First Glance at KDE 4 in Netbook Context

Jun 02, 2009

KDE hackers are working on a netbook user interface for KDE 4. First results are evident.

Patience is called for thos

First glance at KDE for netbooks

e who expect completed software. The Plasma interface optimized for netbooks is first planned for KDE 4.4 that might come out in December 2009. There is, however, a current requirements and roadmap for the project, along with some first screenshots of what it could look like.

Based on blog entries from Marco Martin and Artur Souza, the netbook user interface should have two main views ("containments"), a newspaper layout and a search-and-launch application view. The panels should be autohided at the top of the screen. Similar concepts are also being pursued by the Moblin project for its version 2.0 and HP for its Ubuntu-based Mini Mi.

Beside the user interface, the KDE developers are also thinking about the applications. One possible one is the Plasma applet Lion Mail as a KMail alternative.

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Comments

  • Why this need for top taskbar?

    Explain this me this need for a top taskbar?

    Look, I could have changed the taskbar position back in WinXP just by dragging the taskbar if I wanted to ape Apple but didnt.

    Why this need to change something?
    Is it better?

    But years of computing have gotten people (the 90% that use WIndows at least) used to keeping their eyes downwards for their info.
    I have a friend that says its even less stressful on the eyes than to do so.

    Im not arguing which is better but if the majority of the computing world does it one way, why change unless there is something more than 'being different' or 'it looks better' (and please dont say it looks cool like the Mac)

    Ive done over 70 installs at Lugfests and on my own. When given the choice, people will choose KDE 7 out of 10 times and one of the main reasons given is they dont like the top bar. Again, its not a question of better and worse but my job is to make people feel at ease with their new OS and not introduce them to unecessary paradigm changes..

    Changing for the sake of change is not a reason.


    I used Kubuntu for awhile and now Mandriva on most netbooks and KDE4.2 works very nicely.

  • "Regular" KDE 4.2 seems to work well already

    I've installed Arch Linux on my shiny new EeePC 901, and installed the individual KDE packages I use from the Chakra project's "kdemod" repository. So far, it's running great as it is, other than the need to initially adjust the default font sizes (and the occasional extra package e.g. smb4k apparently not liking the screen being only 600 pixels high).

    I'm not sure I'd even be interested in a special "netbook" version - I get the impression "netbook" software is generally somewhat dumbed down much as "smartphone" software is, on the assumption that the device it's on is somehow less capable. I've really not seen a need for that kind of change to the UI so far.

  • KDE 4.2 on netbook - well almost

    I used to have kubuntu 9.04 on my netbook and overall it worked a treat.

    The only problem that I have found is that the chip sets seem to get hot running KDE 4.2 hence I went back to XP.

    I even tried ubuntu 9.04 and the chip set doesnt get hot under that, so I suspect that the GFX card must be running its nuts off to give all of that plasma goodness.

    Its a great shame really as I would prefer KDE but I am not willing to kill my netbook.
    p.s. I even tried KDE 4.2 without all of the extra GUI effects and the chipset still got hot.

  • Seems to be nice

    Seems to be nice, since I'll never use that kind of rather ugly Ubuntu on any of my netbook, this can be an option for me. I hope that netbook manufacturers learn that brown is not a good color, and if they still insist on putting that brown thingie, I'll sadly wipe it out.

  • Dell Mini 9

    My Dell Mini 9 already runs KDE 4.2.2 with Kubuntu 9.04, boots in about 12 seconds and runs great. A wired LAN connection for the 1st package update and now wireless works great.

    Too bad Dell is shuting down the Mini 9. I ordered with Ubuntu 8.04 Mini 9 version but upgraded ASAP since I am a KDE fan.

    BR Jones / Sugar Land

  • Could be nice

    I'm currently not thrilled with the netbook distros (I've got a Dell Mini 9 w/ Ubuntu 9.04). I've been a KDE hater for years, but netbooks may be the perfect place for it w/ the Plasmoids and all. Plus w/ the new Android apps being ported, this could be great. Let's hope.
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