Download KDE 4.3.0 Beta 1

KDE is a popular desktop environment for GNU/Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris, among others. It comes with a standard desktop, including fifteen packages of applications such as a pim, multimedia playback programs, network management tools, and various games. The developers have now released the first beta version of KDE 4.3.0. The announcement of this release looks like this:

KDE 4.3 Beta 1 Out For Testing

The KDE Community today announced the immediate availability of KDE 4.3 Beta 1, the first preview of the 3rd iteration over the KDE 4 desktop, applications and development platform. KDE 4.3 focuses on polishing and completing the user experience by providing a modern and beautiful Free working environment. KDE’s award-winning tools and applications are available in more than 50 languages. The KDE team is now in bugfixing mode in order to provide a smooth KDE 4.3.0 to end users in late July.

Highlights of KDE 4.3 are…

• Integration of many new technologies, such as PolicyKit and Geolocation services
• New Window animation effects, a more usable Run Command popup and many new and improved addons in Plasma
• Many bug fixes and improvements across all applications and more integration of features coming with the KDE 4 platform

Highlights or KDE 4 include…

• A streamlined hardware integration and multimedia experience thanks to the Solid and Phonon libraries
• A fully themable look taking advantage of modern graphics hardware combining the Oxygen artwork with the new Plasma desktop shell
• An extensive high-level development platform built on top of Qt, available in C++, Python, Ruby and other programming languages

Note that the changelog is usually incomplete, for a complete list of changes that went into KDE 4.3 Beta1, you can browse the Subversion log.

To find out more about the KDE 4 desktop and applications, please refer to the KDE 4.2.0, KDE 4.1.0 and KDE 4.0.0 release notes.

Installing KDE 4.3 Beta1 Binary Packages

packagers. Some Linux/UNIX OS vendors have kindly provided binary packages of KDE 4.3 Beta 1 for some versions of their distribution, and in other cases community volunteers have done so. Some of these binary packages are available for free download from K THE. Additional binary packages, as well as updates to the packages now available, may become available over the coming weeks.

Package Locations. For a current list of available binary packages of which the KDE Project has been informed, please visit the KDE 4.3 Beta1 Info Page.

Compiling KDE 4.3 Beta1 (aka 4.2.85)

The complete source code for KDE 4.3 Beta1 may be freely downloaded. Instructions on compiling and installing KDE 4.3 Beta1 are available from the KDE 4.3 Beta1 Info Page.