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.

The Panel

In terms of functionality, much of the KDE panel has not changed. You still have a “K” button, a pager, a task manager, a system tray, and a clock. The default Plasma appearance, however, looks radically different. Furthermore, the Kickoff menu is big and clunky compared to the simple KDE 3.5 menu.

To change the panel’s appearance, do the following:

1. Download the “Vintage” Plasma theme (Unfortunately, there is a problem with the packing of this theme on KDE-Look.org. I repacked it and have made it available here.)
2. Unpack the theme and copy it to your desktop theme folder: /hom/[username]/.kde/share/apps/desktoptheme
3. Open “System Settings”
4. Choose “Workspace Appearance”
5. Click “Desktop Theme”
6. Choose “KVintage”
7. Click “Apply”.

The Desktop

The default KDE 4 desktop uses folderview widgets and icons that are also widgets. If you prefer a desktop that functions like the KDE 3 desktop, KDE 4 can handle that too.

1. Right click on the desktop
2. Click “Desktop Settings”
3. If necessary, click “Unlock Widgets”
4. For “Layout” change it from “Desktop” to “Folder View”
5. Click “OK”

You should now have a more traditional-looking and functioning desktop.

The K Menu

The kickoff menu is very robust with a great deal of functionality, but if you want the simple menu from KDE 3, simply remove the application launcher widget and replace it with the traditional one.

1. Right click on the “K” button on the panel
2. Click “Remove this application launcher”
3. Right click again on the panel and click “Add widgets”
4. Drag the “Application Launcher Menu” widget to the panel

You should now have the traditional application launcher menu from KDE 3.5.

The Icons

The default KDE icon set is called Oxygen, but you can use whatever icons you want, as long as they are properly configured for KDE4’s structure. Fortunately, someone has repackaged the KDE3 CrystalSVG icon theme.

1. Download the icon theme manually
2. Open “System Settings”
3. Click “Application Appearance” and then “Icons”
4. Click “Install Theme File”
5. Locate the icon set you just download and select it
6. Choose the icon theme from the list and click “Apply”

Application and Window Decoration Appearance

Most of the old KDE 3 window decorations and styles are still around in KDE 4. To use them, all you have to do is select them in System Settings. To change the style:

1. Click “Application Appearance”
2. Next to “Widget style” select the theme you want, “Plastique” for example
3. Click “Apply”

To change the window decoration:

1. In System Settings, choose “Workspace Appearance”
2. Choose “Window Decorations”
3. Select the theme you want, such as “Plastik”

The File Manager

One of the most monumental changes from KDE 3 to KDE 4 was the introduction of Dolphin, a new file manager to relieve Konqueror of one its multiple responsibilities. To have a true KDE 3.5 experience, you will need to make Konqueror your default file manager.

1. Open “System Settings” and choose “Default Applications”
2. Select “File Manager” from the left pane
3. Select “Konqueror” and click “Apply”

Once you have all of these changes in place, you may start to see KDE 4 in a different light. Although many features under the hood have changed, it is still possible to get the KDE 3.5 look and feel back on your desktop.

Related Posts:

• Sprinkle Some Eye Candy on your KDE Desktop
• How to Give Any KDE Desktop An Ubuntu Makeover
• 7 Ways to Beautify Your KDE 4 Desktop
• How to Use KDE Plasma Activities

Styles and Themes

In KDE, a style refers to the window color, buttons, scroll bars, progress bars, and similar interactive visual components. Themes include color schemes and more, all in one package. You can set styles in System Settings -> Application Appearance -> Style.

Qtcurve – One of the most highly acclaimed styles, Qtcurve gives you ultimate control over customizable features. The configuration settings are extensive, giving you control over button style, gradients, and even accompanying window manager settings. Many users have created their own Qtcurve presets that you can download and use.

Bespin – Bespin is the technical successor to the famous Baghira style from KDE 3. With rounded buttons, silver gradient backgrounds, and an exotic selection of visual options, it is by far the most stylized of the available KDE styles, and outsiders may not even recognize your desktop as being KDE. Like Qtcurve, Bespin also has a window manager theme to go along with it.

Oxygen Transparent – Plainly put, Oxygen Transparent is the Oxygen style with support for translucent windows applied to it. Normally, only the window decorator can be translucent or transparent, but this features gives you control over the opacity of the entire window. This is best used with the Blur effect, which only works with certain graphics cards.

Plasma Themes

Plasma themes control how your panel, Krunner, and widgets appear. You can change themes in System Settings – Workspace Appearance – Desktop Theme.

Glassified – Slick and smooth, Glassified gives you a clear picture of your desktop, through the looking glass.

Tibanna – This theme is designed to go with Bespin, and unlike most other themes, it will give you an opaque panel and widgets, complete with Bespin gradient backgrounds.

Elegance – Elegance is reminiscent of the earlier black Oxygen theme with a little more class to it. It is very dark and will set a night mood to your workspace.

Ghost - If nothing else, Ghost wins points just for being unique. This will transform your desktop into something completely different.  If you can stand the extremely dark theme, it will make your computer desktop look like it came off an alien ship.

Icons

Black and White icons – These black and white icons will go nicely with the new monochrome system tray icons. They will extend the silvery feel of Oxygen.

MIB Ossiengo - Like your icons were dipped in the ocean, these icons have an aqua-like feel to them.

H2O – Add hydrogen to oxygen, and you get the H2O icon set. As the creator describes it, H2O will add color and life to your desktop.

If you want more themes, icons, and styles, you can add browse/search for them directly from within System Settings or go to KDE-Look.org.

Related Posts:

• How to Make KDE 4 Look Like KDE 3
• How to Use KDE Plasma Activities
• How to Use Custom Tray Icons in KDE
• 7 Ways to Beautify Your KDE 4 Desktop

At the end of this quick training guide, you should be able to:

• Add printers and print
• Configure and use bluetooth devices
• Attach and configure external monitors

Printing in KDE 4

In the past two years, I have probably used a printer twice, and one of those times was unnecessary. But KDE is for everyone, not just me, and many people still need to print important documents. Fortunately, KDE has an easy printer configuration utility.

If your printer is attached and powered on, there is a good chance KDE has already detected and configured it. If not, unplug the USB cord and replug it. KDE should detect it, start configuring, and eventually tell you it is ready for printing.

To configure the printer:

1. Start System Settings (Find “System Settings” in the menu or press Alt+F2 and type it in).

2. In the “Hardware” section, click “Printer Configuration”

3. Click on your printer’s name from the “Local Printers” list.

4. If, for some reason, KDE did not detect the correct model name and number, you can click “Change” under “Driver Details” and select the correct one. You can also provide a PPD file (Most are available either from the manufacturer’s website or from openprinting.org)

5. Click the “Options” tab to change media size, paper type, resolution, and other settings.

6. Click “Apply” when you are finished.

If you need to add a network printer, click “New Printer” and then “New Network Printer”. Then select the printer according to the appropriate protocol. Printers shared on other systems may appear in the list automatically.

To share your printer, click “Server Settings” and check “Share published printers connected to this system”.

Bluetooth Devices

Those who complained about problems with KDE 4 and Bluetooth had legitimate concerns. Kbluetooth seemed to be one of the last things ported to the new version. The good news is that KDE bluetooth configuration is now as easy as a few clicks.

For devices with built-in bluetooth adapters, you should already see the bluetooth icon in the system tray. For a USB adapter, the icon should appear when you plug it in. To begin:

1. Right click on the bluetooth icon

2. Click “Add device”

3. Click “Next” (Devices set to be discoverable should appear on the list)

4. Select your device and click “Next”

5. If you know your device’s pin, select “Custom” and enter it.  If you are sure it does not have a pin in the documentation, you can try “Automatic”

Once your device is connected, you can configure it by right clicking the bluetooth icon and clicking “Manage Devices”.

External Monitors

Connecting external monitors or multiple monitors in Linux and other operating systems that use X servers can be tricky because of the various issues surrounding graphics cards. That is more of an X-to-driver relationship issue than it is a KDE-specific one. For graphics cards with proprietary drivers, you may have to use special configuration tools, such as nvidia-settings. For drivers that ship with X, however, KDE has built-in support.

1. In “System Settings” in the Hardware section, click “Display and Monitor”. KDE will list the monitors currently connected.

2. Select the monitor you want to use and choose the size (resolution). If you want to disable the other monitor, choose “Disabled” under size.

3. Click “Apply” for the changes to come into effect.

KDE also has a “Multiple Monitors” configuration that gives you extra settings for virtual desktops, screen maximization, and more. Many of these settings may work even with proprietary drivers.

KDE also has a program called “Resize and Rotate” (KRandRTray) that resides in the system tray and makes it easy to change monitor configurations. Right click on the icon for quick changes. Left click to open the system settings monitor configuration.

More Basics

I touched on three topics in this basic guide, but I am sure there are more questions that we can help you find answers to quickly and easily. Sometimes, you just need to know where to look, and the rest is easy. If you have more requests, please feel free to leave comments. Hopefully, we have made your KDE tech a little easier.

Related Posts:

• How to Optimize KDE Desktop Effects
• Everything You Need to Know About Windows Drivers [MTE Explains]
• How to Make KDE 4 Look Like KDE 3
• Sprinkle Some Eye Candy on your KDE Desktop

Document Types

Out of the box, Okular can view a plethora of document types, including:

PDF – used for a variety of documents
PS – Postscript print documents
TIFF – often used for faxes
CHM – help files, ebooks, and online documentation
DjVu – scanned documents
Images – JPEG, PNG, and many more
DVI – device independent file format
XPS – windows printing specification
ODT – Open Document Text (for reading, not editing)
Fb2 – fiction book file format for eBooks
CBZ, CBR – comic book archive
Plucker – eBook format
Epub – free and open eBook standard
Fax – file format for faxes

Features

Okular has many of the standard PDF viewer features like page navigation, table of contents, browsing, zooming, text selection, and bookmarking. In addition, it also offers users the ability to annotate documents, highlight important information, have the computer read the entire document using text-to-speech technology, save annotated documents, view embedded files, listen to sounds and movies, fill out forms, search documents, and read DRM encrypted files.

Usage

Okular has four modes for viewing and manipulating documents:

1. Browse (Ctrl+1) – Clicking on the document allows you to drag the page up, down, left, or right.

2. Zoom (Ctrl+2) – Click and highlight an area to zoom in on it.

3. Selection Tool (Ctrl+3) – It uses a selection box to highlight any area and can copy images or text.

4. Text Selection Tool (Ctrl+4) – This functions more like a text editor’s selection tool, highlighting text, row-by-row.

To search a document, press “Ctrl+F” and enter the text you wish to find. The search tool will begin searching from the moment you start typing. It will highlight each occurrence of the text and give you the ability to navigate through them.

To start making annotations, press F6. A small vertical toolbar with each type of annotation will appear. They can take any of nine forms: note, inline note, green freehand line, yellow highlighter, straight yellow line, blue polygon, stamp, black underlining, and cyan eclipse.

There are four view modes for Okular, found in the View menu:

1. Single page - scrolls one page at a time
2. Facing pages – displays two pages, side-by-side
3. Facing pages (center first page) – like normal facing pages, but displays the first page by itself, which is useful if the first page is a book cover.
4. Overview – which shows three zoomed-out pages at a time.

Also included in the view menu is the ability to rotate the document, trim the margins, and use the document as a presentation. By clicking presentation, the document becomes fullscreen, and the user can navigate through the pages just like a PowerPoint slideshow. When in presentation mode, a dial in the top right with a number in the center keeps track of the number of pages viewed.

Universal Viewer

Because of Okular’s versatility, you can use it to view any document, eBook, fax, or image quickly, easily, and safely. Okular is light enough to be portable and work well even on tablets and small devices, but it is also powerful enough to view very large, complex documents as well. Okular is part of KDE and is free and open source software, available to everyone.

Related Posts:

• How to Make KDE 4 Look Like KDE 3
• Sprinkle Some Eye Candy on your KDE Desktop
• How to Use KDE Plasma Activities
• How to Install KDE 4.5

When activities were introduced into KDE 4, they did not make much sense in isolation. In addition to having virtual desktops, there were activities, which the user could create and configure to have different wallpapers and different widgets. Much of the virtual desktop functionality of KDE 3 was absent and not directly connected to Plasma activities.

With the release of KDE 4.5, Plasma has reached a much higher level of maturity, and activities can now be integrated with virtual desktops, dual monitor screens, and with the Dashboard feature.

Desktops

By default, all virtual desktops operate on the same activity and look identical. If you add a widget on desktop 1, it will be the same on 2, 3, and 4. Similarly, icons, panels, and anything else you add will all be the same. With activities, however, you can separate each desktop into truly independent workspaces.

To have a unique activity for each desktop:

1. Open System Settings
2. Under the “Workspace Appearance and Behavior” section, click “Window Behavior”
3. Click the “Virtual Desktops” icon.
4. In the Layout section, check “Different widgets for each desktop”
5. Click “Apply”.

After you have enabled this feature, you can add unique icons, widgets, and wallpapers to each individual desktop.

Screens

KDE automatically recognizes dual monitor configurations and creates separate activities for each screen. Therefore, each screen has its own panels, widgets, icons, and wallpapers. Turn on the “different widgets for each desktop” feature, and each screen will additionally have separate activities for each desktop. For example, if you have a total of four desktops per screen, you would end up with eight activities, each of which can have its own set of widgets and wallpapers.

To configure your screens in KDE:

1. Open System Settings
2. Under “Hardware” click “Display and Monitor”
3. Click the “Multiple Monitors” icon
4. Check “Enable multiple monitor virtual desktop support”
5. Click “Apply”.

Dashboard

Those familiar will Mac OS X have most likely used the Dashboard feature. When the user presses a hot key, a dimmed, translucent layer appears over the screen, displaying widgets the user has selected. Since version 4, KDE has offered a similar feature.

The default hot key for KDE’s Dashboard is Ctrl+F8, but the Dashboard feature behaves like a “show desktop” button, only bringing to the foreground the widgets currently on the desktop. In order to have a separate activity for the Dashboard with unique widgets, you must do the following:

1. Open System Settings
2. Under the “Workspace Appearance and Behavior” section, click “Workspace”
3. Next to “Dashboard” select “Show an Independent Widget Set” from the dropdown menu
4. Click Apply.

FolderView

The default setting for the KDE 4 desktop is called “Desktop”, and it only displays widgets. Those widgets can be icons, Folder View, weather, taskbar, and many other types, but, in this mode, the desktop will never behave like the former KDE 3 desktop or similar desktops in Gnome, Windows, and other interfaces.

Some prefer this new feature and love KDE 4 because of it, while others have avoided KDE 4 because they prefer a traditional desktop. Fortunately, KDE has options for both. To change a desktop to a traditional interface:

1. Right click on the desktop
2. Click “Unlock Widgets” (If you see, “Lock Widgets”, leave it as-is)
3. Right click again and click “Desktop Settings”
4. Click “Activity”
5. In the dropdown menu for “Type” change it to Folder View.

Once selected, the entire desktop will become a Folder View, allowing you to specify which folder it will display. You can also repeat this for any of your virtual desktops, configuring each one to display a different desktop folder.

Activities

There are many possible other uses for activities, such as those used in the KDE Plasma Netbook interface. You can also create activities for any purpose you want and select them with Alt+D+A (or right click on the desktop and select Activities). Each activity can have a unique name and unique function, and you could even completely change over your desktop for working during the day and entertainment at night. The possibilities are only limited by the imagination. For more information about Plasma activities, visit KDE’s Userbase.

Related Posts:

• Sprinkle Some Eye Candy on your KDE Desktop
• How to Make KDE 4 Look Like KDE 3
• A Preview of KDE 4.4
• How to Get The Most Out Of KDE4′s Folderview Widget

Not all Linux distributions will offer packages for KDE 4.5 upgrades, and none of them, at this time, are supporting them in their official repositories. This takes time, and most distros will include a version of KDE 4.5 with their next official releases. Therefore, keep in mind that the packages you are about to install may not be supported by your distribution. Some are included in their distribution’s “unstable” or “testing” repositories, while others are from third-party packagers.

I tried to include as many major Linux distributions as possible, but if I missed your favorite distro, feel free to add instructions for it in the comments section.

Kubuntu

Kubuntu 10.04 packages are available in the backports repository, but they are not officially supported as part of the distribution. The development release (Maverick) 10.10 includes KDE 4.5 packages by default.

1. Add the following repository through KPackageKit or using apt-get in a terminal.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/beta
Update: It should be the backport repository, not the beta.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

OpenSUSE

Packages for OpenSUSE are available in the 11.3 KDE repositories.

1. If you have not already, add the repository with:

zypper ar -f http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Distro:/Factory/openSUSE_11.3

2. Upgrade with:

zypper dup –from KDF

Mandriva

1. Remove repositories from previous versions, with a command like this:

 urpme.removemedia kde-4.5rc3

2. Add the KDE 4.5 repository. For 32-bit systems, enter as root:

urpmi.addmedia kde-4.5 ftp://ftp.kde.org/pub/kde/stable/4.5.0/Mandriva/2010.1/i586/

For 64-bit systems, type:

urpmi.addmedia kde-4.5 ftp://ftp.kde.org/pub/kde/stable/4.5.0/Mandriva/2010.1/x86_64/

3. Update repository list and test:

rpmi –auto-update –auto-select –test

4. Finally, type:

urpmi –auto-update –auto-select

Fedora

1. Enable the KDE repositories using the instructions found here

2. Enable kde-testing and kde-unstable in KPackageKit

3. In a terminal, type as root:

yum groupupdate kde-desktop

Slackware

AlienBOB has published instructions on upgrading to KDE 4.5. Users should follow them to get the latest packages.

Gentoo

According to the Gentoo KDE guide, an official release of KDE 4.5 will not be made until KDE-PIM, which was delayed, is made available. This will probably be in KDE 4.5.1. There are also other bugs that Gentoo developers said KDE developers have not yet address. Users who still want KDE 4.5 can compile it themselves, as they normally would, and just use KDE-PIM 4.4.5. A full explanation is available at the KDE4 guide website.

PCLinuxOS

At the time of this writing, PCLinuxOS developers were preparing KDE 4.5 packages, and they should be available soon. There was one bug in Konqueror that prevented YouTube from playing correctly, and they have already received help from KDE developers to fix it. You can receive updates by following them on Twitter.

Linux Mint

Linux Mint users can follow the Kubuntu instructions to upgrade to KDE 4.5. Simply add the Kubuntu backports ppa and run:

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

For other Linux distributions, FreeBSD, and other operating systems, you should check the official websites, wikis, announcement sections of forums, and mailing lists to see if KDE 4.5 will be included in their repositories and/or future releases.

Related Posts:

• How to Make KDE 4 Look Like KDE 3
• Sprinkle Some Eye Candy on your KDE Desktop
• How to Install and Use Dropbox in Kubuntu
• Kubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat Review

A highly anticipated release, KDE 4.4 has taken necessary steps to solidify the underlying Plasma technology of KDE 4 and add polish to the already shiny surface. This week, MakeTechEasier will take you on a preview of the upcoming KDE 4.4 release, scheduled for February 9. I recently installed Release Candidate 1 on my desktop computer and took it for a spin. I was not disappointed.

The following is a preview, not a review. KDE 4.4 is still under development and should not be used on production systems, nor should stability be expected. Having said that, I am typing this article within KDE 4.4 and loving all of it, especially the tabbed windows.

Default Interface

The default KDE interface continues to be the Oxygen Air Plasma theme. It has changed slightly, and I am not sure if what I viewed was the final incarnation or just a stepping stone. The colors and overall look are the same, but the circle art is not as prominent. Like most KDE visual features, however, the theme is fully customizable, and I am currently using a darker theme for my desktop.

The KWin (window manager) buttons are slightly different, smaller and rounder, but the most impressive improvement with the default Oxygen window manager theme is the incorporation of many of the features that were found in the Nitrogen spin-off. One of the features I have been waiting for is the ability to once again control drop-shadow color and size. I prefer slightly more prominent shadows of a darker color than the default. The Oxygen theme also includes “Window-Specific Overrides” right in its configuration.

The “Style” settings in KDE System Settings has a new tab for “Workspace” which has replaced the theme settings previously found in the “Desktop” section. This is where you can select and download Plasma themes.

KDE includes many animated graphical effects, many of which make use of the X.org composite feature. The “Fine Tuning” section in “Style” allows you set the level of graphical effects right for your system.

Plasma

Plasma is definitely slicker, and operates very smoothly. The “Add Widgets” dialog has been complete redone. Clicking “Add Widgets” now brings down a horizontal menu that encourages you to search before you decide to scroll. It is all very easy, and the search works as you type without any delay.

When you drag a widget to the desktop, it flashes a nice effect and looks very natural and smooth. Most of the widget resize and configuration tools are the same. The Dashboard widget layer is now fully configurable through the graphical interface and works much better than previous versions, although it still gets a bit confused on dual screens.

One FolderView improvement is that more Dolphin-like features are now supported, include the handy selection button that appears when you hover your mouse pointer over a folder.

The System Tray now supports widget integration so that certain system widgets can be placed within it. You can also configure jobs and notifications for any application running in the system tray.

The device notifier has added internal dialogs providing you with options on how to proceed when a device is inserted. Among the improvements is the ability to mount a drive without opening it in Dolphin.

Krunner and Dolphin

Krunner now drops down from the top of the screen, almost like a Quake console. This was a surprise to me, but it works very well and is an improvement over the previous versions, which popped up in the middle of the screen. When you search for commands or documents with Krunner, it will display appropriate icons next to the search results that you can use to configure the execution. With commands, it opens an internal dialog that allows you to run as another user. Selecting a document allows you to choose what application to use to open it.

Dolphin has added some new linking capabilities to its options menu, integrated searching, and a “timeline view” that allows you to view files by modification date (enter timeline:/ in the location bar).

Window Tabbing

I saved the best for last. I have long believed that applications like OpenOffice.org should have support for tabbed word processing. It just makes sense. Why should tabs be limited to web browsers or file managers? With KDE, you no longer have to wait on individual application developers. The KWin window manager itself supports tabbing.

Simply right click on a window’s title bar and select “Move to window group”. Then, select the window you want to group with it. Almost like magic, the two windows will become one, and there will be two or more tabs in the title bar. But this feature is not only limited within applications. You can group any application with any other. You could group a Firefox window with a Konqueror one and compare website rendering, which is useful for web design. KDE’s window specific features also now give you the ability to set how you want new windows of an application to group. For example, my OpenOffice.org documents now automatically open in new tabs rather than new windows.

Overall, KDE 4.4 looks very stable and promising. You can read a complete list of scheduled release goals at the KDE TechBase website. To install KDE 4.4, visit KDE.org.

Related Posts:

• KDE 4.6 Review: It’s Full Of Awesomeness
• How to Use KDE Plasma Activities
• How to Make KDE 4 Look Like KDE 3
• How to Use Custom Tray Icons in KDE

For those users who use a desktop operating system and expect a graphical experience, opening a terminal window is not a normal thing to do. That does not mean they are incapable of learning it. They are just more comfortable with a visual interface.

There are many control panel tools and settings dialogs in KDE that make it easier for graphical-minded users to get things done. Here are five stand-alone applications that will help you stay informed about your computer’s status and health.

1. KInfoCenter

It is just what it says. It provides users with information about their systems. There are categories for graphics cards, PCI devices, memory, CPU, and many others. If you are ever unsure about what devices you have or what system settings you currently have, KInfoCenter is a good place to start.

2. KDiskFree

This is a very useful tool for those of us who manage to fill up our hard drives rather quickly. You can monitor disk usage on both fixed drives and currently connected removable ones.

3.  KDE Partition Manager

Need to format a drive, resize a partition, or create a swap partition? KDE Partition Manager can do it all. It depends on the trusted disk “Parted” libraries, so users can know they are getting reliable results

4. KSystemLog

Linux documents every major occurrence on your system. You just have to know where to look for that documentation. For convenience, KSystemLog will collect that information for you and display it in a window, all with the click of a button.  KSystemLog monitors your log files, updating them periodically. It currently supports system log, kernel log, authentication log, daemons’ logs, CUPS (printer) log, X.org log, and others.

5. Ksysguard

KDE 4 includes a handy little task manager that you can access by pressing Control+Escape or by clicking the button on Krunner. For those of us who used KDE 3, however, we need something a little more robust. Ksysguard monitors processes, provides stats, and includes graphs, updated in real time. Processes and programs can be monitored, filtered, and killed, when necessary. As with previous versions, users can add new tabs, placing customized sensors on each tab. Sensors include CPU cores, uptime, partition usage, log files, memory, and much more.

There are many others tools that can make your Linux experience easier. If you have a favorite, feel free to post it in the comments. For me, after having worked as a Linux system admin for many years, I still occasionally love to open up Konsole and hack away the command line.

Related Posts:

• How to Make KDE 4 Look Like KDE 3
• A Guide to the KDE Notification System
• Sprinkle Some Eye Candy on your KDE Desktop
• Okular: Universal Document Viewer For KDE 4

Setup

Lancelot is now part of KDE and should be available for installation in any KDE-based distribution (or distributions with the option for full KDE installation). To enable it:

1. Right click on the desktop or panel and click “Unlock Widgets”.
2. Right click on your current menu and click “Remove…”
3. Right click on the desktop and click “Add Widgets”.
4. Drag the Lancelot widget onto the panel.

You will see another widget called “Lancelot Part”, but leave that one alone for now. Like most panel widgets, you can configure it by right-clicking on the icon and clicking “Lancelot Launcher Settings”. “Show categories…” will display a button for each Lancelot category. “Show only menu launcher icon” does just what it says.

One unique feature of Lancelot is the “No-click activation”, which allows you to navigate through the menu without clicking the mouse button. It is in the settings under “Menu” and the “General” tab. To activate an item, move your mouse pointer over the little arrow that appears when you highlight it. In my case, there is apparently something about clicking that feels more manly, so I disabled the “No-click”.

Categories

There are four Lancelot categories: Applications, Computer, Contacts, and Documents. In “Applications”, you can add your favorite menu items to the favorites column simply by right-clicking on the icon and clicking “Add to Favorites”. When you navigate through each column, Lancelot stays there even if you close the menu, which is handy if you intend to open several applications within that section. It also produces a breadcrumb trail at the top so that you can track back to any spot.

“Computer” will show you the standard “Places” items that you have setup in Dolphin, “System” items, which you can edit, and a list of removable and fixed drives. “Contacts” displays new email messages (through Kmail and Kontact) and online Kopete contacts.   “Documents” shows your most recent documents in various formats. Early versions of Lancelot did not allow the user to clear the “recent documents”, but that feature has now been added.

Lancelot Part

I had a very good reason for telling you to leave the Lancelot Part alone. If you were to drag it from the “Add Widgets” dialog, you would find that it does nothing. Any section within a Lancelot category can become a widget, utilizing Lancelot Part. For example, make sure that your widgets are unlocked, and then try dragging the “Places” section from the “Computer” category onto an open area of your desktop. You will now have a handy shortcut menu for all of your bookmarked places.

You can do the same with any of the Lancelot categories. You can also add multiple sections to one Lancelot Part. Just drag a second section onto the current one you just made. It is resizeable and has some configuration settings. In addition, any folder can be made into a Lancelot Part simply by dragging it to the desktop.

Lancelot Search

Lancelot is integrated with Krunner. That means anything the user can search for in Krunner can also be found in Lancelot. That includes applications, nepomuk tags, indexed documents, contacts, bookmarks, and file folders. It will also perform numerous Krunner functions such as the calculator and unit convertor.

Lancelot works very well for those users who like a lot of functionality, and it delievers on its promises. If you are the type who prefers simplicity, however, Lancelot is not for you. The myriad of categories and menu columns can be daunting. Furthermore, I have noticed a slight delay in opening the menu on slower machines, so those of you on netbooks and low-powered desktops will probably prefer a more minimal menu. On my desktop, I enjoy Lancelot in its full glory, and it integrates nicely with KDE’s “Air” Plasma theme. I recommend you give it a try.

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