The Amazing KDE - files.meetup.comfiles.meetup.com/95900/amazing-kde-anandvaidya-slmg-v1.0.pdf ·...

© [email protected]: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/

The Amazing KDE(C)Anand Vaidya

[email protected]


Disclaimer● I am not an expert, please do not ask difficult

questions :-)● I have given up compiling KDE from sources

since 3.x, so I have no idea about KDE4 compilation, just use J. Riddell's debs

● Some info here is probably incorrect or plain wrong, Caveat Emptor!

● I am a long time KDE (1.x-) user and fan● Icons and images are © of the respective

organizations. I have attributed wherever possible


Agenda● KDE in Two Slides● What's new in KDE4?● Hands on Demo – KDE4 Alpha aka very few

things work ;-)● Why I think KDE is cool (& useful)


What is KDE● Desktop Env – like GNOME, CDE, Xfce, runs

on top of X11● Written in C++ (no Mono or .Net stuff)● Uses Qt from TrollTech, Norway● 65 languages● GPL licensed● Linus' favourite desktop :-)


What is KDE● v3.5.7 latest stable (22/May/2007)● v4.0 in development – offers completely new

& exciting features● Usability: Officially, KDE3 meets ISO9241 (

http://dot.kde.org/1179818755)

● My guess: More contributors from Europe, S.America

http://dot.kde.org/1179818755


KDE Structure for Dummies

OS, infra (dbus, hal) and libs (libpng, zlib,pcre, xine-lib etc)

KDE CORE

KDE Multimedia

KDE LIBS

KDE PIM

Web

Image and Video

NON CORE KDE APPS, Non KDE Appswww.kde-apps.org

KDE extra-gear


KDE4 -Many new things

strigi – fast searchPhonon Audio Framework

Solid – Hardware support visually appealing GUI

kross scripting


KDE4● Will run (as expected) on many unixes,

Linux, BSDs, and gasp... Windows and OSX too.

● KDE4-Alpha released: 11/May/07● Final release in Oct-2007● Build system uses cmake. Code hosted on

svn● QT available on Win & Mac -GPL● Completely new architecture


KDE4● Phonon: MM API supports gstreamer, NMM,

Helix, Xine, DirectX-Windows backends● Better Accessibility, HIG conformance● SVG rendering everywhere● No more app names beginning with “k” -Big

Relief :-)● App cleanups and merging● KDE3 compat libs to support old (kde3) apps

(2011)


Sample Oxygen Icons

screenshot courtesy: http://www.oxygen-icons.org/?cat=3


KDE4 Phonon● Phonon is a new KDE technology that offers

a consistent API to use audio or video within multimedia applications. The API is designed to be Qt-like, and as such, it offers KDE developers a familiar style of functionality

● Not a xine engine replacement● Handles volume changes etc (eg: loud

music+incoming voip call)

● http://dot.kde.org/1170773239/

http://dot.kde.org/1170773239/


KDE4 Solid● After a lot of hacking behind the scenes, a new initiative to

improve KDE's interaction with network and hardware devices has been launched. Solid will provide a robust basis for the dynamic modern desktop in KDE, which needs to be aware of available hardware and networks, paving the way for innovative functionality.

● Users should see KDE applications taking advantage of Solid in KDE 4, from the most basic Plasma applets and complex applications to desktop-wide awareness. Developers will be able to take advantage of a robust, flexible and portable API and will be integrated into the Plasma engine. It will make use of existing technologies like HAL. Solid will also include a knowledge base providing a way for users to easily provide feedback on incorrect behaviour.

http://dot.kde.org/1136389547/


KDE4: kross● http://kross.dipe.org/● Scripting layer Apps & languages● Supports Ruby, Python, Javascript● Automate spreadsheets, image processing

– /usr/share/doc/python-qt4-doc/examples/graphicsview/elasticnodes.py

● see: http://dot.kde.org/1152490640/

http://kross.dipe.org/


KDE4 DEMO● kstars – astronomy program

● kiten – japanese reference

● ksnapshot – capture screenshots

● konsole – terminal – our all-time favourite

● kate – superb text editor

● qt / python integration (see kross slide)● Mahjong -game

● okular – more than a pdf viewer

● konqueror – the swiss army knife


KDE4 (non) DEMO● Does not work:● khotnewstuff● kghostview● kontact , kmail etc


REMUCO Demo● Control Musicplayer through bluetooth

enabled phone.● http://remuco.sf.net● Not really KDE4 demo.

http://remuco.sf.net/


okular● More than a PDF viewer● Try : File->Get Books from Internet● Try: PDF, Save As Text


KDE4-Dashboard widgets● http://www.applexnet.com/node/337

● Limited support for Apple Dashboard widgets (http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/)

● image used with permission from Mike Piontek, from:http://mikepiontek.com/software/mac/delivery-status.html

http://www.applexnet.com/node/337

http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/


Experiencing KDE4● Use opensuse LiveCD with KDE4

(http://home.kde.org/~binner/kde-four-live/)

● Install KDE4 packages on kubuntu feisty fawn (http://kubuntu.org/announcements/kde4-alpha1.php)

● Compile from source (http://techbase.kde.org/Getting_Started/Build/KDE4)


Far Out in the Future...● One of the first implementations of Semantic

Desktop : Nepomuk KDE● http://nepomuk.semanticdesktop.org/xwiki/

● http://nepomuk-kde.semanticdesktop.org/xwiki/bin/view/Main/

● See van den oever's presentation slides


Cool KDE Stuff: konq● uber app: web browser + file manager +

many things– Save/email pages as PDF– Tools->Archive Webpage: Create a single tarball

with all images, html etc– Tools->Speak Text– gg: and ggx: - Google search– apt:/search?firefox , apt-search: xine– cpan: lwp– browse bluetooth– locate: linux or bug: 110385 or dbug: 68635


Cool KDE Stuff: GHNS● Get new wallpapers, themes, right from your

desktop (see demo)


Cool KDE Stuff: strigi● strigi Desktop search – Standard part of

KDE4 – see now on KDE3 (kubuntu feisty fawn)

● apt-get install strigi-daemon strigi-applet strigi-plugins

● Add strigi applet to dockbar● Konqueror: strigi:/status● Indexes pdf, txt, ODF, rpm, deb, tar etc● Other C apps can use strigi – using dbus● inotify support


Cool KDE Stuff: cmd line● Commandline still available. eg:● Try this:

– kmail -s "Test Message" --msg /tmp/testmsg.txt --attach /tmp/attachment.pdf [email protected]


Cool KDE Stuff: amarok● Listen to online radio -even Singapore

stations (with some effort)● Integrated Magnatune (online store)● Podcasts● Retrieve lyrics, last.fm integration● ScriptManager: get lyrics, Control amarok from

your browser! (localhost:4774)


More apps

KDE-Wallet -one place for all passwords

Many many more

K3B -Burn Baby Burn – CD/DVD recording


Some Myths● Biggest Baddest: GNOME and KDE don't get

along well : ● Nothing can be more wrong than this: eg

Guademy 2007 (GUADEC + KDE Akademy)● Work done at FD.o● Common standards: dbus, scripting

interfaces, HIG etc● Many common underlying libs (okular uses

poppler, xine-engine support in kde etc)● There are major differences of opinions

though


KDE Myths● Read more:● http://kdemyths.urbanlizard.com/

● You may also read an article by me @ http://wiki.kde.org/tiki-index.php?page=KDE+vs+Other+Desktops

http://kdemyths.urbanlizard.com/


Why I like KDE● GPL license● Large community● Friendly Developers - http://planet.kde.org

● Nice Apps (previous slides), fast ● Superb customisation options● baghira, karamba, kxdocker etc


KDE Info● KDE e.V. is a registered non-profit

organization that represents the KDE Project in legal and financial matters. (http://ev.kde.org)

● Corporate patrons: Trolltech, Mark Shuttleworth (ubuntu fame)

http://ev.kde.org/


Useful KDE sites● http://dot.kde.org - News, articles● http://wiki.kde.org● http://techbase.kde.org -developer info● http://websvn.kde.org -source● http://bugs.kde.org ● http://planet.kde.org● http://kdemyths.urbanlizard.com/ - squash

the lies● http://www.trolltech.no

http://dot.kde.org/

http://wiki.kde.org/

http://techbase.kde.org/

http://websvn.kde.org/

http://bugs.kde.org/

http://planet.kde.org/

http://kdemyths.urbanlizard.com/

http://www.trolltech.no/


Contributing to KDE● File bugs● Write C++ code, docs, tutorials, artwork,

translations● Write scripts (shell/python/ruby)● Evangelize● Contribute to wiki.kde.org● Participate in forums, mailing lists ● Guide new users● $$ or equipment donations● No skills? No sweat: Give talks ;-)

Acknowledgements & Copying● This material is based on my experience as well as

material collected from the www, mostly kde related sites.

● This presentation can be redistributed as follows:➢ No commercial re-distribution: eg, as part of a for-

profit CDROM or as part of your sales pitch. Seek my permission first.

➢ Must attribute the document creator.➢ Share alike: If you use this document and enhance it

or modify, share the modifications or the modified document under a similar license

➢ Which means I apply: Creative Commons License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/

The End ● Thanks for your time. If you have any feedback,

corrections or questions please contact me: Anand Vaidya, [email protected]

● This document was created with OpenOffice on kubuntu Linux. email me if you want the odp file instead of the pdf

The Amazing KDE - files.meetup.comfiles.meetup.com/95900/amazing-kde-anandvaidya-slmg-v1.0.pdf ·...

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