I set up a new Linux distro today and the first thing I like to do is install Dropbox.
As a KDE user this is slightly more involved than for those that like to play with Garden Ornaments!
I did post previously a simple guide that showed how to do this but the article has gone! So below is how I set up Dropbox.
First download the Dropbox package. The following two links (32 and 64 bit) should point to the latest builds :
Save the file somewhere in your /home directory and the use an extraction tool to extract the contents into your /home/USERNAME directory. (This should be your /home directory as in /home/andy). This will create a folder called .dropbox-dist (note the . character, this is a hidden folder).
Go to the KDE System Settings application and navigate to the "Startup and Shutdown" node and then the "Autostart" node. Click Add Script and use the file dialog to select the dropboxd file within the .dropbox-dist folder (and yes that is the dropboxd and not dropbox, this is a daemon that will be started on each logon).
Once the dropboxd file name is selected click OK. That is the daemon set up and ready to use.
Now to save logging out and back in again, open your file manager and navigate to the /.dropbox-dist/ directory (once again you will have to enable viewing hidden files and directories to see it), and double click the dropboxd file. This will start the daemon running and will display the Dropbox setup wizard. Within the wizard you can choose to create a new account or connect to your existing account.
Showing posts with label KDE 4. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KDE 4. Show all posts
5 June 2011
21 December 2010
KDE & K16 ... Send Your Pitch
So the KDE team have thrown open a challenge. What do users and developers want from KDE and where should it head in the next 5 years. They are going to hold a meeting of users, visionaries and developers early next year called K16 and they have thrown open an invitation for users to "pitch" their ideas in a one page document which can be sent to k16@kde.org for the chance to attend and sell your idea to the project. The organising team and KDE e.V. will select 15 people to attend and even cover travel costs.
I think this is a GREAT idea and one that shows despite the criticisms from some voices in the media the project does care about what people want and is in fact not a developer centric project.
However, it is quite clear from some posts I have read and some of the comments in the announcement that some users are still bemoaning issues surrounding KDE 4 and the stability of the Software. In some case's I agree that while the project has transformed from a slightly poor 4.0 release, 4.5 and soon 4.6 have polished up rather nicely. I know that some feel that certain changes from the version 3 code have not been wise but at the end of the day KDE is still a mainly volunteer FOSS project and people will work on what interests them and inspires them. If there is a feature from 3 that is really important to you then file a request, get coding yourself or inspire someone to code it.
It's funny how comments like "-Make dolphin open instant and respond better." and "-a replacement for "ark" is desperately needed" make me smile. Opening Dolphin on my Thinkpad R61e takes less than a second. How much faster does it need to be? What distro is the culprit and may have modified it, bloated it?? I like KDE plain and simple so I run Arch.
I do think that while the project plans for the next 5 years they should also keep polishing and improving what they have. However, a meeting like this may well bring some great ideas to the project that may otherwise not been thought of.
Personally, I would like to see a decent WebKit based Browser that is capable of giving Firefox and Chrome a serious run for it's money. I would like to see Tag Cloud based options in Save and Open dialogs. I would like to see decent a decent Bluetooth stack that is complete. And I would love to see changes to the UI that would make using the desktop as much fun as using my Android phone. Plasma widgets of real value and slick UI's that break the 25 year old mould and bring seamless connectivity to the KDE desktop and the web.
I might even put a page together on that one!
I think this is a GREAT idea and one that shows despite the criticisms from some voices in the media the project does care about what people want and is in fact not a developer centric project.
However, it is quite clear from some posts I have read and some of the comments in the announcement that some users are still bemoaning issues surrounding KDE 4 and the stability of the Software. In some case's I agree that while the project has transformed from a slightly poor 4.0 release, 4.5 and soon 4.6 have polished up rather nicely. I know that some feel that certain changes from the version 3 code have not been wise but at the end of the day KDE is still a mainly volunteer FOSS project and people will work on what interests them and inspires them. If there is a feature from 3 that is really important to you then file a request, get coding yourself or inspire someone to code it.
It's funny how comments like "-Make dolphin open instant and respond better." and "-a replacement for "ark" is desperately needed" make me smile. Opening Dolphin on my Thinkpad R61e takes less than a second. How much faster does it need to be? What distro is the culprit and may have modified it, bloated it?? I like KDE plain and simple so I run Arch.
I do think that while the project plans for the next 5 years they should also keep polishing and improving what they have. However, a meeting like this may well bring some great ideas to the project that may otherwise not been thought of.
Personally, I would like to see a decent WebKit based Browser that is capable of giving Firefox and Chrome a serious run for it's money. I would like to see Tag Cloud based options in Save and Open dialogs. I would like to see decent a decent Bluetooth stack that is complete. And I would love to see changes to the UI that would make using the desktop as much fun as using my Android phone. Plasma widgets of real value and slick UI's that break the 25 year old mould and bring seamless connectivity to the KDE desktop and the web.
I might even put a page together on that one!
1 August 2010
KDE 4.5 Screenshot Tour
I came across this screen shot tour of the new KDE SC 4.5 based on Beta 2. It highlights some of the new things that will be appearing in version 4.5 when it is released on Wednesday.
31 July 2010
KDE - New Developer Projects
I have just read this post from Lydia Pintscher who has been trying to find projects within the KDE community that are in need of some love and which would provide a great way to get started in contributing to the KDE community.
There are a few varied idea, although any part of the community could do with more developers, technical writers or even people happy to help on the forums.
Why not join the mailing lists and get contributing.
There are a few varied idea, although any part of the community could do with more developers, technical writers or even people happy to help on the forums.
Why not join the mailing lists and get contributing.
10 July 2010
KDE Desktop Tricks
This is a great blog on achieving various things within KDE SC 4.
The article covers everything from changing Icons and Themes to sorting issues with your panels.
The article covers everything from changing Icons and Themes to sorting issues with your panels.
27 April 2010
KDE Articles.
Found a couple of nice little KDE related articles covering 2 little mentioned parts of the SC.
How to Use KDE’s Clipboard and Klipper App covers Kipper the advanced system clipboard.
3 KDE Add-ons Worth Trying covers some little known KDE add ons.
How to Use KDE’s Clipboard and Klipper App covers Kipper the advanced system clipboard.
3 KDE Add-ons Worth Trying covers some little known KDE add ons.
21 April 2010
10 February 2010
KDE 4.4 Is Released!
KDE Software Compilation 4.4 has been released.
Codenamed "Caikaku" you can read the official release notification here.
There is also a Visual Guide. which covers this software compilation further.
Not only another great release by everyone involved in the KDE community but also a shiny new web site just in time for release of 4.4 which looks great.
For further info you can check out the following KDE related places on the internet :
Update/Install and enjoy.
Codenamed "Caikaku" you can read the official release notification here.
There is also a Visual Guide. which covers this software compilation further.
Not only another great release by everyone involved in the KDE community but also a shiny new web site just in time for release of 4.4 which looks great.
For further info you can check out the following KDE related places on the internet :
Update/Install and enjoy.
4 November 2009
KDE 4.3.3 Is Out!
5 August 2009
23 June 2009
The Mono Argument
This article on some of the latest Mono arguments that are flying about just hit my inbox.
As a Linux/OSS user I want freedom. I want to be able to install and use or uninstall things on my pc and use it for what I want and need to use it for rather than use the only option. As someone who uses dotnet all day at work I do not like Mono. However, as stated I Do No Like Mono I didn't state that Mono is a cancer that needs removing or anything else that would be as OTT or plain stupid.
Mono is impressive or imho it was before Novell got their hundreds of coders onto it. It showed the power of part time and OSS developers. However, now it is just one company constantly playing catch up with another. The Mono platform will never be on an equal footing to .Net and this can be seen most clearly in this months Linux Format where a review of MonoDevelop states clearly that you can't debug with it! That particular review was written (in case you was wondering) by Paul Hudson one of the biggest Mono fans I know of (and esteemed editor of said publication).
My other problem with Mono is the fact it has decided to only really work with the GTK stable of the Linux UI Toolkits. What I find quite funny is that people who only a few years ago started to develop GNOME so they did not have to use the Qt Developed KDE are now integrating with Mono so tightly. The irony does make me smile every time I see Qt is now released under LGPL.
Mono has its fans and I am sure that it may even bring some people over to Linux which will be great. I just do not like it or the politics that surround it (yes I also stopped using openSuse). However, lets not start name calling that do use it or find familiarity with it.
As a Linux/OSS user I want freedom. I want to be able to install and use or uninstall things on my pc and use it for what I want and need to use it for rather than use the only option. As someone who uses dotnet all day at work I do not like Mono. However, as stated I Do No Like Mono I didn't state that Mono is a cancer that needs removing or anything else that would be as OTT or plain stupid.
Mono is impressive or imho it was before Novell got their hundreds of coders onto it. It showed the power of part time and OSS developers. However, now it is just one company constantly playing catch up with another. The Mono platform will never be on an equal footing to .Net and this can be seen most clearly in this months Linux Format where a review of MonoDevelop states clearly that you can't debug with it! That particular review was written (in case you was wondering) by Paul Hudson one of the biggest Mono fans I know of (and esteemed editor of said publication).
My other problem with Mono is the fact it has decided to only really work with the GTK stable of the Linux UI Toolkits. What I find quite funny is that people who only a few years ago started to develop GNOME so they did not have to use the Qt Developed KDE are now integrating with Mono so tightly. The irony does make me smile every time I see Qt is now released under LGPL.
Mono has its fans and I am sure that it may even bring some people over to Linux which will be great. I just do not like it or the politics that surround it (yes I also stopped using openSuse). However, lets not start name calling that do use it or find familiarity with it.
10 June 2009
KDE 4.3 Beta 2 Is Out.
KDE 4.3 beta 2 is out. 2991 bugs have been fixed/closed since Beta 1. Full details can be found at the link.
KDE & Amarok Release's
Having been backed up with work and then being ill I have failed to note the following two important releases :
Amarok 2.1 is out and the release notes containing lots of info can be found here.
KDE 4.2.4, the fourth monthly maintenance release of KDE 4.2 has also been released and the full details can be read here. This releases code name is CornRow.
Amarok 2.1 is out and the release notes containing lots of info can be found here.
KDE 4.2.4, the fourth monthly maintenance release of KDE 4.2 has also been released and the full details can be read here. This releases code name is CornRow.
KDE, The Good & The Bad
Two KDE articles at opposing ends of the spectrum.
This is a nice review of some of the cool plasmoids that are available in KDE 4 and shows that they seem to be taking off in a good way. Always room for more and I am sure as time goes on we will see lots more arriving.
(Also a great way in to KDE coding!)
This is a review of Fedora with KDE. The chap that writes the review raises some interesting points. I would be keen to find out if the issues are KDE related or Fedora related. Although some of the points are obvious and are in need of some love. I have always thought the way the logout/shutdown functionality works was a bit "clunky". I think it would be nice to lose the tab off the menu and move the functionality to one button which would display a single screen with the various options. From memory (and hows this for a link) I think there is a plasmoid that sits there to do just that!
This is a nice review of some of the cool plasmoids that are available in KDE 4 and shows that they seem to be taking off in a good way. Always room for more and I am sure as time goes on we will see lots more arriving.
(Also a great way in to KDE coding!)
This is a review of Fedora with KDE. The chap that writes the review raises some interesting points. I would be keen to find out if the issues are KDE related or Fedora related. Although some of the points are obvious and are in need of some love. I have always thought the way the logout/shutdown functionality works was a bit "clunky". I think it would be nice to lose the tab off the menu and move the functionality to one button which would display a single screen with the various options. From memory (and hows this for a link) I think there is a plasmoid that sits there to do just that!
31 May 2009
Chakra Review
This is a review for Chkra the new and in development distri based on Arch and the KDEMod packages.
I am really hoping this distro gets to a usable version soon as I think it will replace Kubuntu as an easy but reliable KDE based distro thats not Suse! And it's based on Arch.....how cool!!
I am really hoping this distro gets to a usable version soon as I think it will replace Kubuntu as an easy but reliable KDE based distro thats not Suse! And it's based on Arch.....how cool!!
20 May 2009
Bruce Byfields KDE 4.3 Beta Review
This is a link to Bruce Byfields latest review of KDE (4.3 Beta).
I did note the line towards the end of the second page that stated tha he is a fan of KDE 4.2. Good to see he was impressed enough to consider himself a "fan".
I did note the line towards the end of the second page that stated tha he is a fan of KDE 4.2. Good to see he was impressed enough to consider himself a "fan".
13 May 2009
6 May 2009
KDE 4.2.3 Is Out.
New KDE Systray
The plasma devs have been starting to show off the new systray that has been developed for 4.3. The video below shows off the new features.
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