Archives For November 30, 1999

KDE Plasma 5.16

KDE Plasma desktop 5.18 LTS was released a day ago. Now it’s available to install it in (K)Ubuntu 19.10 via PPA.

Plasma 5.18 is an LTS (Long Term Support) release that will be updated and maintained by KDE contributors for the next two years. It features:

  • New Emoji Selector (press Windows key + the peroid (.))
  • New Global Edit mode
  • Better support for GTK applications using client-side decorations.
  • Audio Volume System widget improvement.
  • Optional User Feedback settings (disabled by default).
  • Redesigned the Application Style settings.
  • Fractional scaling improvement on X11

How to Install Plasma 5.18 in (K)Ubuntu 19.10:

Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or by searching for ‘terminal’ from application menu. When it opens, do:

1. Add Kubuntu Backports PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Install Plasma 5.18 in Kubuntu 19.10:

Either install all system update via Update Manager, or run command in terminal:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

3. For non-Kubuntu user:

Run command to install Plasma desktop:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install plasma-desktop

or install full KDE desktop environment via command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

Uninstall:

You can purge the Kubuntu Backports PPA, which also downgrade Plasma desktop to the stock version (5.16.5) in Ubuntu 19.10 repository.

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

The KDE team announced a new update to Plasma desktop 5.12 yesterday. The packages are available in Kubuntu Backports PPA for (K)ubuntu 17.10.

KDE Plasma 5.12.3 adds a a fortnight’s worth of new translations and fixes from KDE’s contributors. The bugfixes are typically small but important and include:

  • Fix installation of Discover backends.
  • KWin: Fix the build on armhf/aarch64.
  • Fix the userswitcher when using the mouse for switching.
  • Render application icon at paintdevice DPR.
  • And many other changes, see CHANGLOG for details.

How to Install Plasma 5.12.3 in (K)Ubuntu 17.10:

1. Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “Terminal” from start menu. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type in your password when it prompts and hit Enter.

2. Then upgrade your system to get the latest Plasma Desktop via either Update Manager or command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

After the upgrade process has completed, and assuming everything went well, reboot your computer.

For non-Kubuntu user, you may first install the kubuntu-desktop package either from Ubuntu Software or by running below command before doing the upgrade.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

How to Uninstall:

To undo the changes and restore to the stock version of Plasma Desktop in your main Ubuntu repository, purge the PPA via command:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

How to Install Plasma 5.12 LTS in (K)Ubuntu 17.10

Last updated: February 7, 2018

KDE Plasma Desktop 5.12, a new long-term support release, was released a day ago. Here’s how to install it in (K)Ubuntu 17.10 via PPA.

Plasma 5.12 is the second LTS release from the Plasma 5 team. It features:

  • Many improvements to the Discover in stability and user interface.
  • Add support for interactive previews in the notification system
  • Much more usable Wayland support
  • Global Menus have returned in Plasma 5.12.
  • Folder View is now the default desktop layout.
  • Media controls have been added to the lock screen.
  • New System Settings interface
  • And many other changes, see release note for details.

How to Install Plasma 5.12 in Ubuntu 17.10:

Kubuntu backports PPA has made the packages for (K)ubuntu 17.10.

1. Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “Terminal” from start menu. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type in your password when it prompts and hit Enter.

2. Then upgrade your system to get the latest Plasma Desktop via either Update Manager or command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

After the upgrade process has completed, and assuming everything went well, reboot your computer.

For non-Kubuntu user, you may first install the kubuntu-desktop package either from Ubuntu Software or by running below command before doing the upgrade.

sudo apt update && sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

How to Uninstall:

To undo the changes and restore to the stock version of Plasma Desktop in your main Ubuntu repository, purge the PPA via command:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

KDE Plasma Desktop 5.10.5 was released almost one week ago. It’s available in the main repository of Ubuntu 17.10. Here’s is how to install it in KUbuntu 17.04 via PPA repository.

Plasma 5.10.5 is bug-fix release. The bugfixes are typically small but important and include:

  • A Plasma crash when certain taskbar applications group in a specific way
  • Excluding OSD’s from the desktop grid kwin effect
  • Discover handling URL links to packages

Install Plasma 5.10.5 in KUbuntu 17.04 via PPA:

1. Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “Terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Input your password (no visual feedback while typing) when it prompts and hit Enter.

2. Then upgrade your system via your update manager or run command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

For other Ubuntu 17.04 flavors that want to install Plasma Desktop 5.10, run following command in terminal to install KDE desktop environment:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install kubuntu-desktop

How to Restore:

It can be restored to the stock Plasma Desktop 5.9.4 in Kubuntu 17.04 by purging the PPA via command:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

The latest KDE Plasma 5.10 was finally made into backports PPA, available for Kubuntu 17.04.

Plasma 5.10 was released a week ago with following features:

  • Folder View is the new default desktop view.
  • Middle click to group / ungroup the list of applications in the panel
  • Improved touch screen support.
  • Media controls on lock screen
  • Pause music on suspend
  • Software Centre Plasma Search (KRunner) suggests to install non-installed apps
  • File copying notifications have a context menu on previews with actions
  • Performance optimizations in Pager and Task Manager
  • And more …

How to Install Plasma 5.10 in Kubuntu 17.04:

Kubuntu 17.04 users can now install the latest Plasma 5.10 via the Kubuntu Backports PPA.

1. Open terminal emulator from application launcher, then run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

2. Then upgrade your system to get the latest Plasma Desktop:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

For non-Kubuntu users, run following commands instead to check updates and install plasma-desktop:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install plasma-desktop

Uninstall:

To undo the changes and restore your KDE Plasma desktop to original status, purge the PPA via command:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

The latest KDE Plasma Desktop 5.9.5 and 5.8.6 LTS were finally made into backports PPA. Plasma 5.9.5 is available for (K)Ubuntu 17.04, and Plasma 5.8.6 LTS is available for (K)Ubuntu 16.04.

Plasma 5.9.5 release highlights:

  • Plastik window decoration now supports global menu.
  • Media Controller can now properly handle and seek long tracks (> 30 minutes).
  • Sort the themes in decoration KCM.
  • See the full changelog.

Plasma 5.8.6 LTS release highlights:

  • Avoid a crash on Kwin decoration KCM teardown.
  • [Folder View] Fix right click erroneously opening files.
  • Fix regression in which the Save dialog appears as an Open dialog.
  • See the full changelog.

Install Plasma 5.9.5 / 5.8.6 in (K)Ubuntu:

Following steps will automatically install Plasma 5.9.5 in Kubuntu 17.04 or Plasma 5.8.6 in Kubuntu 16.04 via Kubuntu Backports PPA.

1. Open terminal via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “Terminal” from start menu. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type in your password when prompts and hit Enter.

2. Then upgrade your system to get the latest Plasma Desktop as well as KDE Frameworks 5.33.0:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

After the upgrade process has completed, and assuming everything went well, reboot your computer.

For non-Kubuntu desktop, you may first install the Kubuntu desktop package from Ubuntu Software before doing the upgrade.

How to Uninstall:

To undo the changes and restore to the stock version of Plasma Desktop in your main Ubuntu repository, purge the PPA via command:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

The KDE Plasma desktop 5.8, the first LTS (long-term support) release, was finally made into the Backports PPA, available for Ubuntu 16.04 and Ubuntu 16.10.

KDE Plasma 5.8 was firstly released more than two months ago, and now its at version 5.8.4. It features:

  • A new Login and lock screen. Plasma wallpaper plugins can now be shown on the lock screen.
  • Support for right-to-left written languages
  • Simplified global shortcuts, global shortcuts can now be configured to jump to specific tasks within an application.
  • Many bug-fixes in multi-screen support
  • New default fonts: Google Noto font, monospace font.

How to install KDE Plasma 5.8 in Ubuntu via PPA:

KUbuntu Backports PPA has finally made the Plasma 5.8.4 as well as KDE Frameworks 5.28, available for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and Ubuntu 16.10.

1. To add the PPA, open terminal and run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

2. Then upgrade your system via command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

After the upgrade process has completed, and assuming everything went well, reboot your computer.

For non-Kubuntu desktop, you may first install the Kubuntu desktop package from Ubuntu Software before doing the upgrade.

Restore:

To undo the installation, install ppa-purge tool and purge the PPA via the command below. It will downgrade to the stock version of Plasma desktop in Ubuntu.

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

The Plasma Desktop 5.6 was finally made into Kubuntu Backports PPA, two months after its release date, available for upgrade in KUbuntu 16.04 LTS.

While Ubuntu 16.04 comes with Plasma 5.5, you can now upgrade to the latest Plasma 5.6.4 by following the steps blew one by one.

1. Add Kubuntu Backports PPA.

If you have not yet added the PPA, open terminal emulator, paste the command below and hit run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type in your password (no visual feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then update your whole system via your update-manager.

Or run the commands below one by one in terminal:

sudo apt update

sudo apt full-upgrade

3. (Optional) To revert the changes, purge the Kubuntu Backports PPA via ppa-purge which also downgrade Plasma Desktop to the stock version in Ubuntu 16.04.

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Install KDE Plasma 5.5 in KUbuntu 15.10 via PPA

Last updated: January 20, 2016

KDE Plasma 5.5 has finally been made into the backports PPA for Kubuntu 15.10 Wily after its third bugfix release was announced.

Plasma 5.5 was first released in last December, it features updated Breeze theme, new Plasma Applets, OpenGL ES support in Kwin, and Wayland support without depending on X11/Xwayland.

How to Upgrade:

Kubuntu 15.10 can now upgrade to Plasma 5.5 by following below steps:

1. Launch terminal emulator and run below command to add PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

Type in your password (no visual feedback so just type in mind) when it asks and hit enter to continue.

2. After upgrade your system via:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Once the upgrade process finished and everything went well, restart your computer.

3. (Optional) To downgrade to the stock version of Plasma in Ubuntu 15.10, install ppa-purge and purge the PPA which as well downgrade all installed packages:

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge

sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

How to Install KDE Plasma 5.4 in (K)Ubuntu 15.04

Last updated: August 27, 2015

The KDE Community finally announced the release of Plasma Desktop 5.4.0 yesterday morning.

Plasma 5.4 brings much improved high DPI support, a new fullscreen launcher, a new Audio Volume applet, over 1400 new icons, KRunner auto-completion and search history support.

With Plasma 5.4 the first technology preview of a Wayland session is released. On systems with free graphics drivers it is possible to run Plasma using KWin, Plasma’s Wayland compositor and X11 window manager, through kernel mode settings.

For more details, read the official announcement.

Install / Upgrade Plasma 5.4 in (K)Ubuntu 15.04/(K)Ubuntu 15.10:

KDE Plasma 5.4 now is available in Kubuntu CI PPA for both KUbuntu 15.04 and Kubuntu 15.10. To install it, open a terminal emulator from launcher and run below commands one by one:

1. Add Kubuntu CI Stable PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ci/stable

If you’ve added Kubuntu backports PPA, and it does not yet update with Plasma 5.4. You may remove it via:

sudo add-apt-repository -r ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

2. Update system cache and upgrade your system:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If you’re not in Kubuntu, you may run below command to install KDE:

sudo apt-get install plasma-desktop

If everything goes well, restart your computer to apply changes.

To revert back your (K)ubuntu to previous status, install ppa-purge and purge the PPA as well as downgrade installed packages:

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kubuntu-ci/stable