Released versions KDE Software Compilation 4

1 released versions

1.1 kde 4.0

1.1.1 pre-releases
1.1.2 release
1.1.3 reception


1.2 kde 4.1
1.3 kde 4.2

1.3.1 kde workspace improvements
1.3.2 new , improved applications
1.3.3 reception


1.4 kde 4.3
1.5 kde sc 4.4
1.6 kde sc 4.5
1.7 kde sc 4.6
1.8 kde sc 4.7
1.9 kde sc 4.8

1.9.1 plasma workspaces
1.9.2 applications


1.10 kde sc 4.9
1.11 kde sc 4.10
1.12 kde sc 4.11
1.13 kde sc 4.12
1.14 kde sc 4.13
1.15 kde sc 4.14

released versions
kde 4.0

kde 4.0 showing dolphin, system settings , kickoff

the majority of development went implementing of new technologies , frameworks of kde 4. plasma , oxygen style 2 of biggest user-facing changes.

dolphin replaces konqueror default file manager in kde 4.0. done address complaints of konqueror being complicated simple file manager. dolphin , konqueror share code possible, , dolphin can embedded in konqueror allow konqueror still used file manager.

okular replaces several document viewers used in kde 3, kpdf, kghostview , kdvi. okular makes use of software libraries , can extended view kind of document. konqueror , kpdf in kde 3, okular can embedded in other applications.

pre-releases

on 11 may 2007, kde 4.0 alpha 1 released marking end of addition of large features kde base libraries , shifting focus onto integrating new technologies applications , basic desktop. alpha 1 included new frameworks build applications with, providing improved hardware , multimedia integration through solid , phonon. dolphin , okular integrated , new visual appearance provided through oxygen icons.

on 4 july 2007, alpha 2 released. release focused on integrating plasma desktop, improving functionality , stabilizing kde.

on 2 august 2007, beta 1 released. major features included pixmap cache – speeding icon loading, kde pim improvements, improved kwin effects , configuration, better interaction between konqueror , dolphin , metalink support added kget improved downloads.

on 6 september 2007, beta 2 released improved bsd , solaris support. release included addition of blitz graphic library – allowing developers use high performance graphical tricks icon animation – , overhaul of krdc (k remote desktop client) google’s summer of code. plasma integrated amarok provide amarok’s central context view.

on 16 october 2007, beta 3 released. beta 3 release focused on stabilizing , finishing design of libraries release of kde development platform. plasma received many new features including applet browser. educational software received many improvements in marble , parley (formerly known kvoctrain) bugfixes in other applications. program called step, interactive physics simulator, produced part of google summer of code.

on 30 october 2007, beta 4 released. list of release blockers compiled, listing issues need resolved before kde start release candidate cycle desktop. goals focus on stabilization , fixing release blockers.

at same time, first release candidate of kde 4.0 development platform released. development platform contains base libraries develop kde applications, including high-level widget libraries, network abstraction layer , various libraries multimedia integration, hardware integration , transparent access resources on network.

on 20 november 2007, release candidate (rc) 1 released. release called release candidate despite plasma requiring further work , not being ready release. on 11 december 2007, rc2 released. codebase declared feature-complete. work still required fix bugs, finish off artwork , smooth out user experience.

release

kde 4 released on 11 january 2008. despite being labelled stable release, intended adopters. continuing use kde 3.5 suggested users wanting more stable, feature complete desktop.

reception

the release of kde 4.0 met mixed reception. while adopters tolerant of lack of finish of new features, release criticized because of lack of stability , beta quality. computerworld reporter steven vaughan-nichols criticised kde 4.0 , kde 4.1 , called fork of kde 3.5 rebuilding on top of qt 4. same reporter later praised kde 4.3 , welcomed kde 3.5 continuation project trinity. although linus torvalds switched gnome kde on december 2005, switched gnome after fedora replaced kde 3.5 4.0. in interview computerworld, described kde 4.0 break model , half-baked release, claiming expected upgrade of kde 3.5, when reality there significant cases of features being regressed due extensive changes. (torvalds did point out, however, understood why developers in charge of kde project had chosen make such drastic changes desktop environment in kde 4.0 , reason premature release, , criticism more on way kde 4.0 pushed out public.) despite criticism, reviewers such ars technica’s ryan paul noted visual style attractive , easy on eyes , exhibits relatively high level of polish , underlying technologies still have lot of serious potential .

kde 4.1

kde 4.1 showing kickoff , folder view.

kde 4.1 released on 29 july 2008. kde 4.1 includes shared emoticon theming system used in pim , kopete, , dxs, service lets applications download , install data internet 1 click. introduced gstreamer, quicktime 7, , directshow 9 phonon backends. plasma improvements include support qt 4 widgets , webkit integration – allowing many apple dashboard widgets displayed. there ports of applications windows , mac os x.

new applications include:

dragon player multimedia player (formerly codeine)
kontact – akonadi functionality
skanlite scanner application
step physics simulator
games – kdiamond (a bejeweled clone), kollision, kubrick, ksirk, kbreakout

































kde 4.2

kde 4.2 showing kmail, dolphin , desktop.

kde 4.2 released on 27 january 2009. release considered significant improvement beyond kde 4.1 in aspects, , suitable replacement kde 3.5 users.

kde workspace improvements

the 4.2 release includes thousands of bug fixes , has implemented many features present in kde 3.5 had been missing in kde 4.0 , 4.1. these include grouping , multiple row layout in task bar, icon hiding in system tray, panel autohiding, window previews , tooltips in panel , task bar, notifications , job tracking plasma, , ability have icons on desktop again using folder view desktop background icons remain placed.

new plasma applets include applets leaving messages on locked screen, previewing files, switching desktop activity, monitoring news feeds, , utilities pastebin applet, calendar, timer, special character selector, quicklaunch widget, , system monitor, among many others. plasma workspace can load google gadgets. plasma widgets can written in ruby , python. support applets written in javascript , mac os x dashboard widgets has been further improved. theming improvements in task bar, application launcher, system tray , other plasma components streamline , feel , increase consistency. new system settings module, desktop theme details, gives user control on each element of various plasma themes. wallpapers provided plugins, developers can write custom wallpaper systems in kde 4.2. available wallpaper plugins in kde 4.2 slideshows, mandelbrot fractals, , regular static images.

new desktop effects have been added such magic lamp, minimize effect , cube , sphere desktop switchers. others, such desktop grid, have been improved. user interface choosing effects has been reworked easy selection of commonly used effects. compositing desktop effects have been enabled default hardware , drivers support them. automatic checks confirm compositing works before enabling on workspace.

krunner – run command… dialog – has extended functionality through several new plugins, including spellchecking, konqueror browser history, power management control through powerdevil, kde places, recent documents, , ability start specific sessions of kate editor, konqueror , konsole. converter plugin supports converting between units of speed, mass , distances.

multi-screen support has been improved through kephal library, fixing many bugs when running kde on more 1 monitor.

new , improved applications

new applications include powerdevil, power management system controlling various aspects of mobile devices. new printing configuration system brings number of features users have been missing in kde 4.0 , 4.1. components printer-applet , system-config-printer-kde shipped kdeadmin , kdeutils module. killbots new game shipped kdegames module.

all applications have seen bugfixes, feature additions , user interface improvements. dolphin supports previews of files in toolbars , has gained slider zoom in , out on file item views. can show full path in breadcrumb bar. konqueror offers increased loading speed prefetching domain name data in khtml. find-as-you-type bar improves navigation in webpages. kmail has new message header list, , reworked attachment view. kwrite , kate text editors can operate in vi input mode, accommodating used traditional unix editor. ark, archiving tool has gained support password-protected archives , accessible via context menu file managers now. krdc, remote desktop client improves support microsoft’s active directory through ldap. kontact has gained new planner summary , support drag , drop in free/busy view. ksnapshot uses window title when saving screenshots, making easier index them using search engines.

reception

the kde 4.2 release marks end of testing phase being first release ready – instead of developers , enthusiasts according thom holwerda, member of osnews.

kde 4.3

kde 4.3 desktop, showing dolphin, kmail , selection of desktop widgets.

kde 4.3 released on 4 august 2009. polishing kde 4 focus of 4.3, release being described incremental , lacking in major new features. kde 4.3 fixed on 10,000 bugs , implemented 2,000 feature requests. integration other technologies, such policykit, networkmanager & geolocation services, focus of release. krunner’s interface has been overhauled. more flexible system tray has been developed. many new plasmoids have been added, including opendesktop.org plasmoid – initial take on social desktop. plasma receives more keyboard shortcuts.

kde sc 4.4

kde plasma netbook makes debut in 4.4

kde sc 4.4 released on 9 february 2010 , based on version 4.6 of qt 4 toolkit. such, kde sc 4.4 carries qt’s performance improvements qt 4.6 s new features, such new animation framework kinetic.

kaddressbook replaced new application same name – tentatively called kcontactmanager. key features of new kaddressbook akonadi integration , streamlined user interface.

another major new feature additional new plasma interface, targeted towards netbooks.

kopete released version 1.0.

kauth, cross-platform authentication api, made début in kde sc 4.4. policykit supported back-end.

kde sc 4.5

kde sc 4.5 released on 10 august 2010. new features include integration of webkit library, open-source web browser engine, used in major browsers such apple safari , google chrome. kde s own khtml engine continue developed.

kpackage has been deprecated. kpackagekit suggested replace didn t make replace it.

kde sc 4.6

kde sc 4.6 released on 26 january 2011 , has better opengl compositing along usual myriad of fixes , features.

kde sc 4.7

kde sc 4.7 released on 28 july 2011. version updated kwin in order compatible opengl es 2.0, enhance portability mobile , tablet platforms. other optimizations, such use of qt quick, made in order enhance portability. version brought updates , enhancements plasma desktop such better network management , updates widgets (like kickoff menu) activities.

aside desktop environment, version 4.7 updates many applications within software compilation. dolphin file manager has been updated include cleaner user interface. marble, virtual globe software, supports voice navigation, map creation wizard, many new plugins. gwenview image viewer allows users compare 2 or more photos side side. kontact database has been ported akonadi allows database accessible other applications. furthermore, kmail database has been ported akonadi. digikam has been updated support face detection, image versioning, , image tagging. other applications such kate, kalzium, kalgebra, kstars, , kdevelop have been updated in release. moreover, version 4.7 fixed on 12,000 bugs.

kde sc 4.8

release 4.8 made available on 25 january 2012.

plasma workspaces

kwin’s rendering performance increased optimizing effect rendering. window resizing improved well. other kwin features are: qml based window switcher (tabbox), animationeffect class , initial wayland support.

applications

a new major version of dolphin shipped kde applications 4.8. has improved performance, better file name display, animated transitions, , many other new , improved features.

cantor shipped additional back-ends based on scilab , qalculate.

kde sc 4.9

kde sc 4.9 made available on 1 august 2012. release featured several improvements dolphin file manager, including reintroduction of in-line file renaming, , forward mouse buttons, improvement of places panel , better usage of file metadata. additionally, there several improvements kwin , konsole. activities better integrated workspace. several applications updated, including okular, kopete, kontact, , educational applications.

kde sc 4.10

kde sc 4.10 released on 6 february 2013. many of default plasma widgets rewritten in qml, , nepomuk, kontact , okular received significant speed improvements.

kde sc 4.11

4.11 released on 14 august 2013. kontact , nepomuk received many optimizations. first generation plasma workspaces entered maintenance-only development mode.

kde sc 4.12

kde sc 4.12 released on 18 december 2013. kontact received substantial improvements.

kde sc 4.13

kde sc 4.13 released on 16 april 2014. nepomuk semantic desktop search replaced kde s in house baloo. kde sc 4.13 released in 53 different translations.

kde sc 4.14

kde sc 4.14 released on 20 august 2014. release focused on stability, numerous bugs fixed , few new features added. final kde sc 4 release.