KDE 3.5.7 and Kubuntu Packages Available Now

The 7th maintenance update to the popular K Desktop Environment (KDE) 3.5 (and probably the last before the KDE 4.0) has just been released today, just as I am writing this. Version 3.5.7 brings bugfixes to applications like KAddressBook, KOrganizer and KAlarm and some features and improvements to the main mail program of KDE, KMail. Other important applications received special attention:

￭ KPDF can now show tooltips for links when hovering on them. It also displays correctly more complex PDF files like this Firefox advertisement and reacts to the commands for opening the Table of Contents pane. ￭ Umbrello can generate and export C# Code now. It also received Java 5 support. ￭ KDevelop was upgraded to version 3.4.1 and includes new features like: improved Code Completion and Navigation, a more reliable debugger interface, Qt4 support and better Ruby and KDE4 development support. ￭ The Edutainment and Games packages contains many bug fixes. ￭ Chat rendering in Kopete got a major performance improvement.

For a more detailed list of improvements since the KDE 3.5.6, which was released on 25th January 2007, please refer to the full KDE 3.5.7 Changelog.

Breaking News: If you use Kubuntu or Ubuntu with KDE (kubuntu-desktop), you can now upgrade your KDE environment to the brand new 3.5.7 version, here. If you don't know how to update your KDE packages, follow the instructions below:

1. Go to KMenu -> System -> Administration and open the Software Sources application. Type your password and hit enter.

2. Click on the second tab (Third-Party Software), then on the 'Add...' button and paste one of the mirrors (whichever is closest to you) from the page above. E.g. deb http://kubuntu.org/packages/kde-357 feisty main Click 'Add Source' and then 'Close'. Press 'Reload' when asked and wait a few seconds for the window to disappear.

3. Open a console and type:

sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade

In other news, the KDE development team released a week ago, the first alpha version of the most awaited project of the year, KDE 4.0. The final release of KDE Four is expected somewhere in October 2007.

About KDE:

KDE is a powerful Free Software graphical desktop environment for Linux and Unix workstations. It combines ease of use, contemporary functionality and outstanding graphical design with the technological superiority of the Unix operating system. KDE is a network transparent contemporary desktop environment for UNIX workstations. KDE seeks to fill the need for an easy to use desktop for Unix workstations, similar to the desktop environments found under the MacOS or Microsoft Windows.

You can download KDE now from Softpedia.

Here are some screenshots of a Kubuntu 3.5.7 installation:

KDE 3.5.7 and Kubuntu Packages Available Now

The 7th maintenance update to KDE 3.5