So far, I still have Kde3.5.10 by tracking testing. That wasn't my goal in the beginning, but it has also served that purpose. I suppose that one day, Kde4.x will get to testing and by then it will hopefully be feature complete and we'll just have to learn the new ins and outs of working with it.

If not, then Xfce4.6 is pretty good but for P4s and up with lots of memory, I prefer Kde3.5.x so long as possible to get work done.
Back to top

It seems that kde 4.2 has hit testing tonight, and from what I read in IRC, it is not without problems. So in order to keep my full functioning kde 3.5 I have frozen the install on my main production machine (actually since 4/4). I guess I'll upgrade only those packages that have security concerns until kde 4 catches up with 3.5. I'm running 4.2 on my laptop and on those boxes that don't do heavy work. I like what I see in kde 4.2 so far (it's pretty and has great potential). But, It doesn't hold up when I have a large amount of windows open. Plasmoids lock up, and sometimes I'm just bounced back to the sign-in screen.
I'm not totally blaming kde for this, it could be the mixture of kde 4.2, new xorg, new hal, iceweasel and possibly debian maintainers not worrying about the stability of testing/unstable. Of course, the debian folks never really intended testing and sid to be usable, so after a great run of 2 years, we might just be in for bit of instability.
I don't see xfce or gnome replacing my kde, so I guess I'll stay frozen for awhile and see what happens in the coming months. I'm just glad I didn't update any clients machines.
Back to top

Yes, I saw it, but it was early this morning, and I stupidly decided that maybe it was time to give kde4 another look. :(

You are right, it still isn't ready.

Fortunately, due to work, I have openSuse running very well in another partition. Not really partial to rpms but it has OOo3.1, etal. And they chose it already. Also have another part with Dreamlinux35 with Xfce. And I could always reinstall sidux-2009-01 and setup again in a couple of hours which is my plan.

So it's inconvenient, but disappointing. I read once, "Do not attribute to malice that which is explained by stupidity." Mea culpa.

I'll sort out the kde config dir problem and make sure Xfce46 is running well in sidux and then occasionally d-u sidux until Kde settles down again maybe in June? when Kde4.3 is suggested to arrive. Or when sidux-09-2 comes out. Kde4 will be very nice when it approaches the completeness that Kde3 reached with 3.5 which should indicate that Kde4.3, .4 or .5 will be very good.
=====

I actually have more problems but that is all that can be attributed to kde4. :( Mine stem from having /opt on a partition. There seems to be a conflict over kde in /opt between deb and rpm based systems. One or both is/are overwriting. So, since openSuse is working with kde3510 I think I'll cut my losses and stay there to work.

In the future for new installs I'll create new / and reuse only the swap part --no reuse of standard parts like opt, home or anything else. (Other distros put stuff in strange places.) All the rest in non-standard parts like data, cds, bak, etal. For example, the old opt partition will be mounted on ops to avoid problems.
Back to top