KDE neon - Post installation review
KDE neon is not so much a distribution as a rapidly updated version of Ubuntu 16.04 with KDE as the desktop and it isn't bad at all. I haven't had much luck with KDE for a while, Kubuntu annoyed me and I just couldn't seem to get my first distribution openSUSE to work properly. So far it is going very well though so I thought I would give a run through of my basic post installation to help others.
I say post installation as I clicked;
- Download updates while installing neon
- Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware, Flash, MP3 and other media
during install which made things a lot easier.
There are a couple of things I have found annoying. The KDE software installer, Discover, isn't the greatest. It doesn't recognise some things on search and you have to swap back to command line install sometimes but that isn't much of a chore really. You only have to install once after all.
KDE neon - Post installation
Update
The first thing to do is update just to make sure you have everything. KDE's terminal is called Konsole and the easiest way to find it is to click on the menu of the bottom left and type konsole. It is generally a good idea to right click on the icon and choose add to favourites as well. This makes it quicker to find.
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
Widgets
While that is updating I usually arrange my widgets on the desktop. Widgets are handy little programs that can be placed on the Plasma Desktop.
In a default install the KDE neons Plasma Desktop you can choose them by placing your mouse in the top left corner of the screen, clicking once for the dropdown and then again on add widgets.
Click on and drag any widget you want onto the desktop. I like the Folder View, Trash and Network Monitor widgets. There are many others though.
After choosing and arranging your widgets to your liking click on the dropdown again and choose lock widgets to lock them in place.
Applications
KDE neon comes with few applications installed, which I really like. A lot of desktops are too cluttered with everything you might want instead of everything you actually needed.
I installed; Amarok, Backintime, Calligra, Chrome, Digikam, GIMP, Kontact, Krita and Netbeans which fulfilled my needs.
Of these only Chrome and GIMP aren't KDE applications. And GIMP I only installed as I am used to it. Krita probably would have worked fine. It doesn't actually matter if you mix and match KDE and Gnome (etc) but I was trying for a KDE desktop.
Most of them I installed on Discover, the KDE software manager, but some of them wouldn't turn upon it so had to install them via Konsole using,
sudo apt install <insert software here>
Discover still needs some work I think......
Filesharing
KDE neon is great for setting up filesharing. The only hold up was again Discover. In the end I used Konsole again.
sudo apt-get install samba kdenetwork-filesharing
After installing you can right click on a folder and choose "Properties" and there will be a "Sharing" tab to set up sharing that folder.
Miscellaneous
Although all the codecs I need were installed by selecting "Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware, Flash, MP3 and other media" I installed msttcorefonts with Konsole in order to get fonts like Arial.
sudo apt install msttcorefonts
Accept the licenses.
KDE neon review
I have been using it as my Desktop for four days now and it is fantastic. I had forgotten who easy and configurable KDE is. There have been no crashes. Everything is fairly rock solid. I recommend it.
