The KDE Plasma team has shifted into high gear, focusing on bug fixes in preparation for the Plasma 6.2.1 release. This follows a productive week of addressing regressions found in the Plasma 6.2 beta release and tackling outstanding bugs. Beyond bug fixes, Plasma 6.3 is seeing the integration of features and UI improvements that were initially planned for Plasma 6.2.
Let’s take a look at what’s been improved in Plasma 6.2.
Table of Contents
Plasma 6.2: Stability and Performance Fixes
1. Stability and Bug Fixes:
Plasma 6.2 has been all about making things more reliable. The team has focused on squashing bugs and addressing regressions that users have reported. This means fewer hiccups and a smoother experience overall.
2. Crash Fixes:
Several crashes have been fixed, including those related to System Settings, global themes, browser integration, and tooltip behavior. No more unexpected shutdowns - yay!
3. Improved Window Management:
Window focus issues, problems during the logout process, and difficulties with minimizing/restoring windows have all been resolved. Managing your windows just got a whole lot easier.
4. Enhanced Widget Functionality:
Bugs affecting widgets like the Digital Clock, Power and Battery, and the "Minimize All Windows" widget have been addressed. Widget pop-ups are also working better, so you can keep an eye on your system stats without any hassle.
5. System Settings Enhancements:
System Settings have received some love too. Issues with window size/position memory, color scheme editor access, and touchpad page translations have been fixed. It’s the little things that make a big difference!
6. Performance Optimizations:
Discover’s app rating processing has been moved to a separate thread, preventing UI lag. Launching apps without .desktop files is now faster. Your desktop is snappier and more responsive.
Plasma 6.3: New Features
Now, let’s talk about what’s coming in Plasma 6.3. While it’s not out yet, the sneak peeks are looking pretty awesome!
1. Widget Explorer Enhancement:
The Widget Explorer sidebar is getting an upgrade. You’ll be able to remove all instances of a particular widget, which is great for those pesky stuck or hidden widgets.
2. Synchronized Wallpaper Slideshows:
If you use multiple monitors with wallpaper slideshows, the transition times will now be synchronized. This gives you a more unified and visually pleasing experience across all your screens.
3. Mouse Button Rebinding Flexibility:
You’ll have more control over mouse button assignments. For example, you can swap the "Back" and "Middle Click" button functions. Customize your mouse to work exactly how you want it to.
4. Improved Window Behavior:
The Emoji Selector window will now remember its position and size on X11. No more hunting for it every time you need to use it.
5. Enhanced Notifications:
Notifications that can be paused will now feature a "Resume" button after pausing. This replaces the previous checkable button, making it easier to manage your notifications.
6. Streamlined Networks Widget:
The Networks widget will no longer display "Configure" buttons for networks you’re not connected to. These buttons didn’t serve any purpose, so they’ve been removed for a cleaner look.
7. System Settings UI Update:
The Bluetooth page in System Settings is getting a makeover. It will now use switches instead of checkboxes for instant-apply settings. It’s a small change, but it makes a big difference in usability.
Bug Fixes
A significant number of bug fixes were also implemented this week, including:
- Fixes for crashes encountered in System Settings, particularly when navigating away from the Wallpaper page or applying global themes.
- Resolution for crashes in
plasma-browser-integration-host, responsible for communication between web browsers and Plasma Browser Integration, specifically when closing windows. - Tooltips associated with Plasma widgets no longer persist or behave erratically when the widget is closed, addressing both visual glitches and potential crashes.
- The logout process on X11 systems has been stabilised, preventing instances of becoming stuck on a black screen.
- Moving windows between virtual desktops using methods that don't involve switching to the target desktop now maintains focus appropriately, avoiding a scenario where the current desktop is left without focus.
This is just a selection of the many bug fixes and improvements made to KDE this week. For a full list of changes, please refer to the KDE developer Nate Graham's blog post linked at the end.
As usual, the KDE developers encourage users to test the Plasma 6.2 beta release and provide feedback through bug reports. The users' feedback is very important in ensuring the stability and quality of the final release.
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