The new version has already been released from the popular desktop environment KDE Plasma 5.20, which is built using the KDE Frameworks 5 platform and the Qt 5 library using OpenGL / OpenGL ES to speed up rendering.
This new version of the environment continue work to improve support with Wayland, as well as the improvements to dashboards, widgets and screen indicators.
KDE Plasma 5.20 Key New Features
KDE Plasma 5.20 continues to improve support for Wayland, since there is already a session based on Wayland that is close to parity in functionality with an execution on X11.
And is that of the changes related to Wayland we can find the following:
- Added support for Klipper.
- Fixed issues with screen casting.
- Added the ability to insert with the middle mouse button.
- Fixed issues with the stability of XWayland, DDX server to ensure compatibility with X11 applications.
- Fixed correct display of KRunner when using the top panel.
- Provided the ability to adjust the speed of mouse movement and scrolling.
- Added support for displaying window thumbnails in task manager.
Taskbar and Panels
By default, an alternate taskbar layout is enabled, displayed at the bottom of the screen and provides navigation through open windows and running applications. Instead of the traditional buttons with the name of the program, now only square icons are displayed.
The panel also has the grouping by application enabled by default, so all windows in an application are represented by a single drop-down button.
For panel buttons, clicking on the one that pops up an additional menu now displays an arrow-shaped indicator.
Added the ability to dock windows in the corners in mosaic mode combining the docking keys on the left, right, top and bottom edges.
On-screen displays (OSD) were reworked and are now less intrusives that appear when you change the brightness or volume. Exceeding the basic maximum volume level now displays a warning that the volume exceeds 100%.
The Clock applet displays the current date and the pop-up dialog now appears more compact.
Added a option to task manager to disable minimization of windows active tasks on click. Clicking on grouped items in Task Manager now cycles through each task by default.
Notifications and windows
GTK applications with controls and menus in the title area now they respect the KDE configuration for buttons in the title area.
A warning was given about the exhaustion of free space on the system partition, even if the home directory is on another partition.
Added a setting to allow KRunner to use floating windows that are not docked on top.
The 'Device Notifier' applet has been renamed to 'Disks & Devices' and has been expanded to provide information about all drives, not just external ones.
In addition, it was added display of fault warnings and events to track the status of received disks through the SMART mechanism.
In the configurator, the highlighting of the modified values is implemented, allowing you to clearly see which of the settings differs from the default values.
Other important changes
Keyboard shortcut for moving windows changed and resize it: instead of dragging with the mouse while holding down the Alt key, Meta key is now used to avoid conflict with a similar combination used in applications.
Some laptops have the option of setting the battery limit below 100% to extend battery life.
Added the ability to change zoom level in browser control widget by rotating the mouse wheel while holding down the Ctrl key.
How to get KDE Plasma 5.20?
For those who are interested in being able to obtain the new packages, you can find the instructions for the different Linux distributions In the following link.
In addition, the work of the new version can be evaluated through the openSUSE Live project and the KDE Neon User Edition project.
nawr How fine, IT'S ALREADY !! expected by multiple users. Hopefully and on my old machine I can run without problems: D