KDE 3.4 Release Candidate 1

On February 26th 2005, the KDE Project announced the first release candidate of KDE 3.4. Compile the sources (KDE 3.4 requirements list, "Konstruct" build script), download the "Klax" i486 GNU/Linux Live-CD (375 MB) or the first contributed binary packages. More packages may follow later. Please test the new features and report all bugs so that we can identify the show-stoppers to be fixed before the final release planned for 16th March. OSdir.com is the first to have screenshots of KDE 3.4 RC 1 and tuxmachines.org shows how customizable its look is.

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Comments

by dankers (not verified)

Just has I have time to get back in to KDE!

by pinky (not verified)

The live CD is really great!
But i have found a bug (it's not a KDE bug).
The network configuration: i have a dhcp server in the network, but slax give me everytime the same ip adress (192.168.1.6) but my network ist 192.168.0.x
I can insert in netconfig what i want i get only the same default ip.
The only option to set up the network is by hand with ifconfig.

Does someone else have simular experiences?

by konqi (not verified)

>> Does someone else have simular experiences?

Yep, same here

by Daniel (not verified)

Same here

by nantuko (not verified)

Same here too.

by John SUSE Freak (not verified)

Nice to see SUSE releasing binaries even for RCs! Keep up the good work!
Ah and now we know next version will be 9.3 :)

by charles (not verified)

I have posted a graphic of konqueror as I like it. I wish SuSE adopts something similar. I am also glad SuSE releases binaries promptly, taking Mandrake's place. Needless to say, SuSE is now my top distro since I can count on the latest and the best everytime.

by ac (not verified)

I like everything except the Serif UI fonts. To each his own, but I think you might actually win someone over with the same settings and Sans-Serif fonts.

by Iuri Fiedoruk (not verified)

Me also. I've changed from Mandrake to Suse because of the up to date KDE binary packages.
Now I can keep Suse 9.1 for a while because I can update KDE often, so I don't need to update the entire distro.

by Pat (not verified)

when trying to compile kdebase I get this error:

minicli.cpp: In member function `void Minicli::saveConfig()':
minicli.cpp:242: error: no matching function for call to `KDesktopSettings::
setHistory(QStringList)'
kdesktopsettings.h:895: error: candidates are: static void
KDesktopSettings::setHistory(QString)
minicli.cpp:243: error: no matching function for call to `KDesktopSettings::
setTerminalApps(QStringList&)'
kdesktopsettings.h:933: error: candidates are: static void
KDesktopSettings::setTerminalApps(QString)
minicli.cpp:244: error: no matching function for call to `KDesktopSettings::
setCompletionItems(QStringList)'
kdesktopsettings.h:952: error: candidates are: static void
KDesktopSettings::setCompletionItems(QString)

checking the latest cvs solved it :)
I think it has to do with a kdesktopsettings(h.cpp) according to some guy on #kde

by Anonymous (not verified)

I can compile the kdebase from the tarball without errors or patches :).

Remember to compile arts, kdelib and kdebase in this order. I can only help if you tell me exactly how you built it.

by Pat (not verified)

kdelibs, arts, kdebasen this is the order I compiled it. but that's ok now I compiled cvs version of kdebase and it worked fine.

by David (not verified)

Welcome back the dot!

by Douglas (not verified)

Is there any binaries to slackware ? Im using kde 3.4 beta2 from klax binaries, but did not found then (klax binaries) to slackware 3.4 rc1.

Any hint would be good :)

See ya !

by binner (not verified)

I uploaded my packages. Same comments and download location as in this comment apply.

by noone (not verified)

I downloaded Klax, burned it, rebooted, login etc all working fine but as soon as I started X11 the Keyboard stopped functioning. It seems I'm not the only one with that problem as there was a similar post in the last news entry about Klax but noone could help then.

The Gentoo Forums (the only source of quality support for Linux; at least unless you're willing to pay - and I don't even use Gentoo) had some postings that seem to indicate that it's a problem with the mouse driver/usb support which would mean that there's no way to fix it.

Anybody else who had the problem and found a way to get a working keyboard?

by jmk (not verified)

> Anybody else who had the problem and found a way to get a working keyboard?

I have, on two levels actually with SUSE 9.2 running on x86-64 HW. First problem is that directly booting to runlevel 5 does not work. When KDM starts, keyboard stops working. However, if i boot to runlevel 3 and start kdm manually, it works.

Second problem is that after successful login to KDE 3.4RC1 kontacts initial dialog ( asking imap password ) does not accept any input. Closing the dialog and pressing ctrl+l helps - new dialog works as expected.

by James Cornell (not verified)

Same problem here. If you find a fix e-mail me unixpenguin2004 [at] earthlink [dot] net. Keyboard loses responsiveness on x86 amd athlon on nforce2/shuttle motherboard with nvidia geforce 6800 graphics. Standard ps2 keyboard usb mouse.

by jmk (not verified)

Updated to 2.6.11 mainline kernel - haven't seen the problem since.

by Anonymous (not verified)

See http://dot.kde.org/1108288130/1108820315/1110440177/ for how to make your keyboard work.

by Michaël (not verified)

After installing KDE 3.4, as soon as kdm starts the keyboard is blocked and cannot be used any more. This is not specific to Klax: I have experienced the same problem with SUSE 9.1. Although the solution I have found will unfortunately not help Klax users, I mention it here because it may be useful to others.

Reboot in level 3 (on SUSE, type '3' in the boot options line at startup) and log in as root. Backup your configuration files in the kdm/ directory (just in case), and then type:

# genkdmconf --no-old --in /etc/opt/kde3/share/config/kdm

Of course, depending on your distribution, you will need to use the proper path to the kdm/ directory in the above command.

This should solve the problem.

As for KDE 3.4, congratulations to all contributors and thank you!

first of all, thanks binner for the livecd! it was very useful -i don't have time to build kde by myself, so this cd was god-given :)

- it's 2005! can a browser come with the pop-up blocker disabled by default?
- the knotes kpart in kontact is very poorly done. if there are no notes, all it displays is a white window without telling nothing, and one can't even click or right click to create a new note. the only way to do that is with the toolbar button.. very unintuitive. funny that the "new" command is available when right-clicking an *exisisting* note!
- the default height of the fileselector is too small!
- the new artwork is great!
two minor details
- in the wallpaper, the lighter text around the "K DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT" looks really bad, the first time i saw it i thought my monitor was broken..
- in the logout window, the kde logo is really out of place..
- kpdf is wonderful, a real pleasure to use. but it starts maximized by default, very unprofessional. and when i click the "restore" button on the titlebar it goes down to a very small size. something in between would be much better.
- too many "yes/no" buttons still around, for example the "quit korganizzer" one or the "ktts not configured" in kpdf.
- why do i need a "stop" button in the file manager?

anyway, KDE 3.4 rocks!!

-> bugs.kde.org

if you write your stuff there , it will be forwarded to the correct maintainer...

if you write it here, some user see it and perhaps a developer , but its unlikely you reach the right person.

by Leo Spalteholz (not verified)

Sounds like valid comments.
Please, please, check bugs.kde.org if these are reported, and if not, report them.
Thanks.

I'm not sure if bugs.kde.org is the right place for this kind of comments. They're not "bugs" nor "wishlists". Many of them are just personal taste opionions... Anyway, if some KDE developer will tell me to submit them as bug reports, I will surely do that.

I think you should submit them. at least some of them. and you could go to a KDE developers IRC channel, and discuss the popup blocker thingy...

> why do i need a "stop" button in the file manager

usually you don't. but until we separate the XMLGUI rc files for the different profiles, we can't do much about it. it'll come though. =)

It also needs to recognize whether it's working over a network or not. If I can't hit stop for my NFS shares, I may need to use the kill cursor much more often.

by Christian Loose (not verified)

> but until we separate the XMLGUI rc files for the different profiles, we can't do much about it.

If the functionality isn't there, then what is the meaning of "XMLUIFile=konq-webbrowsing.rc" in the simple browser profile?

I thought that this is the special XMLGUI rc file that defines the simpler toolbar for this profile.

yes, the per-profile XMLGUI file support is there, but nobody has actually created separate rc files for each profile and then tested them in under common circumstances. it's not so much "not doable" as just "not done as of yet"

by Christian Loose (not verified)

Ah, okay, I misunderstood you. Thanks for the clarification!

Do you need help? Can I participate / contribute to this?
This is one of my favorite itches that need scratching in KDE.
(see also http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=28331#c23)

we can always use more hands =)

this will be an issue that gets addressed post 3.4 and most of the work will be coordinated via the kfm-devel mailing list.. hope to see you there =)

Thanks. :-)
I'll probably read it via Gmane if that's possible.

I would also like to fix the issue about some icons just not being configurable (properly) in the toolbar config dialogs, because they are "dynamically" created (see the above bug report, http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=28331#c23) ... ;)

Maybe we can even adopt the method Firefox and OSX use: Show a windows with all available toolbar icons and let users drag&drop them onto their favorite toolbar.

- it's 2005! can a browser come with the pop-up blocker disabled by default?
Yes

- the default height of the fileselector is too small!
grab a corner and make it bigger :o)

- why do i need a "stop" button in the file manager?
for if you want konqueror to stop loading a very large directory, or stop rendering a gaziljon thumbnails.

excuse-me friends, but can someone tell-me if am I dreaming or have I listened something about a pop-up blocker in upcoming konqueror??? Is it there?

Its been there for a while...although sorta hidden for the untrained eye. Look under settings-->configure konqueror-->java & javascript-->go to the javascript tab- look down :) -global policies-->and put "open new windows" to smart.

-Sam

thanks Sam!

by Al (not verified)

KDE is crazy on options and insane defaults.

If that's what you have to do to get pop up blocking, how many damn users do you think will know that!!? Some may not even know that Javascript has anything to do with pop ups, my mom certainy has no clue. KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!!! KDE is being killed by all these dumb defaults (like no pop up blocking by default) and inordinate amount of poorly designed options, options that don't have the average user in mind.

Hell, the KDE developers even want an option for this! http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=59791
That's just f*cking ridiculous if they wanta usable environment. Perhaps they should read this http://www106.pair.com/rhp/free-software-ui.html There will always be 1/1 milllion that wants an option for something, but it is ridiculous if KDE clutters Kcontrol with even more disorganized and confusing options of which half of nobody givs a damn about.

I love KDE, but its usability is shit when it comes to Kcontrol, menus, and its defaults suck too. There is no need for an option on every damn thing and stop thinking like a programmer and think like a clueless user.

by Aaron J. Seigo (not verified)

but how do you _really_ feel? ;)

by JohnFlux (not verified)

The bug you reference:
> http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=59791

Says:
>The plan is to enable it by default (and I do not plan to add a GUI option
> to disable it). Disabling is therefore only available for C++ programmers who
> have special needs if they want to use the KListView class but without the
> shading.

by JohnFlux (not verified)

opps, you are right, didn't say the very end messages

by Rob (not verified)

Developers thinking as clueless users will not result in better software, how many clueless users have you seen contributing to KDE?

Imho the java part of the javascript settings should be moved to the plugins entry (the two have nothing in common anyhow - well, the name),

the java&js should be called popups&javascript, the global javascript policies should be moved to the top, followed by the domain specific and the global settings at the bottom (let's face it most people won't want to deactivate javascript).

I'd also combine Behaviour, Appearance and Previews&Metadata in one "File Manager" entry, and Cookies, Cache, History and Browser Identification in a "Privacy" entry. This way the settings menu won't look as overwhelming when you open it for the first time =)

How about creating a mockup of your idea with Gimp or Qt Designer and then send it to the kde usability mailing list?

Konqueror was one of the first browsers ever to have pop-up blocking.

And probably *the* first file manager to have it!
;)

It's been there since about Konqueror 2.1.

I'm using KDE since 3.0.x, but I just found out, that konqueror has a pop up blocker. I had no clue that javascript has anything todo with pop ups!

You are right there, it is kind of hidden. Perhaps a popup/wizard kind of thing the first time a popup is encountered would solve it, like mozilla have. Or just set it on by default, easiest solution. Don't think there will be many bugreports from people not getting popups:-)