K Desktop Environment (KDE)

KDE, short for the “K Desktop Environment”, is a free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. It is based on the Qt toolkit and provides a graphical interface for users to interact with their computer.

KDE provides a highly customizable interface with various options to configure the look and feel of the desktop, including themes, widgets, and window managers. It includes a wide range of applications such as a file manager, web browser, email client, multimedia player, and office suite, as well as numerous utilities and tools.

KDE is known for its advanced features and functionality, including support for multiple workspaces, virtual desktops, and various effects and animations. It also has an active community of developers and users who contribute to its development, and its codebase is open for anyone to study and modify.

KDE is one of the most popular desktop environments for Linux, and it is included as the default desktop environment in several Linux distributions such as Kubuntu, openSUSE, and Mageia.

History

KDE was created in 1996 by a group of volunteers led by Matthias Ettrich, a student at the University of Tübingen in Germany. Ettrich was frustrated with the lack of user-friendly graphical interfaces for Unix-based operating systems at the time, and he set out to create a desktop environment that would be easy to use and provide a consistent user experience.

Ettrich initially called his project the “Kool Desktop Environment”, but he later changed the name to “KDE” to avoid potential trademark issues. The first version of KDE, KDE 1.0, was released in 1998, and it quickly gained a following among Linux users who appreciated its user-friendly interface and extensive features.

Today, KDE is developed by a large and active community of developers and contributors from around the world, and it has become one of the most popular desktop environments for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. The project is governed by the KDE e.V., a non-profit organization that provides legal and financial support for the development of the KDE software.

KDE Plasma 5

KDE Plasma 5 is the fifth and current generation of the KDE Plasma desktop environment. It was first released in 2014 and is the successor to KDE Plasma 4. The Plasma 5 desktop environment is part of the larger KDE project, which provides a suite of software applications and tools for the Linux desktop.

KDE Plasma 5 is built on the Qt 5 and KDE Frameworks 5 libraries, which provide a modern and flexible platform for developing graphical applications. It includes a variety of features and applications, including a file manager, web browser, email client, media player, and office suite, as well as numerous utilities and tools.

One of the main goals of KDE Plasma 5 is to provide a more streamlined and polished user interface, with improved performance and better integration with modern hardware. It also introduces several new features and enhancements, such as a new task manager, an updated system settings panel, and improved support for high-DPI displays.

Like previous versions of KDE Plasma, KDE Plasma 5 is highly customizable and user-friendly, providing users with a modern and stylish interface for interacting with their computer. It is included as the default desktop environment in several Linux distributions, including Kubuntu, openSUSE, and Mageia, and it is also available for installation on other Linux distributions and Unix-like operating systems.

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