Desktop Environment
Ongoing coverage on Desktop Environment.
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KDE Plasma 6.7 Beta arrives with Plasma Bigscreen, new Union theme system
The KDE Plasma 6.7 Beta has been released, introducing Plasma Bigscreen for improved TV and HTPC experiences, and a new Union theme system to address fragmentation. This release is a stress-test for the upcoming full version, scheduled for June 16th. Plasma Bigscreen is expected to enhance docked Steam Deck and potential Steam Machine/Frame usage.
Germany cuts Steam Deck desktop devs a $1.5 million cheque, they declare an end to 'insecure spyware-riddled software imposed by the likes of Microsoft'
Germany's Sovereign Tech Agency has awarded €1.3 million (approximately $1.5 million) to the KDE community to support its free and open-source software development, including the Plasma desktop environment used on the Steam Deck. KDE expressed that this funding signifies a global shift away from proprietary software from companies like Microsoft and Google towards more secure and user-controlled alternatives.
KDE gets over €1 million in funding from the Sovereign Tech Fund
Germany's Sovereign Tech Fund has awarded over €1.2 million to KDE for the development of its Plasma desktop and Linux-related projects. This funding, spanning 2026 and 2027, aims to bolster open-source technology and digital infrastructure resilience. Fiona Krakenbürger of the Sovereign Tech Agency highlighted KDE's crucial role in providing access to digital services for millions.
Discord joke that it's The Year of the Linux Desktop
Discord has made significant improvements to its Linux desktop application over the past few months, including enhanced Go Live video support, hardware accelerated video encoding, and the addition of an auto-updater. These updates aim to improve the user experience for Linux gamers and users, with the company humorously acknowledging the long development time for features like the updater.
KDE Plasma 6.7 gets per-screen virtual desktops and Wayland session management
KDE Plasma 6.7 is set to release on June 16th, introducing significant new features including per-screen virtual desktops and support for the Wayland session management protocol. The update also brings improvements to the Discover software center and application menu widgets.
Ubuntu MATE seeking maintainers as the creator looks to move on
Martin Wimpress, the creator of the Ubuntu MATE Linux distribution, has announced he is stepping down from the project due to a lack of time and passion. Ubuntu MATE is seeking new maintainers from within the Ubuntu contributor community to continue its development. If no suitable candidates are found, users interested in the MATE desktop environment may consider alternatives like Linux Mint.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Beta released with GNOME 50, Linux kernel 7.0, Mesa 26
The beta version of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is now available for testing, featuring GNOME 50, Linux kernel 7.0, and Mesa 26. This long-term support release will be supported until April 2031, with the final version scheduled for April 23, 2026. The beta includes various Ubuntu flavors and related products.
Gnome gets Nvidia performance boost, offering 'smoother window animations and general desktop fluidity' for…
Gnome 50, codenamed 'Tokyo', introduces significant performance improvements for Nvidia GPUs on Linux systems, promising smoother window animations and overall desktop fluidity. This update aims to address previous driver issues and enhance the user experience for gamers and general users alike.
Linux Mint Cinnamon has the new screensaver lock screen ready for Wayland
The Linux Mint team has detailed a new screensaver and lock screen system for the Cinnamon desktop environment, which is the final major component for full Wayland support. The new system is integrated directly into Cinnamon for a smoother experience and addresses privacy concerns regarding screen flashing. The next Linux Mint release will feature this new system, with the older screensaver being removed in the subsequent release. Additionally, the System Reports tool now includes a page for system sensors.
KDE Plasma 6.6.1 rolls out with lots of fixes for KWin
KDE has released Plasma 6.6.1, a bug-fix update for its desktop environment. This release addresses numerous issues found in the recent 6.6 version, with a significant focus on improvements to the KWin window manager, Discover software center, and Bluetooth functionality. The update aims to resolve problems reported by users and improve overall stability.