You can now download a KDE Linux ISO for testing
KDE Linux is also getting better quality assurance, a new developer mode, and improved Firefox integration. Plus, CD ripping gets attention.
Nate Graham, developer at KDE, posted a June update for KDE Linux, the upcoming Linux distro built around and for the KDE open source software ecosystem. It includes the debut of a downloadable easy-to-manage ISO file for KDE Linux.
Easy installation for easy testing
While previously you needed to deal with RAW image files to boot the alpha version of KDE Linux, you now get ISO images for each latest build. That means testing KDE Linux is easier, according to Graham, since the image writing or virtual machine software you're probably testing Linux distros in probably prefers ISO images.
- Technical note: The ISO right now only works with newer UEFI boot systems, not legacy BIOS. So your VM needs to be set to UEFI mode, and any bare metal hardware you're testing on needs to be relatively modern.
KDE Linux is still in its alpha phase, and Graham noted that progress toward the beta phase is at about 78 percent. When I last checked in on KDE Linux about a month ago, it was at 75 percent. While the work has been meaningful, the countdown to the beta has only inched forward.
Jordan Gloor
What else is new
The blog post also pointed out that an in-house, automated quality assurance program is almost ready to be implemented. That will potentially speed up development for both KDE Linux and the KDE Plasma desktop itself.
Also, KDE Linux's preinstalled software for ripping audio CDs has been replaced. Instead of the audiocd-kio package that was the default, KDE Linux will now ship with Audex. According to Graham, audiocd-kio had an outdated and confusing interface. The KDE Linux website also now has a page explaining how to use Audex.
Developer tools in KDE Linux are now hidden in a new developer mode you can activate by entering toggle-developer-mode in a terminal. The command reveals preinstalled developer tools like GammaRay and Heaptrack that are hidden by default so that non-technical KDE Linux testers have a less cluttered experience.
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Graham also reported progress on a new log collection system, an expansion of KDE Linux documentation, and automatic integration of the KDE Plasma desktop with Firefox.
Zooming out
Why this announcement matters: The software ecosystem that KDE Linux is built on and around is robust and well-supported one, especially after the financial boost KDE got from the German Sovereign Tech Fund. KDE Linux is set to make waves in the open source operating system world when the final release happens.
My take: I'm (pleasantly) surprised to see so much emphasis put on ripping CDs. The public tends to see that as a quaint past-time in the current era of streaming, but I've been collecting and backing up CDs to my Linux computer for the past few years now. I had been using K3B, but I'm interested to try Audex instead.
Diving in
Go further: You can read Graham's blog post to see all the details about what's coming.
Get it now: You can find instructions for downloading and installing the latest KDE Linux ISO by checking out the official KDE Linux install guide. Of course, since it's still in alpha, don't try to rely on it for any important work.
