Best Way to Get Stable Updates in Timely Manner?

[Xplorer4x4]

Is there a PPA or another stable repo you guys can recommend to keep my core KDE apps up to date sooner then when Canoical pushes them in to there repos? In particular I would like to get updated versions of Akregator(notifications are buggy), Kate, and Dolphin?

[HalationEffect]

The Kubuntu Updates PPA seems like your best bet.

https://launchpad.net/~kubuntu-ppa/+archive/ppa/

[Xplorer4x4]

Thanks, but there are newer versions of akregator, kate, and dolphin already in the quantal repo, how come there is no baseapps update for them then? I tried to grab them from quantal but lack dependencies that I suspect are all in quantal and worry about stability issues if I did pull the other dependencies?

[HalationEffect]

Well that's the thing. You said you wanted a *stable* repo... I'm not aware of any way to get truly bleeding edge packages without putting up with (for me) unacceptable instability.

[Xplorer4x4]

I can;t speak for akregator and dolphin updates, but as far as Kate is concerned, I was under the impression it was a stable update. Perhaps I am not quite understanding what makes for stable vs bleeding edge? Actually, on double checking the kate homepage I spoke to soon, the updates are coming in KDE 4.9(which for some reason I was thinking was already in stable rather then RC phase, but for the sake of the stable vs bleeding edge discussion, do these apps actually get updated outside of official KDE releases? Just using Kate as a random example, if Kate gets a .X update, this is simply a bug fix release so it would be considered stable would it not? Even if Kate(again sub any app name here) gets a X.0 update, this is still a stable release despite being a major upgrade is it not?

[Xplorer4x4]

Also Quantel is a stable release isn't it? So wasn't the quantel repo frozen before the release making it a stable repo?

[Xplorer4x4]

Would Kubuntu Backports be pretty bleeding edge as it has updates for some of my daily use apps like Kate? I think it is fair to say,based on the description, it is not stable, but it seems harsh to call it bleeding edge. Would it be accurate to say it falls some where in the middle?

For what it is worth, I like to keep my daily use apps as up to date as possible while remaining mostly stable. I can live with some minor bugs and such. As a windows user I was never scared to test beta apps and such as I had used Windows since the 3.1/DOS days but with Kubuntu I am a bit out of my comfort zone but I feel like I get more comfortable daily.

[sixonetonoffun]

I think using 4.4.90 would be the best answer. While it doesn't seem to be getting updates it does have the updated Dolphin which is really nice. Also I did see somewhere one of the forum members has built the latest packages on OpenSuse Build Service. So I'd imagine those could be cherry picked for individual packages. The performance improvements of 4.9 really make it worth the risk of using a beta. Runs great for me though I don't use kmail or Akregator so I can't comment on those specifically.

[HalationEffect]

this is simply a bug fix release so it would be considered stable would it not?

I'd love to live in a world where bug fixes never, ever introduce new bugs

[claydoh]

http://claydoh.com/kubuntu-and-its-repositories/

Old, but still accurate in terms of what each ppa is for and what they bring in. Some updates, say kate and dolphin, will be updated with KDE itself. Akregator is usually upgraded with kdepim - it is a separate-ish entity from KDE SC itself and often can have its own release schedule. So to get the newest Dolphin you pretty much need the newest KDE. 4.9 should be around shortly, so it will be available for 12.04 shortly after it is in 12.10.

Quantal is not stable yet, it is still alpha, though that does not mean it isn't useable

[Xplorer4x4]

I think using 4.4.90 would be the best answer. While it doesn't seem to be getting updates it does have the updated Dolphin which is really nice. Also I did see somewhere one of the forum members has built the latest packages on OpenSuse Build Service. So I'd imagine those could be cherry picked for individual packages. The performance improvements of 4.9 really make it worth the risk of using a beta. Runs great for me though I don't use kmail or Akregator so I can't comment on those specifically.

Not sure what you mean by 4.4.90.

As for OpenSuse build service, I gotta head out soon but will try to find it but if you can share the link to the thread here, I would appreciate it!

I dont use kmail atm. I tried to get it set up earlier but for some reason it doesn't want to fetch mail from my gmail accounts. Maybe I need to set up the imap settings manually. I recall some one mentioning that kmail wasn't that stable atm. Think it was on the KDE forums..

I'd love to live in a world where bug fixes never, ever introduce new bugs

Lol of course, but still, a. X release is generally an indication of a "bug fix release" with the goal of fixing bugs rather then adding new featured aside from maybe some small features. Of course there are exceptions to every rule.

http://claydoh.com/kubuntu-and-its-repositories/

Old, but still accurate in terms of what each ppa is for and what they bring in. Some updates, say kate and dolphin, will be updated with KDE itself. Akregator is usually upgraded with kdepim - it is a separate-ish entity from KDE SC itself and often can have its own release schedule. So to get the newest Dolphin you pretty much need the newest KDE. 4.9 should be around shortly, so it will be available for 12.04 shortly after it is in 12.10.

Quantal is not stable yet, it is still alpha, though that does not mean it isn't useable

Thanks for the link. Will check it out as soon as I can but generally I prefer actual user input on something like this as it sounds like more of an explanation of whats where, and even if the author has his opinion on general stability, I think hearing multiple feedbacks is a more indication on over all stability vs one persons opinion but maybe I am jumping to conclusions. G2G though so I will check it later. Thanks again!



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[sixonetonoffun]

Here is the info I was referring to above for kde4.4.9 rc2 to use these you would first have to install KDE Workspace and Applications 4.9 Beta
sumski packaged most of kde4.4.90 RC2 here: Packages of home:sumski:KDE:Kubuntu

But I think Akregator is updated to Akregator Version 4.9 beta2 so I'm guessing that someone has added the 4.4.90 rc2 packages to the beta channel already. So the sumski packages wouldn't be needed. Just adding the ppa:kubuntu-ppa/beta and doing a sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade would get the beta kde. Which is IMO leaner and meaner then kde4.4.8

[Xplorer4x4]

Thanks for the info/links. I will check it out in a bit when I get home. As the topic says, I was looking to stay stable rather then bleeding edge, but I can always revert to my stable backup. Oh and thanks for the updated urls since your links in your op was broken. I have read up on 4.9 new featuers and am really anxious to see it in action for myself.

If you can comment on your experience with stability with this and KDE betas in general I would love to hear about it.

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[Jonas]

I have backports on my work machine and today I got KDE 4.9. I've used backports for a couple of years now and this Kubuntu install have had release upgrades from 11.04 to 11.10 to 12.04, as "rolling" as I like it, and runs within what I would consider stable. Jonathan and the maintainers do a great job maintaining backports with the latest and the greatest applications.

b.r

jonas

[Xplorer4x4]

Thanks Jonas, it definitely pates a clear picture of backports.

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