KDE Plasma 5.27 sounds like a really great update to this desktop environment, the same one used on the desktop mode for the Steam Deck and my personal choice for my PC too.
Coming in on Valentines Day and the "I Love Free Software Day" (that's apparently a thing?), it brings an absolute ton of enhancements to the desktop experience including a new introduction wizard to guide you through a first time install that might help a few confused users. There's also a window tiling system, updates to app themes, upgrades to the widgets system, adjustments to system settings so it's not so overloaded, Discover now supports full Steam Deck system upgrades and so much more.
KDE Plasma 5.27 is also a Long Term Support release so it will continue to see fixes until some time in 2024 when the next LTS release of Plasma becomes available.
Some of the other changes includes:
- Multi-monitor overhaul: Those of you who use multiple monitors should benefit greatly from a major overhaul of how Plasma handles them. Arrangements will now be more robust, without the chance of panels and desktops getting lost after monitors are unplugged or re-arranged.
- Use global shortcuts to run terminal commands: The Shortcuts page in the System Settings utility now lets you configure keyboard shortcuts not only for apps, but also to launch terminal commands and scripts.
- Activate "Do Not Disturb" mode from the command line: If you spend most of the time in the terminal and are being overwhelmed with notifications, just type
kde-inhibit --notificationsand Plasma will enter "Do Not Disturb" mode.- Send windows to Activities: Do you use Activities to compartmentalize your private work, public life, and play time? If so, now you can move or copy windows to one, some or all of your Activities by right-clicking on the titlebar and choosing where you want it to go.
- Save power with one keystroke: While on the lock screen, hit the Esc key to turn off the screen and save some power.
- Customized menu entries. If you like customizing how apps launch, KDE's Menu Editor has always let you set environment variables when opening your apps, but now it's much easier to do so, as Plasma 5.27 gives the editor a specific text box for exactly that purpose.
By far my favourite bit is the focus on multi-monitor support, which has been a real nuisance at times. Looking forward to seeing that in action on both my Desktop and my often-docked Steam Deck. Hopefully now there will be less dancing around to get it to actually remember layouts.
As for when to expect the update? That all depends on what Linux distribution you use for Desktop Linux. For Steam Deck specifically, it will likely come in the next major SteamOS update.
See the full announcement for more.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
In testing for Arch: https://archlinux.org/packages/?sort=&q=Plasma-desktop
Probably already available in KDE Neon.
Last edited by itscalledreality on 14 February 2023 at 7:10 pm UTC
Recently, I discovered (no pun) that Kinoite works quite well as a refuge for non-techy ex-Windows 10 users. They wanted a familiar default UI that works on whatever new/old (non-Nvidia) hardware they threw at me, and for my sanity I wanted a distribution that was immutable. Kinoite does this, and does it well considering its young age. I have much less concern with users updating their own OS if it is immutable, just needed GUI support. Hopefully the wait is now over! The cherry on top (for me) is that the last item on my "new user distro must haves list" is being taken care of in Fedora 38 Silverblue (hopefully Kinoite too), which is unfiltered Flathub access.
I guess time will tell if my distribution choice will give future me a load of headaches, but for now it has been a lifesaver.
Last edited by Numeric on 14 February 2023 at 8:02 pm UTC
Dana Souly Feb 14, 2023
I do like XFCE better, but this Multi-monitor overhaul could convince me to test KDE again.
StoneColdSpider Feb 14, 2023
slaapliedje Feb 14, 2023
fenglengshun Feb 15, 2023
Quoting: ticktokI see 5.27 is still under 'test' on the arch repo's. Any idea when those will get released?It's usually a matter of days -- Arch packagers are usually faster at testing and releasing Arch than GNOME for some reason (as I recall a case where GNOME users being annoyed how long it took for them to release it.
Quoting: slaapliedjeIn case anyone was wondering, the new Debian Stable (Bookworm) should release with 5.27 of Plasma Desktop.Nice. It is supposed to be the LTS release as the final Plasma 5 point release so it really would have been a shame if Debian didn't get it for their next release.
Also, I didn't even know `kde-inhibit` is a thing.
Quoting: NumericIf I remember correctly, Plasma 5.27 is the version which adds initial rpm-ostree support to Discover. This is huge for me as it offers GUI support for updating Fedora Kinoite to both minor and major releases.
Recently, I discovered (no pun) that Kinoite works quite well as a refuge for non-techy ex-Windows 10 users. They wanted a familiar default UI that works on whatever new/old (non-Nvidia) hardware they threw at me, and for my sanity I wanted a distribution that was immutable. Kinoite does this, and does it well considering its young age. I have much less concern with users updating their own OS if it is immutable, just needed GUI support. Hopefully the wait is now over! The cherry on top (for me) is that the last item on my "new user distro must haves list" is being taken care of in Fedora 38 Silverblue (hopefully Kinoite too), which is unfiltered Flathub access.
I guess time will tell if my distribution choice will give future me a load of headaches, but for now it has been a lifesaver.
Kinoite sounds interesting. Is it Fedora Silverblue but with KDE instead of Gnome?
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