[kubuntu-devel] Kubuntu Beta / Test Releases?

[Jonathan Riddell]

On Tue, Feb 01, 2005 at 11:21:29AM +0100, chris at deadhand.com wrote:
> I'd like to start some discussion on this list about if and how some kind of 
> (beta) testing of "Kubuntu" / "Ubuntu/KDE" / ... might happen.

As you may have guessed by the lack of reply we're all quite busy on
other things.  

At some point amu will make a kubuntu metapackage with
a list of packages we want and from that make a live CD, but he says
he's busy for the next few weeks.

> Actually I'd merely like to ask what your plans are. Will there be an 
> installer cd of Kubuntu before release, or should all testing (if any on the 
> side of users is desired) happen with an Ubuntu + KDE installation?

Plan is for there to be installer CDs yes.

> That's what I'm currently using. An Ubuntu (I think Hoary Array 2) 
> installation stripped of most GNOME packages with KDE stuff added.
> But of course it's me who decided which packages of KDE and which KDE-specific 
> software were added (like amarok, kaffeine, akregator and so on) were added.
> Thus it's not really Kubuntu - it's "my Ubuntu with KDE".

kubuntu == ubuntu - ubuntu-desktop metapackage + kubuntu desktop
metapackage, which is basicly what you're describing.

> There are some minor issues, like;
> - the directory icons in K-Menu not showing (for directories like 
> "Accessories", "Games" and so on)

K-Menu is quite broken at the moment, some of it can be fixed by
installing the gnome-menus package but I need to read up on the (awfae
complex) xdg menu specification to work out a proper solution.

> - aKregator kontact Plugin starts extremely slow, and aKregator handles a lot 
> worse than in e.g. SuSE

Curious, will have to investigate that.

> And some others along those lines.

Please report them here.

> The most interesting thing about a Kubuntu test installation for me would be 
> to see what can alreday be achieved (via GUI) out of the box. For example to 
> set up ISDN or IR-connections I'd install several additional packages and do 
> some trial and error right now. I don't use those technologies (only 
> examples) myself but i guess they are expected to "just work" by some users, 
> so I'd be here to test these if none of you devs gets around to this kind of 
> work.

Hopefully we can use/make frontends to gnome-system tools at some
point for this.

> I'd really like to test a vanilla kubuntu installation and look for such minor 
> quirks or give some feedback on what packages might be "missing" from my pov.

Keep your eye out for a kubuntu metapackage at some point.

Jonathan Riddell