News Archive for December 1998

Matthias Hoelzer updated the FAQ today. Go see the additions at the regular place

Ext2, the monthly Web magazine for Linux users features in its December 1998 issue, an article in which "George Russell explains how to make KDE themes". The info given is straight and clear. Thanks Ext2, thanks George.

LinuxToday carries a little piece written by Dwight Johnson and titled New KDE utilities simplify package management. Dwight presents there KPackage-1.1 and KPackViewer-0.36 as being ones of the best tools available in their category: package management.

Alexei Dets added today his WebMaker application (an HTML editor) to the kdenonbeta module of the CVS tree.

Karl Backström added today his kcmbind application (BIND/DNS configuration tool) to the kdenonbeta module of the CVS tree.

Go grab them, and test them.

Kalle Dalheimer informs us that the prestigious german magazine Der Spiegel publishes in its number 53/1998 from 28 December 1998, at the page 172, an article featuring Linux, the Linux Cluster Event in Paderborn, as well as a large section about KDE (complete with URL's, names of some of the developers and photos of Kalle in an apple tree :-). You can find an abbreviated version of this article on-line, at Der Spiegel's site.

The following applications have been released (or new versions have been published) in the last few days:

Alexei Dets writes in to annouce the release of his application, WebMaker-0.6. This is a nice HTML editor for KDE, featuring syntax colors on code, external preview and color selecting automation.

Roberto Alsina announced that he uploaded to ftp.kde.org the version 0.2 of his excellent programming tutorial. It is also available here. Hopefully, this must-have material will be soon included in the kdesdk package and in CVS.

Richard Moore found out that the January issue of british magazine Computer Shopper provides a large quantity of information about KDE, complete with screenshots and descriptions. There will soon be an URL available and we will post it then.

Roberto Alsina informs about the release of BlackBox 0.50.2. This is an important event for KDE, since in this version, BlackBox, a modern, efficient window-manager, includes support for KDE desktop functionalities.

Last time checked at 1:30 on 21 December 1998, the beta version of RedHat's Linux Intel distribution included KDE-1.1pre packages. This is very good news for RedHat Linux users. Welcome, RedHat.

A strongly trimmed list of the numerous additions to the CVS follows:

• kthememgr - support for icons; new elements added
• korganizer
  • work on printing of TODO lists; printing improvements
  • GUI improvements (better fonts support)
  • first attempts to include and use the standard KDE address-book (kab)
• KRN - many, many fixes; prepare for KDE-1.1
• KBiff - version 2.0 in the CVS now
• KOffice - support for a new trader; a completely new KImage
• KFM
  • mime-types management greatly improved (by Sven Radej)
  • a number of bug fixes and a huge list of polishing and improvements from David Fauré and Michael Reiher
  • improvements to the tree view
  • now the file list remembers vertical position on file management operations
• KSirc - advancements; better user menu
• KPpp - starting work on FreeBSD porting
• Konsole - added '-e' command-line option to the session management; intelligent handling of dropped URL's

Prizm, the maintainer of the new Open Directory hosted by Mozilla.org, let us know that the KDE web site was chosen a Cool site of the year.

Torben Weis just commited a set of tutorials about using KOM/OpenParts technology. This event comes at the most convenient time. KDE is planned to evolve to a widely CORBA based 2.0 version.

• kISDN 0.7.1 Free Edition - This release comes with a new look as well as support for displaying charge information and various other new features. It is not yet available as a source distribution.
• KXicq 0.2.27 - This is GUI update release. It adds a lot of new configurable options, like a new Sending Dialog, KDE 'one-click' style and away options can be set in the configuration window. It also adds Auto Away and better KDE docking. It also fixes a TCP related bug.

There's nothing to do about. The CVS repository has an exciting, busy life unto itself:

• KExpress - a news reader application, was added to the kdenonbeta module
• KFM - as usual, a separated list dedicated to changes in here (sorry, no names; you know who you are and you are very numerous; thanks to you all):
  • the external terminal program is now configurable
  • automatic http:// and ftp:// prependings. This feature was initially on hold, but after a long and productive discussion, it finally passed. Be happy with it
  • appropriate menu items (de)activation depending on display mode
• kpanel - a list here too:
  • Internet time clock (configurable)
  • "Minimize other (windows)" menu
  • now the disk navigator can be docked into the panel too (this was a much requested feature)
• KWM, kcmkwm - new checkRaise policy for the FocusFollowsMouse mode; improvements of the panel docking feature
• kppp - securing (by Harri Porten)
• ksysv - many bug fixes
• kfloppy - works now with Linux kernels 2.1.xxx and (future) 2.2 series
• kmix - session management fixes

Antonio Larrosa forwarded to us today the announcement of David Salgado, Technical Manager of Sky Net Computing from Central America. According to David, his company opens a start-up in Central America, which will deal with Linux hardware and software and will use KDE as a GUI as more as possible. Thank you, Sky Net Computing.

Reginald Stadlbauer announces the addition of a new screenshot for KWord, KOffice's word processing application. And yes, an image can make a good news headline, because of the deep functionality improvements demonstrated by this image. KWord advances very fast and it's already fairly usable. You too can help KWord's development. Look at Reggie's help requests.

Our release coordination master, Kalle Dalheimer announced the accomplishment of the second step in the way of the code freeze towards the big KDE-1.1. Since today, the libraries MediaTool, KFile, JScript, KFMLib, Kab, KImgIO and KSpell are closed to commiting until the final release. Only major bugs corrections can be further on operated on this code.

Only 8 (eight) days are remaining until the complete freeze of the CVS.

• Want a "job?" :-) - a new, informal section called How to help KDE finds its place among the web pages of the KDE project. This section is meant to offer a home for all quasi-urgent small scale tasks to be completed over a small time span in the KDE world. Go make good usage.
• FAQ - you can see some new additions by going here
• Wanna see how KDE looks in russian? go see the screenshot, it's the second on the screenshots page.

In the last four days, we've got:

• kcontrol - Patrick Dowler introduces a new slider combo-widget
• macStyle - improvements by Matthias Ettrich in kwm, krootwm and kcontrol
• ksirc - Andrew Stanley-Jones made some cleaning for KDE-1.1 (ksirc will be in kdenetwork for the first time at a major release). He also added the kplunger memory debugger.
• MIME types added/fixed - for pictures, video and archives
• korganizer - the mandatory post release (0.9.18) fixes :-) plus an improved printing system.
• shaman and KodeKnight take advantage of not being freezed and race away with 100mph. Shaman includes now a KOffice template thanks to Simon Haussman. KodeKnight received some interfacelift :-)
• KFM
  • polishing, preparing for the applications code freeze;
  • Sven Radej baptized some bugs with really long names, then killed them - in fact nobody knows if the bugs died because of the names or just because of Sven
  • Preston Brown did an excellent job on the GUI cleaning in KFM. You will be greeted by shiny new warning boxes.
  • cookie support is improved
• kpackage - many fixes and preparing for KDE-1.1
• cleaning for 64-bit architectures - many contributors helped in restoring the 64bit integrity of KDE, which was a little turned around with the numerous CVS commits of the last months

• kPGPShell 0.03 - Version 0.03 implements working decryption support and the keepopen program is now included for kvt/xterm compatibility.

• KBiff 2.0 - This is the stable version of the rewritten KBiff. All reported bugs have been fixed and no new bugs have been reported in months. It works with either KDE 1.0 or 1.1 as well as all versions of Qt.

• KXicq 0.2.26 - This release fixes a linker bug in KURLlabel and KDE 0.99 support introduced in 0.2.25.

Kalle Dalheimer the coordinator of the ongoing release schedule for KDE-1.1 announces today the accomplishment of the first step in the code freeze of the CVS. The CVS modules: kdecore, kdeui and khtmlw are from now on locked for commiting. Only severe bugs (unlikely possible) can determine code change on these until the final release of KDE-1.1. Stay tuned for the fast evolution.

The remaining of the CVS still turns at high speed:

• KFM, kcmkfm - due to the hard work of David Fauré the whole configuration dialogs set of KFM is now moved to kcmkfm. In the same time, a reorganization of the options in the dialogs undergone. These changes are intended to offer a greater flexibility to KFM's configuration and in the same time they assure a reduction of the memory usage.
• korganizer - Preston Brown prepares for release the version 0.9.18 of this application - considered to be among the most advanced and most complete KDE applications to date. The new release will feature a completely rewritten event dialog and many clean-ups and corrections.

Dave Taylor, Deputy Editor at PC Plus, lets us know that, in the January issue of this british magazine, we can read, among other Linux related stories, a version of the press release of the previously announced agreement between KDE and CorelComputer Inc. concerning the desktop environment of the future NetWinders.

• Kppp - Mario Weilguni finished many previously known issues. Kppp should be safer
• KIllustrator - functions now correctly with the new KOffice
• kcmkfm - takes over most of the configuring tasks from kfm. So kfm has the chance to become smaller and easier to handle (configuration-wise). Thanks to David Fauré
• CVS repository - less directly visible but crucially important work goes on the CVS's compiling configuration - all those weird automake/autoconf affairs :-). This job takes a lot of time and requires high dedication. Thanks to Stephan Kulow for his great patience with this

• KPanel - you can drop now kdelnk files on the K Main Menu button to have them added to the personal menu, thanks to Christoph Neerfeld
• KFM, khtmlw:
  • "look" corrections to the keyboard navigation on pixmap backgrounds;
  • Shift+arrow means now selection; keyboard navigation improved;
  • option in "Configure Browser" dialog for enabling "Tree view follows file browsing";
  • start-up speed greatly improved;
  • `kfmclient showConfigUI` command eliminated;
  • `kfmclient configure` forces kfm to re-read the configuration file;
• KOffice - extremely nice evolution, tab settings on rulers, many goodies (thanks to Torben Weis and Reginald Stadlbauer)
• KSirc - Andrew Stanley-Jones says: "...misc changes I can't remember exactly" :-)
• korganizer - finalized event widget; 100% vCalendar compliance
• KIllustrator - more KOffice integration; color buttons in toolbars;
• mac Style - now with config UI; [Menubar]\position=TopOfScreen config key replaced with [KDE]\macStyle=on|off
• Web Pages - new FAQ version started

Troll Tech announced the release of a new interimarry version of QPL

Dev Mazumdar, president of 4Front Tehnologies, producer of "Open Sound System" - OSS -, lets us know that KDE multimedia software was declared by OSS a Killer Application of the Month. Thank you

J. David Eisenberg, author of a disputed article about "Linux and the Consummer Market", after trying KDE, liked it so much that he wrote a whole review about it. Small, nice description of the desktop environment we grew to love.

Well, the feature freeze schedule mentioned in a news from yesterday has been adopted. The way to the KDE-1.1 Beta 1 begun today. And we hope it will finish in a month or two, as usual.

The CVS is expected to silently drop to a low activity level for the next few months, until the Beta series and the final releases for KDE-1.1 are out. For today, it is worth mentioning:

• KMail - smart positioning of header lists; attachments included in forwards
• KDEHelp - update to rman-3.0.6 (which was renamed PolyglotMan); a fix for 64-bit architectures
• KFM - large amount of fixes: disable overly warnings, fix root icons, fix interface
• KThemeMgr - added today to the kdenonbeta module, it's still in early stage but works fairly well

The spanish magazine Linux Actual includes KDE-1.0 in its cover CD for the current issue, Roberto Alsina lets us know. Gracias, Linux Actual

The author of the little gem called KAppTemplate, Kurt Granroth announced yesterday the release of the version 0.2 of its popular template generator script for KDE applications. Fetch it from its site. For those who are learning to write KDE applications, this is great news. Thanks, Kurt.

Kalle Dalheimer proposed yesterday a schedule for the long awaited CVS feature freeze needed before the KDE-1.1 release. The developers will decide very soon if they adopt this proposition. With the help of each and everyone's personal gods, we can hope for a KDE-1.1 Really Soon Now (TM). Don't ask for dates but you can write a letter to your local Santa Klaus, Père Noël, Weihnachtsmann, Babo Natale, Mos Craciun or Diadia Maroz :-)

• korganizer - deep work on the event widget; correction of scrolling and event moving; large fixes on time boundaries checks
• KOffice - lots of move from the multiple clones of Torben and Reggie: kformula is now compilable again; new corba tools; work on kword/kpresenter templates; new icons for toolbars
• KFM - now lets you scroll with the middle button - Alex Zepeda, the author, calls it blob; new "Go" menu - thanks to David Fauré; history of last 10 URL's on the new Go menu; other little GUI rearrangements
• KMail - large messages are processed faster
• KPager - improved speed at startup (4" compared to old 17", says Antonio Larrosa) and better overall speed
• KWM - resize fixes; two new options: TitleFrameShaded=yes|no, PixmapUnderTitleText=yes|no - thanks to Nils Meier for the suggestions, who says that these should make very happy the users of this all new style
• Web pages - there is a large layout/clean-up work on www.kde.org web pages, as most of you might have already observed. Thanks go to Robert Williams and Martin Konold

On a preview of the forthcoming Linux Journal January 1999 edition, The Linux Gazette presents the Editor's Choice Awards. The KDE Project shares with the Gnome Project the Most Promising Software Newcomer award. Many thanks to the LJ staff for their kind consideration.

This story at TechWeb enhances an earlier announcement about Corel Computer and KDE new relationship. Corel Computer's Rob McNab says: "We're trying to put together a best-of-breed collection and really simplify it. We think we understand the needs of a corporation and what they need on a desktop from a user and administrator's role, and we are in a good position to implement all that.". The article adds that "the KDE desktop is an excellent GUI for Linux" and that "Corel may also create a single Linux installation for PCs that would install Linux, KDE, and all of its integrated applications."

Richard J. Moore signals that the January 1998 issue of PC Plus (UK) magazine included KOffice on its cover CD. This is the same magazine which distributed S.u.S.E. 5.2 Linux - which contains KDE - a few months ago on the cover CD.

The CVS has it now:

• KPager - "one click switches desktops" made optional; window resize on the pager fixes
• Konsole - Drag-n-Drop support
• KFM - cookies support
• khtmlw - partly transparent animated gifs are working again
• kdelibs - a batch of fixes concerning the HP_UX platform, thanks to Petter Reinholdtsen and Kalle Dalheimer

AFL released Ktk-0.2. Go download it. The author states: "The new release has been updated to work with KDE 1.0 and the components of the library have been re-implemented using tix intrinsics."