Plasma 5 with long-term support
Plasma Zone
© Lead Image © NASA_ngc7635bubble_hubble26, 123RF.com
KDE is steering the Plasma 5.8 desktop into calmer waters through long-term support, while the developers continue to extend and perfect.
When Matthias Ettrich created the Kool Desktop Environment more than two decades ago [1], no one knew where the journey was heading. Ettrich had noticed that the already five-year-old Linux was becoming increasingly sophisticated, but it lacked a uniform and stylish desktop environment that made daily work easier for end users.
For more than 20 years and five generations of software, KDE has remained true to its task of supporting end users, whereas Gnome, which is three years younger, increasingly targets developers and other professional users. Ettrich's ongoing commitment led to some personal recognition: He was awarded the Medal of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2009 for founding the KDE project.
Tripartite
KDE comprises three parts: KDE Desktop; KDE Frameworks, which was previously monolithic KDE libraries; and KDE Applications. The desktop component has gone by the name Plasma since the fifth incarnation. Although the three components interact, they do not need to be released together. This independence makes work easier for developers.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Cairo Dock 3.6 Now Available for More Compositors
If you're a fan of third-party desktop docks, then the latest release of Cairo Dock with Wayland support is for you.
-
System76 Unleashes Pop!_OS 24.04 Beta
System76's first beta of Pop!_OS 24.04 is an impressive feat.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.
-
Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing
The latest release from the team behind Zorin OS is ready for public testing, and it includes plenty of improvements to make it more powerful, user-friendly, and productive.
-
Fedora Linux 43 Beta Now Available for Testing
Fedora Linux 43 Beta ships with Gnome 49 and KDE Plasma 6.4 (and other goodies).
-
USB4 Maintainer Leaves Intel
Michael Jamet, one of the primary maintainers of USB4 and Thunderbolt drivers, has left Intel, leaving a gaping hole for the Linux community to deal with.
-
Budgie 10.9.3 Now Available
The latest version of this elegant and configurable Linux desktop aligns with changes in Gnome 49.
-
KDE Linux Alpha Available for Daring Users
It's official, KDE Linux has arrived, but it's not quite ready for prime time.
-
AMD Initiates Graphics Driver Updates for Linux Kernel 6.18
This new AMD update focuses on power management, display handling, and hardware support for Radeon GPUs.