.5, App’ 14.12 and the upcoming Plasma 5.2 available for my 14.04 LTS? I don’t want to switch to 15.04 just because of more recent Desktop Software since the underlying infrastructure is stable und probably too much tweaked to survive another upgrade.
Keep on rocking!
I’m not running the alpha but I updated to 15.04 a few months ago and it was a mess but it’s been steadily and noticeably improving since. However, I have a HiDPI laptop and there is still quite a few inconsistancies. The login screen is not quite right, a panel won’t work on the left or right sides, autohiding is not as smooth as v4, can’t find an option to autologin… just some of the things I can think of atm. I am not complaining, just pointing out that there is quite a bit of tweaking needed to be on par with the last KDE 4.
At least Plasma and most apps are usable on a HiDPI screen unlike Chromium and most Qt-only (Viber, Skype etc) that are totally unusable with no way to enlarge the fontsize on Kubuntu.
> classic photo above for Kubuntu with Billy Piper.
Fantastic! Tempts me to switch back to Kubuntu. 🙂
What distro are you using at the moment?
always good to have an up to date version of “Things to do after installing Kubuntu”.
This one by the excellent LinuxVeda site is worth bookmarking.
Still running Kubuntu 12LTS on laptop and at my inlaws, got to get to it over the holidays to do the switch..
Installed Kubuntu 14 on a brand new desktop we bought in october and it runs beautifully.
its biggest drawback is I never think about it. it works for everyone at home and with updates between LTS, its really out of sight, out of mind.
i have a friends Windows laptop Dell XPS over and I havent done any Win fiddling since I moved everything to Linux so im not sure what I can do but Ive installed Kubuntu as a dualboot so at the very least if the Win side keeps crashing, he will have a functioning computer.
Thanks for all the work you and everyone involved in Kubuntu, KDE, Linux and FLOSS do each day.
Its truly an amazing job and since version 10, its been an absolute pleasure to use and to install on family and friends computers (thank god the searching thing has been fixed!).
Have a Merry Xmas and a prosperous and fulfilling 2015.
Marko