[KDE] KDE Installation Poll

[penguinbait]

I am putting up a poll just to see how peoples experience was, and get some numbers on install base.


Please participate, you can choose more than one option!



Also feel free to tell em what options I should have put up here, I always miss some :)

[Syntra]

Apparently not, says the forum.

[djashjones]

other.

it screwed up, had to reflash cus i did not read the instructions correctly :p

[jakubd]

Installed from CABs without ANY problems, after careful reading of all comments and problems. Having full Firefox would make me switch to KDE without coming back to Hildon. But still full access to my printer (HP LJ 4050) and all the apps makes is really powerful device.

[wv9k]

Being a KDE Junkie from wayback I really should track down KDE for this thing.

Not that I can imagine it installing in 128M (or 256M if I understand that right).

I will admit to being a bit leery as KDE on my 266MHz ANCIENT laptop is awfully slow so I have no idea how it is going to go on the n800.

[penguinbait]

Being a KDE Junkie from wayback I really should track down KDE for this thing.

Not that I can imagine it installing in 128M (or 256M if I understand that right).

I will admit to being a bit leery as KDE on my 266MHz ANCIENT laptop is awfully slow so I have no idea how it is going to go on the n800.

Then you will be very happily surprised, I am not saying its superfast or anything, but its very useable. Also KDE installs on SD card, and a little in flash, mostly printing services about 20MB

[petergunn]

Be nice if KRandR worked so you you rotate the screen :)

[wv9k]

Then you will be very happily surprised, I am not saying its superfast or anything, but its very useable. Also KDE installs on SD card, and a little in flash, mostly printing services about 20MB

In the midst of the crazyness here :-), I took a quick peek at the install instructions for and SD card. Seems like it might be a lot simpler than I think :-).

Will try to get it all together and give it a shot. Kind of confused as to why it has to be split across 2 SD cards, but a bit more reading might resolve that.

Thanks!

[penguinbait]

In the midst of the crazyness here :-), I took a quick peek at the install instructions for and SD card. Seems like it might be a lot simpler than I think :-).

Will try to get it all together and give it a shot. Kind of confused as to why it has to be split across 2 SD cards, but a bit more reading might resolve that.

Thanks!

The Nokia OS installs in a 256MB Area of Flash memory.

KDE tarball compressed is 322MB round about, and uncompressed 975MB or more. So you can see this will not fit in flash memory with the Nokia OS.

So KDE is available to be installed two ways

Option #1
Create a minimum 1.5GB ext2 partition on SD card and copy OS from flash onto ext2 partition. Then un-tar kde on top of that.


Option #2
copy all the debs and tarball to SD card can install.
The DEB install creates a 1.2GB partition in a file on your SD card. It will format the file as an ext2 partition and mount it as /usr/local
Then the debs will untar the files and setup KDE.


Does this clear up your confusion?

[Greyghost]

Then you will be very happily surprised, I am not saying its superfast or anything, but its very useable. Also KDE installs on SD card, and a little in flash, mostly printing services about 20MB

I concur. I am really enjoying KDE. Immediately after install, I felt that it was a bit slow, but after using it for a couple of days, I have to say that it's actually a lot faster than I initially thought.

For one thing, there are so many options. I can open an image kwickly in some sort of KwikViewer (sorry, all I can remember at the moment is that *every*thing begins with a K) or a full-fledged image editor (Krita?). Of course the full-on editor is slow, but I expect that. Same with text. There is a KwikEditor that's fast and Kword that is robust and slow(er)... (and a there are few more editors of both flavors besides).

BTW, in a limited (-10) number of tests, I haven't been able to get KSpread to read my .xls files yet, but I figure there'll be a way. This is an important feature for me, as Gnumeric hasn't been successfully ported for the new OS08, so I need some sort of simple inventory management tool.

But to support PB's claim, KDE isn't superfast, but it works! So far (8-10 hrs of use) only one reboot has been required;)

[dcarter]

I love it; I am sort of addicted to the tetris and tron games, though.

I can't seem to install my MFC-5440 Brother Network Printer, which is supposed to be linux-friendly. I try generic profile on cups, but it asks for a mystery username and password.

KDE is for all intensive purposes functional; it really does turn my N800 into a little laptop! I have yet to check if my bluetooth keyboard works with it.

p.s. the connection manager always says "connecting" even after it finds my wireles LAN and successrully transmits. (you probably already know that, penguinbait...)

dcarter

[penguinbait]

I love it; I am sort of addicted to the tetris and tron games, though.

I can't seem to install my MFC-5440 Brother Network Printer, which is supposed to be linux-friendly. I try generic profile on cups, but it asks for a mystery username and password.

KDE is for all intensive purposes functional; it really does turn my N800 into a little laptop! I have yet to check if my bluetooth keyboard works with it.

p.s. the connection manager always says "connecting" even after it finds my wireles LAN and successrully transmits. (you probably already know that, penguinbait...)

dcarter


PRINTER
______________________
the password it wants is the root password.

If you have not already set the password, open a Konsole and set the root password.

There are two Konsole links one black and one red on the taskbar

Click the red one it will open a root terminal, type

passwd

(hit enter)

set your root password.

Now when your printer asks for username and password

root
and-your-new-password
___________________________

BT keyboard works same as in maemo, you can access control panel from taskbar
___________________________

And yes the connection manager always does that, it does connect though :)

[linuxrebel]

Pengiunbait. After today and my 9th reinstall since OS2008 came out (yes i'm counting, has to with lockups of the UI and lost widget graphics) I desperately need a stable UI. Some questions to set expectations.

1. Which do you prefer from boot or from icon launch method?
2. How hard would it be to use the rest of the mmc's as /home (yes I know I'd need to format ext2/3)
3. Do Debian arm debs install?
4. Can I use/install/other maemo built apps (like xmms)

[wv9k]

The Nokia OS installs in a 256MB Area of Flash memory.

KDE tarball compressed is 322MB round about, and uncompressed 975MB or more. So you can see this will not fit in flash memory with the Nokia OS.

So KDE is available to be installed two ways

Option #1
Create a minimum 1.5GB ext2 partition on SD card and copy OS from flash onto ext2 partition. Then un-tar kde on top of that.


Option #2
copy all the debs and tarball to SD card can install.
The DEB install creates a 1.2GB partition in a file on your SD card. It will format the file as an ext2 partition and mount it as /usr/local
Then the debs will untar the files and setup KDE.


Does this clear up your confusion?

Yes, Sir. THanks it does.

The "split" I was confused about was actually just for one or the other of the SD card positions :-).

Once this thing gets through downloading maps I'll give it a try.

Thanks very much!

[PinCushionQueen]

Pengiunbait. After today and my 9th reinstall since OS2008 came out (yes i'm counting, has to with lockups of the UI and lost widget graphics) I desperately need a stable UI. Some questions to set expectations.

1. Which do you prefer from boot or from icon launch method?
2. How hard would it be to use the rest of the mmc's as /home (yes I know I'd need to format ext2/3)
3. Do Debian arm debs install?
4. Can I use/install/other maemo built apps (like xmms)


I can answer #4 with a YES :) Any maemo app that can be run from the command line can be run in KDE. I've set up desktop shortcuts for all my favorite Maemo apps (eg: FBreader, SDict Viewer, ScummVM etc...) I know that XMMS, Kagu, Canola and Media Player all work as well.

If you want to set up a shortcut to the desktop: Open Konquerer -> /home/user/desktop -> Menu -> Edit -> Create New -> Link to application -> Tap on the icon to select an icon; give it a name - > Tap on the Application Tab and type in the Command that you used in Xterm to launch the application (eg: for XMMS it's simply xmms or for FOTAQ in scummVM it's usr/games/scummvm -f queen).

You can also set up a shortcut link to the system tray by doing a very similar set of steps: System tray menu -> panel menu ->Add Applet to Panel -> non-KDE application launcher -> fill in the blanks using the same method as above except here you type the xterm command in the Executable space. ** Be careful setting up shortcuts in the system tray though - deleting them is tricky because they all just show up as "Non-KDE" in the list of applets to delete. I accidently deleted my WiFi applet this way.**

[muki]

@PB, you need a "on my todo list" option ;-)

[wv9k]

Then you will be very happily surprised, I am not saying its superfast or anything, but its very useable. Also KDE installs on SD card, and a little in flash, mostly printing services about 20MB

Indeed Sir, I *AM* quite happily surprised!

Installed it this afternoon and it took me less time than what was written up by about half or better.

Going to be playing with this but it sure is a major improvement for the n800 in a LOT of areas!

That 16G card may come sooner than I expected :-).

Going to see if I can transfer stuff from ~/.kde/share/apps over so kontact (etc) has what my desktop does and then I can leave the palm at home :).

Quite exciting, THANK YOU SIR! :-).

KDE on a portable that doesn't require a truck to move :-) and in my shirtpocket, just too TOO COOL :-).

Happy Dance(TM)!

[penguinbait]

Indeed Sir, I *AM* quite happily surprised!

Installed it this afternoon and it took me less time than what was written up by about half or better.

Going to be playing with this but it sure is a major improvement for the n800 in a LOT of areas!

That 16G card may come sooner than I expected :-).

Going to see if I can transfer stuff from ~/.kde/share/apps over so kontact (etc) has what my desktop does and then I can leave the palm at home :).

Quite exciting, THANK YOU SIR! :-).

KDE on a portable that doesn't require a truck to move :-) and in my shirtpocket, just too TOO COOL :-).

Happy Dance(TM)!



Or you could use Kitchensync via syncML Check it out under utilities, let me know if its working? ;)

Nobody seems to have found that yet, it has obex bt sync also and more :D


I know that feeeling about the Happy Dance, I really cant wait to get this on an n810 also

[drizek]

Tried to install it this afternoon once the 8GB card came in the mail. No luck. All the file sizes checked out, and the first file installed correctly, but then the kde deb errored out after a couple of seconds. This is the xterm output BTW:

Nokia-N800-50-2:/media/mmc2# dpkg -i kde-3.5.8-mmc2.deb
(Reading database ...
dpkg: serious warning: files list file for package `kde-mmc2' missing, assuming package has no files currently installed.
20396 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace kde-mmc2 3.5.8-PB2 (using kde-3.5.8-mmc2.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement kde-mmc2 ...
dpkg: error processing kde-3.5.8-mmc2.deb (--install):
trying to overwrite `/usr/bin/bzip2', which is also in package bzip2
rm: cannot remove '/etc/nss_mdns.conf': No such file or directory
dpkg: error while cleaning up:
subprocess post-removal script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
kde-3.5.8-mmc2.deb
Nokia-N800-50-2:/media/mmc2# Nokia-N800-50-2:/media/mmc2# dpkg -i kde-3.5.8-mmc2.deb
-sh: Nokia-N800-50-2:/media/mmc2#: not found


Problem is that apt is now fubar and I need to reimage.

[linuxrebel]

@drizek


just curious (and since you are talking about a re-flash anyway.) if you go in from the xterm and run

apt-get -f install

Is this able to fix your apt? 90% of the time it does, and should be tried first... It also may correct something that application manager did that got you in trouble in the first place. Then again .. if you already tried this tell me to go away and I will... quietly at best ;)

[drizek]

ya i have been using debian distros for a while now. i had tried that and it just spit out an error telling me the kde package was uninstallable. curiously, the application manager still works tough.

[linuxrebel]

Installed. Runs ... Drooling. Damn I have to go to bed, just cause of work ... *sigh* Seriously. This really rocks. Though I did learn one very important lesson.

If you have bzip2 installed remove it.

If you don't follow the above in red be prepared to really bork your install as bad as I did. Basically everything started installing in /usr/local on the internal memory not on the mmc ... oooops. Ok live learn. re-build and POOF we have kde... wow a real window manager who woulda thunk it. *grin*.

[linuxrebel]

ya i have been using debian distros for a while now. i had tried that and it just spit out an error telling me the kde package was uninstallable. curiously, the application manager still works tough.

Just curious. Did you have bzip2 installed before you started? Thats how I fubared mine...

[drizek]

yup. any way to reccoover w/o a flash?

[penguinbait]

yup. any way to reccoover w/o a flash?

NO NEED TO REFLASH

Recover what? if you are not successful installing KDE the first time, it will leave a broken package in application manager, which can not be uninstalled. But if you figure out why the install is failing it will be successful, then it can be uninstalled.


So I guess I need a disclaimer, once you start your commited to keep going, you must get the install to be successful in order to remove it.

But if its successful why would you want to remove it. anyway sorry for confusion.

PM, me how I can instant message you or talk on IRC and I will contact you and give you a hand.

pb

[bhang]

My biggest trouble by far on the install side was getting proper downloads of the install .debs once I did it worked great, this is very cool, with some tweaking kde could be a great TOTAL replacement for hildeon or whatever its called I can never remember, some kind of mental block

[drizek]

NO NEED TO REFLASH

Recover what? if you are not successful installing KDE the first time, it will leave a broken package in application manager, which can not be uninstalled. But if you figure out why the install is failing it will be successful, then it can be uninstalled.


So I guess I need a disclaimer, once you start your commited to keep going, you must get the install to be successful in order to remove it.

But if its successful why would you want to remove it. anyway sorry for confusion.

PM, me how I can instant message you or talk on IRC and I will contact you and give you a hand.

pb

Well apt is broken, so I have to use the application manager now. I am trying to get rid of bzip2 which is what is causing it to fail, but I cant because imlib2 depends on it, and I cant figure out how to remove imlib2.

[linux_author]

- just voted with two thumbs up!

- before the install i checked /home/user for any .font file/dir and there was none...

- after installing KDE, again, no .font found

- ran microb before running KDE for first time - no font problem

- ran KDE->control panel->appearance->fonts, changed most fonts to Nokia Sans 8pt

- ran microb after exiting KDE - no font problem and no .font file/dir (although there are .fontconfig and .fonts.conf present)

- ran microb after rebooting - no font problem

- ran skipping and singing throughout the house due to KDE running on my n800!

Happy happy! Joy joy!

:-)

Edit: Oops! spoke too soon! <sigh> experienced same font prob! interestingly, this only happened after the first time i ran konqueror in KDE????

KDE uninstalled cleanly, and voila! the fonts were back to OK in microb!

[Tybalt]

Hi Penguinbait,

Here are my first impresssions of your kde port.

First of all its fabulous what you did. And thanks for the fast responses.

Shure, it took some time to load and it was a bit strange to me that kde works on top of maemo but it was also fully working. So here is what i realized:

1. The mayor "bug" in my opinion is not the speed of kde but the fact that many screens doesnt fit. So it was often hard for me to find the buttons on the bottom of a window. I switched of the task-bar (a very usefull feature, btw) but that didn't helped.

Solution: maybe a scrollbar or the possibility to grab the screen like in the browser window under maemo. Or you fix the windows so that they fit on the screen. I have to admit that i havent found out how to set the screen solution. But maybe i just missed it. ;-)

2. The task windows ...
Whenever i taped on the folder buttons and the names in it the bar was closed without starting the actually tapped program. So I had to use the hardware buttons to navigate and to start a program.

3. It seems to me that there are some features of kde which only blew up the whole thing but werent really neccessary. For instance the cpu and memory indicator on the task-bar. Or screensavers. I don't think they are needed.

4. The built in keyboard widget. The layout seems to be user unfriendly. Its really nice that it looks like a "real" keyboard. But on the other hand its harder to hit the buttons cause of the space in between. The keyboard of hildon is better designed. Also the feature that it popup whenever a textfield is tapped is usefull. But its nevertheless good work. I really like the possibility to resize yours.

5. its fully functional but a bit slow. But for some reason only the loading of the progz (5-10 secs) not the running of them!?

6. it took some time for me to find out how to install the lisa damon for network access... I didnt know how to get the root password... but that was my fault :rolleyes:

Now a last question: Will it be possible to install deb packages or other linux progz under kde in the future (or is it still possible)?


So, thats it. Hope it helped.

I really love what you did. Go on. ;-)

I'm going on playing with this fun working master toy!

Tybalt

[drizek]

KDE is developed by hundreds of people and is an enormous project, we can't just go in and mess around with it to fit the n800. It is designed to be used on large screens on desktops and laptops, it is a hack on the n800. It is very cool to have all this power available on this little device, but I think it will always have to remain a hack.

Anyway, to address some issues,

1. Ya, this is a problem. KDE is only tested at 800x600, so 800x480 doesnt always work well. Maximizing your windows though will usually get them to fit in the screen.

2. Ya, this sucks, but the nav pad works fine, so it is OK.

3. Yes, it would be nice to slim it down, but hte cpu thing on the taskbar for example AFAIK cannot be removed, because it is part of ksysguard. You can however remove it from the taskbar by clicking on it, and then clicking on the tiny tiny arrow that shows up on the top left corner and hitting close.

4. I wonder if it is possible to use the hildon keyboard in KDE. Anyone know a command for it? I dont like the kde keyboard either, but it is nice that it can be resized and hidden and moved around. It would also be nice to get rid of the Fn keys on it, since they just waste space.

5. KDE apps are very large, and since SD cards are very slow compared to hard drives, you get bad performance. Again, KDE is designed for desktops with large and fast hard drives.

7. Yes, it is possible to install linux apps. You can either use kpackage, the Hildon Application Manager or just use apt-get straight from the command line. In addition, running a kde desktop means you can compile programs by yourself. Be prepared for dependency hell though.