Q: how is plasma different?

[Donn]

My take on it:
They have written a new set of tools so that they could split data from 
graphics. By doing this they open the playing-field of devices and other O/S 
that can use Plasma. KDE 4 is one such use. 

I think we will see nice things like zooming interfaces in the near future -- 
that's where all your windows live on a vast field and you zoom out and drop 
down to a new area -- like google earth only with a desktop instead of a 
planet.

I reckon the old KDE code was too tied to KDE alone. With the new libraries 
they free the code to have more uses. This is a good thing and will keep KDE 
and company alive for much longer.

Of course, I could be totally wrong.
\d