KDE-based distro features Ubuntu LTS, strong desktop credentials
By Larry Cafiero
To say that KDE neon is an enigmatic British distro may be a bit of an overstatement. But questions do arise. For example, is it “the” official KDE distro?
Some may claim it to be, but KDE neon denies it in their FAQ.
“KDE believes it is important to work with many distributions, as each brings unique value and expertise for its users,” says the FAQ. “KDE neon is one distro out of many, and that diversity is a good thing!”
Nevertheless, KDE neon is a distro based on Ubuntu LTS that comes with – no surprise here – the latest KDE Plasma desktop environment. It’s also offered in two basic versions: The User Edition features the latest officially released KDE software on a stable base (“Ideal for adventurous KDE enthusiasts,” according to the website) and the Testing Edition, which features “pre-release KDE software built the same day from bugfix branches,” also according to their website.
The hardware specs for KDE neon are fairly straightforward: Installing KDE neon requires a 64-bit PC (Intel or AMD), 2 GB or more of memory, and 10 GB or more of disk space. requires a 64-bit PC (Intel or AMD), 2 GB or more of memory, and 10 GB or more of disk space.
Installalling KDE neon
With an ISO size of roughly 3 GB, the minimum system requirements for KDE Neon are fairly simple. The distro requires a 64-bit system – AMD or Intel spoken here – as well as 2 GB or more of RAM and 10 GB or more of disk space. The download of the ISO was fairly quick in under 10 minutes.
The installer is a modified Calamares system which takes the user through the basics: keyboard selection, time zone selection, disk setup, and login/password. Once all that is complete, it’s off to the races with the install.
Test driving KDE neon
Once we reboot and go through the update process – there are about 3 GB of updates, not the least of which was updating KDE Plasma 6.5.4 to 6.5.5 – the user is met with a KDE-based Welcome window which dispatches relevant information about KDE neon mostly about KDE itself. Which is fine, because roughly half of the distro’s name is KDE anyway, so looking at the installed software it includes a host of KDE tools, Firefox web browser and VLC media player and that’s pretty much it.
So it’s was on to Discover, the KDE software installation app, to include what yours truly thought was missing, namely an email client – hello Thunderbird – as well as the LibreOffice suite of software and the GNU Image Manipulation Program, otherwise known s GIMP. Once that we done, we were ready to put KDE neon through its paces.
Whether it’s the Ubuntu rumbling under the hood or the latest KDE Plasma desktop keeping everything together – and maybe a combination of both – KDE neon performed remarkably. Adding software with Discover was simple, and the multitasking so common in day-to-day user was magnificent. One special note – whenever I use a KDE-based distro, it’s always a pleasure to use KDE Connect on my phone as well, since transferring files and even using the phone as a touchpad are a treat.
Thunderbird handled the emails, while Firefox stood strong for any web browsing that needed being done (and there was a lot of that). VLC kept the tunes humming while using LibreOffice and GIMP for writing and setting up pictures. All of whihch is to say that the multitasking aspect of KDE neon worked like a charm, with the laptops never reaching over 3 GB of memory use.
The last word
It’s hard to say whether KDE neon is the “go-to” distro for KDE. The KDE neon FAQ says it’s just one of many KDE Plasma-based distros – I’m paraphrasing here – while its Wikipedia listing contends that it’s “Linux distribution developed by KDE based on Ubuntu long-term support (LTS) releases.” Who do we believe?
Regardless of what any particular user might accept in what can best be described as a somewhat schizophrenic situation, the fact remains that KDE neon is, in its own right, a more than formidable distro which works on a wide variety of hardware. Which sets it apart from KDE’s Ubuntu flagship – Kubuntu – in one important way: KDE neon focuses on providing the latest KDE software updates shortly after their release, while Kubuntu offers a more stable experience with frozen KDE versions until the next release cycle.
In other words, if you prefer cutting-edge features, choose KDE neon. If you want stability, go with Kubuntu.
Having said all this, KDE neon is a more than adequate distro for new users, provided that they are up to the task of updating their systems – there were two upgrades of about 3 GB each during the testing of the distro – and the ease of use thanks to the KDE Plasma desktop should not go without mention. As for intermediate users and greybeards, KDE neon hits all the marks when it comes to speed and efficiency in a Linux distribution.
KDE neon is worth a look. By all means, check out the KDE neon download page to pick up an ISO and see for yourself.
Do you have a distro you think would make a great feature for Distro of the Week? Don’t be shy—let me know! Email me at larry.cafiero@gmail.com and I’ll make an effort to make your choice available to the wider public … No suggestion is too mainstream!