Email has changed dramatically over the years. What was once a single program on your computer that occasionally shouted “You’ve got mail” is now on the web, on your smartphone, and probably with you wherever you go. As easy as it is to dismiss the past necessity for having a standalone email client, there are still many situations where it is a good idea, especially for business.
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How to Check Your Gmail Account with Kmail
By | February 8, 2012 | Leave a Comment
How to Make GTK3 Apps Look Presentable in KDE4
By | January 4, 2012 | 4 Comments
With the release of Gnome 3, many developers of GTK apps have begun to port their programs from GTK2 to GTK3. If you have used Ubuntu 11.04, you will notice that many of the popular GTK2 themes did not yet have GTK3 equivalents, which left the few GTK3 applications looking awful.
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How to Get a Dock-Like Taskbar in KDE with Icon Tasks
By | December 28, 2011 | 6 Comments
KDE has always given users the ability to add launchers to its panel, and it has always had a very usable task manager. Until recently, however, there has not been a comprehensive and well-designed merging of the two. The Icon Tasks widget has changed all of that. It is a robust plasma widget that includes support for task-oriented launchers and even the Ubuntu Unity API.
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How to Run Startup Scripts in KDM before KDE Starts
By | December 15, 2011 | 1 Comment
KDE has an easy-to-use system for configuring programs or scripts to run at startup. Linux distributions also have methods of starting programs at boot, but there are some unique instances when it would be ideal to start a script at the moment KDM starts, in between the start of X and the start of your desktop environment.
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How to Make KDE 4 Look Like KDE 3
By | December 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment
When KDE 4 was first released, it was met with both hope and dismay, depending on the person you asked. Some loved everything from the new interface to the improved functionality. Others called it a significant step, but one in the wrong direction.
Those purists still love KDE 3.5, and many of them continue to use the supported version of it called Trinity Desktop Environment. Others, however, mainly just preferred the KDE 3.5 look over the current Plasma Air appearance. If that is the case, Plasma gives you the flexibility to make your KDE 4 desktop look like KDE 3.5.
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How to Use Custom Tray Icons in KDE
By | November 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment
KDE icons are generally very easy to customize, and there is a complete graphical interface in System Settings for choosing an icon theme or installing a new one. One thing you might notice, however, is that the standard KDE tray icons are all monochrome. When you start using non-KDE apps or lesser-known KDE apps that do not have monochrome icons, it kind of ruins the look. Of course, for those who dislike monochrome icons, the look is also ruined.
Fortunately, some KDE users have taken the initiative to create monochrome icons for those programs that did not already have them and even some alternative tray icon sets for users who want a different look from the standard Air desktop theme set. This brief tutorial will show you how to quickly and easily install tray icons for your KDE Plasma desktop theme.
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How to Give Any KDE Desktop An Ubuntu Makeover
By | November 23, 2011 | 5 Comments
Although some might consider it blasphemous, the default KDE desktop is not a style everyone automatically likes. If it were, KDE-Look.org would not be filled with desktop themes, window manager themes, and more. KDE is all about customization, and the ability to make it look however you want is part of that.
I have spoken to many people who dislike KDE solely based on its default appearance, the Air/Oyxgen set of styles and themes. Some have even argued that it looks too much like Windows (although evidence strongly suggests that Windows 7 mimicked KDE, rather than the other way around). What those people may not realize is that you can make KDE look as much like Gnome or any other desktop environment as you want.
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A Guide to the KDE Notification System
By | November 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment
KDE offers one of the most comprehensive and flexible notification systems (KNotify). In addition to system notifications, nearly every program has notification settings that are integrated into the larger desktop environment. Moreover, KDE’s notification system is configurable for just about any type of user, including those who need specific accessibility features.
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5 Alternatives to Unity in Ubuntu Oneiric
By | October 27, 2011 | 11 Comments
With the past few releases, Ubuntu has been focusing more and more on their homegrown desktop Unity. Some people love it, but a lot of us don’t. Fortunately, as with all things Linux, there are many alternative options. For those of us who just can’t find a way to unite with Unity, here are 5 great options that you might find you like better.
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How to Get Great Looking Fonts in KDE
By | October 26, 2011 | 4 Comments
Text appearance is probably one of the most underrated features of any computing experience. It is easy to overlook fonts because words are all around us, and we expect them to be pleasing to the eyes and easy to read, but probably only notice when they are not.
In reality, a font can make or break a desktop’s appearance and accessibility. KDE makes it incredibly easy to install and configure fonts, but since I could not find any one document that lists all of the features and functionality, MakeTakeEasier comes to the rescue again.
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