KDE Software Compilation 4.11.1 has been released today. The first incremental improvement in the 4.11 release offers more than 70 bugfixes, most importantly: “improvements to the Window Manager KWin, the file manager Dolphin, and others“. Startup times of the Plasma Desktop and scrolling in Dolphin have been improved, and the memory requirements of various applications have been lowered. All in all, a more pleasant experience can be expected after upgrading your current KDE.
Compiling KDE was easy as usual, and between one increment and the other there is not so much to see as perhaps there is to “feel” in terms of responsiveness of the desktop. So I have been thinking how to spice up the experience. I came up with a potential candidate which I may or may not add to the ‘ktown’ set because I doubt that Pat will add it to Slackware eventually. That added spice could be the Plasma Media Center. It looks like an intriguing piece of software with a good chance to end up on tablet computers (it supports the Plasma Active desktop). I still feel that I should buy the new Nexus 7 tablet if it finally hits the stores here in the Netherlands, and if it is indeed possible to install a common Linux on it, Slackware should get its share on the device.
If I do decide to package the Plasma Media Center without adding it to the main ‘ktown’ repository, I might just create a ‘ktown-media’ repository for it. That would allow me to also create some rebuilt KDE packages for everything that will profit from stuff Slackware does not ship with, like FFmpeg or VLC. Not decided yet on this, but it sounds like a useful addition.
How to upgrade to KDE 4.11.1 ?
Note: you have to be running Slackware-current! These packages are not suited for Slackware 14.0.
You will find all the installation/upgrade instructions that you need in the accompanying README file. That README also contains basic information for KDE recompilation using the provided SlackBuild script You are strongly advised to read and follow these installation/upgrade instructions!
Where to find packages for KDE 4.11.1 ?
Download locations are listed below (you will find the sources in ./source/4.11.1/ and packages in /current/4.11.1/ subdirectories). Using a mirror is preferred because you get more bandwidth from a mirror and it’s friendlier to the owners of the master server!
- http://alien.slackbook.org/ktown/ (the master repository), rsync URI: rsync://alien.slackbook.org/alien/ktown/
- http://taper.alienbase.nl/mirrors/alien-kde/ (my fast US mirror), rsync URI: rsync://taper.alienbase.nl/mirrors/alien-kde/
- http://repo.ukdw.ac.id/alien-kde/ (willysr’s Indonesian mirror), rsync URI: rsync://repo.ukdw.ac.id/alien-kde/
- http://slackware.org.uk/people/alien-kde/ (fast UK based mirror, run by Darren Austin), rsync URI: rsync://slackware.org.uk/people/alien-kde/
Have fun! Eric
As always, tks Eric!
Thanks!
PS. do you plan to compile Libreoffice-4.1.1?
The idea of Slackware on the nexus 7 is intriguing 🙂
I have the old N7, but might decide to get the new one soon, even if I was wondering to wait for the new N10 as it’s been said it could be manufactured by Asus instead of Samsung.
Anyway it’s something I could be willing to test
I decided be bold and update via slackpkg+. All seemed to go well. YMMV but.. after brief testing all seems to be fine here.
This is only for -current? How do I upgrade to -current? thanks
updated using slackpkg+. Very nice tool. Thanks Eric!
Thank You 🙂
Two of my machines (desktop and workstation) are having the same issues: clicking on an application on the task manager doesn’t raise the window. I had to double click on it to get it raised.
FYI, i didn’t change any configuration to KDE prior upgrading to 4.11.1 from 4.11.0.
Thanks
Anyone else having this strange behaviour?
Willy I am observing the same thing. Same upgrade path.
Willy; I am am having the same behaviour, but at least no NVidia problems.
Mike
Alan, this is indeed only for Slackware-current. I updated the main text of the article to reflect that.
Check out http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:slackware_admin:systemupgrade for info about upgrading to a newer Slackware release (it applies to -current too).
Eric
Willy, Mike, chrisretusn ,
I do not experience these window raising issues on my two KDE 4.11.1 machines: one is a T400 laptop and the other is my desktop/gaming computer with NVIDIA graphics.
I wonder what the difference is between my and your systems?
Eric
Great work 🙂
Can you add in readme if is possible upgrade via slapt-get (or other tools) from a previous version?
Thought it might be because I’d forgotten the removepkg bit but no such luck. Mike
My desktop is using NVidia GPU while my workstation is Intel. I also performed the upgrade on my laptop, but since my DE is MATE on that laptop, i haven’t tried to switch to KDE on the laptop yet.
@Mike
What Nvidia problem? Sorry, i don’t get this…
I using a Toshiba Satellite M115, Intel Core Duo Processor T2050 / 1.60GHz, Intel Mobile 945GM Integrated Graphics Controller. Unable to check my other machine as I am on vacation.
I just found this: http://forum.kde.org/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=117331&#p291476
Thanks, Eric 😉
@chrisretusn:
Thanks. I think that patch will work and a rebuild will be needed.
Yeah, looks like I will have to apply that patch.
Still it is weird that I do not experience this bug on either of my two computers.
Eric
Yuo’ve already apply the patch?
thank’s, now kde work fine
Thanks Eric, applied the updated package and now it works normally again 🙂
Thanks Eric!
Thanks Eric for the fix.
@Willy when I upgraded to 4.10.95 I had a problem I thought was caused by the nvidia driver (325.15) but with hindsight may have been something else.
Mike
Hi,
with the patch, this release works for me. No crashes so far. Thanks a lot, Alien BOB!
lems
Hi,
thank you for your work. If I remember well, one time you plan to compile kde-telepathy. Is it still relevant ?
laurent
Hi,
I have tested this version and there is a bug on my two machines. I use the activity “Search and Launch”. I place some icons on the favorite bar, on the top of the screen. But when I relog in my session, they have all disappered : the bar is empty. This bug was not present in KDE 4.10.5, only on 4.11.1.
Floreal.
Hi Laurent
I do not think I am going to add kde-telepathy soon, there were too many added dependencies when I checked it. Perhaps something for my future ‘ktown-media’ repository?
Currently my day job does not allow me more than just the basic work on Slackware packages, so it will need to wait.
Eric
Hi Eric,
I understand very well that’s quite huge to add. As you speak about a new ktown-media repository, I just pick up on this idea 🙂
Laurent
Thanks, Eric.
Thanks for the update Eric. I want to report that your KDE seems had this bug: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=324661
I’ll be happy if you want to add the fix from the bug report 🙂
Hi widya,
I think I will wait for KDE 4.11.2 where this bug has been fixed. I am currently too occupied with my day-time job to be able to do much for Slackware in the remaining bits of free time I have.
Eric
Hello Eric,
thanks for the packages.
I’ve noticed that the “Pate” plug-in for Kate is missing.
Regards,
Trent
ChangeLog.txt: Wed Sep 18 02:56:19 UTC 2013
“Hey folks, I’m calling this a beta! Really, it’s been better than beta quality for a while. There will probably still be a few more updates here and there (and certainly updates to the docs). Enjoy, and please test.”
🙂
I guess there’s no way kde 4.11.2 will find it’s way to slack 14.1 now :/
Indeed, it had already been decicded to keep KDE 4.10 in Slackware 14.1.
I will keep providing updated KDE packages for slackware 14.1 (and later for -current once that starts diverging too much from 14.1).
Eric
Thank you for making the latest version of KDE available to us Slackware users.
As far as I can tell, I’ve done the KDE upgrade according to your instructions. Installing the deps, then the new packages. The only difference this time is that I upgraded to current before upgrading KDE. Everything was smooth sailing and worked perfectly until I tried to apply the set of updates that came Sept.13. slackpkg listed all the old kde packages, which I had to deselect in order to filter out the actual packages that needed an upgrade.
What can I do to my system, so that slackpkg will not list all my old KDE packages?
Hi houzi
Please check one of my earlier posts, it explains how to use the slackpkg blacklist and avoid this issue you describe:
http://alien.slackbook.org/blog/slackware-current-adopts-kde-sc-4-10/
Eric
Hello,
I get a strange issue with kdeartwork. Tar file corrupted. I try to download again from different server but it wont work. I reinstall old version. I am running slack current 64 freshly upgraded.Since this upgrade I have xfce broken .
Any idea ?
Thank you
Hi Gabriel
The kdeartwork package on the mirrors I control is not currupted. Check your downloads again. The problem is most probably located on your own computer.
If your XFCE is broken I suggest that you describe this in more detail. The amount of information you gave is zero. Any errors?
Eric
Hello Eric,
The problem is with my hard drive .I check it and there is many bads sectors ,writing errors .
I am sorry sometimes I forget to think.
Thank you for your advice