MEPIS Community Forum

Anyone have any thoughts to offer about the differences between KDE 4.4.x and KDE 4.5.x? I stepped into KDE4 with 4.5 (on another distro), and I have no experience with 4.4.

Since I'm still not sure if Warren is going to put 4.5 in for Mepis 11, my main concerns are:

- Stability: Is this an issue with KDE 4.4.x?

- The Zooming User Interface (ZUI) as opposed to the activity switcher: I don't really have a handle on what this is all about. Maybe it's a non-issue, especially for me, because my 4.5 set-up is kind of simplified -- I have only one activity set up, for example.

Anyway, I've just been wondering if folks who have used both versions might be able to give me an idea of what to expect if I end up having to "step back" to 4.4.x in Mepis 11 (which I realize might not be the case). I don't think I'm going to want to go to the trouble of upgrading to 4.5 if 4.4 turns out to be the default, but my thoughts on that may change, I guess.

considering the timelines and the leaps and bounds updates are happening I would almost figure 4.5 is a sure bet; it's already good and improving almost daily so I can't imagine it not being included. I am real curious what kernel we'll get and what grub. Keeps us wondering....

I thought I saw mentioned somewhere that Warren was looking at using a 2.6.36 series kernel for Mepis 11.0

I'm using a 2.6.36-rc8 kernel on my sid/KDE 4.5.2 install {the 4.5.2 upgrade appeared 2 days ago} without any problems. (sgfxi built the nvidia driver for my FX5200 without complaint)

I'm hoping for KDE 4.5.2 (or whatever the current KDE version is at the time of the release of Mepis 11.0). I could be wrong, but I don't think anywhere near as many packages would need to be backported to get KDE 4.5.x to work with a Squeeze base as backports were required to get KDE 4.3.5 to work with the Lenny base that Mepis 8.5 uses.

Btw it looks like some progress is being made towards Mepis 11.0, a couple of days ago Warren created a Mepis 11.0 repo (as can be seen at ftp://ftp.mepis.com/mepis/dists/ ).

*** The 11.0 repo isn't really populated with anything yet and shouldn't be used until Warren makes an official announcement ***

Since I'm having no luck booting my attempted install of M11 alpha1, I've reverted to the diversion prior to that: my new install of Fedora 14, KDE spin.

Fed14 implements KDE4.5.2, and so far I like it. It seems faster than KDE4.3. . . .BUT this is the first version of Fedora i've ever got up and running to my satisfaction, I'm comparing different versions of the same DE on different base OSs --which doesn't make a lot of scientific sense.

If you want my totally subjective impressions, I'd offer that KDE4.5.2 is definitely the way Warren should go. K-Patience alone is so much faster and smoother, it's worth whatever it takes to get KDE4.5.2 working!


Seriously:
I fully appreciate Warren preferring stability to putting Mepis users on a bloody, bleeding edge. But over the last 3 years, being "conservative/safe/stable" has not gained Mepis a lot of ground in the Linux Line-up of distros.

What he's doing so far on M11 seems like he's trying to push out of the "rock-of-ages comfort zone" (No slur against Christians intended.) he's been in since M7 into something closer to what Mepis used to be in the early days: The most up-to-date Debian/KDE witches brew that JUST WORKED! (No endorsement of Wicca intended.)

I couldn't begin to tie the laces of Warren's sandals (No implications that he is the messiah nor any suggestion that I resemble St.Peter, other than me being slow on the uptake.) but whatever technical considerations may be involved (that I'm sure I don't understand), I'd be really happy to beta-test my sorry arse off if Warren is willing to push the envelope a bit on this version. Knowing him to the small extent I do, I'm confident that his "wild and crazy" is probably most Linuxers' "ummm. . . is that new?" He's NOT going to err on the side of "reckless." Maybe we need to encourage him to be more experimental than he might ordinarily be?

"Maybe we need to encourage him to be more experimental than he might ordinarily be?"
Isn't it extremely experimental trying to put together an OS that is balanced and reliable? Many have tried, many have failed.
Henry

He is right where I think he should be.

Actually I'm with SB. Most other major KDE distros are at 4.5.2. We need to be same. If Warren won't be packaging it by the time he releases, then I guess we'll see if it can be done from the CR.

Need a more stable alpha/beta to compile on first though - so it could be a while.

It can be done from the preferences file, much the same as 4.5 is now,

I was more talking about having a stable base OS to compile on John.

From what he said in a brief email, it sounded like he was going to try to get to work building a new alpha release this week, as soon as he gets out of the swamp re: a consulting job he's into hip-deep. He thought he might have time after Tuesday to start. But that was primarily addressing the GRUB problem. It might take more than a few days if he tries addressing other issues.

[SIZE="3"][color="Red"]All the more important for you to send him detailed and concise single-issue bug reports NOW, folks![/color][/SIZE] Working from a short menu of things needing attention might make the job go easier for Warren.

There is plenty of time to address the KDE version issue seriously later. (Of course, it's fun to still talk about it now!)