Kubuntu 20 not updating to latest Plasma and KDE frameworks

[theaardvark]

On Kubuntu 19.* I used to get regular updates on KDE and Plasma software. Basically my system was always up to date with the latest KDE frameworks, plasma and software (I think it updated via Discover in fact).

I can't seem to get the same thing working on Kubuntu 20. I am currently on Plasma 15.8.5 with frameworks 5.68.0, but the latest released Plasma is 15.9 with frameworks 5.70.0.

So I figure I must be doing something wrong in my configuration of software sources. I presume I have to add a ppa to get the updated plasma and frameworks -- is that right, and if so what ppa? Or do I need to do something else? Or have these updates simply not been added to Kubuntu 20 yet and so I just need to chill?

thanks
graham

[Don B. Cilly]

I have the same on K20 with backports. (Qt 5.12.8)
I guess it's because it's LTS. 19 wasn't.

On neon User Edition I have 5.19.0, QT 5.14.2, FW 5.70.0.

[claydoh]

They still might offer later non-LTS plasma versions in Focal. It may depend on Qt version requirements though. This was the main reason why 18.04 did not get anything newer than 5.12.x. Previous LTS did have some major version upgrades available via kubuntu-backports, and normal LTS updates via the kububtu-updates ppa.


.....and checking quickly it seems that plasma 5.19 requires Qt 5.14 so it is highly unlikely that Kubuntu will see this available in the LTS even via ppa.

[freecicero]

I have the same issue as the original poster. I am relatively new to ubuntu and not sure how the upgrade process with LTS's works. My main concern is that I want the latest KDE options as soon as possible; I am not really worried about keeping on top of the latest base software, but I do want the latest KDE developments. Is there a way to rearrange the repositories so that this (keeping up with the latest KDE releases) happens automatically? I've spent a lot of time customizing my 20.4 installation and I would prefer not to start over if at all possible, but I want to keep up with latest KDE.

[GreyGeek]

What Claydoh said ...

Let me recommend KDE Neon User Edition.

https://neon.kde.org/download

[claydoh]

I have the same issue as the original poster. I am relatively new to ubuntu and not sure how the upgrade process with LTS's works. My main concern is that I want the latest KDE options as soon as possible; I am not really worried about keeping on top of the latest base software, but I do want the latest KDE developments. Is there a way to rearrange the repositories so that this (keeping up with the latest KDE releases) happens automatically? I've spent a lot of time customizing my 20.4 installation and I would prefer not to start over if at all possible, but I want to keep up with latest KDE.

On a distro like Kubuntu, the main way to update is actually by waiting for the next release, 6 months later (few updates to Plasma)
Kubuntu do offer PPAs, which are official, but optional.
LTS do get more Plasma updates, as it is supported longer than 'regular' releases every 6 months. But this historically has been limited to minor updates to the Plasma version that the LTS was released with, with some major version upgrades if possible. Starting with 18.04 LTS, this did not happen due to Qt version constraints. This is also the case this time, in 20.04. Bad timing, or 'good', depending on how one looks at things.

Even non-LTS Kubuntu versions do not get every plasma single version upon release, even via PPA.

If one wants the latest more often, a different type of distro is required, either a full on 'rolling' one like Arch or Suse tumbleweed, or KDE Neon, which uses an LTS base, but provides the latest Plasma and a more current Qt, even if that means breaking non-KDE stuff that uses Qt in Ubuntu's package archive.


Despite comments that Kubuntu LTS don't get major Plasma updates at all, that is not totally correct, it is just the last two that have had this. For example, 16.04 started with Plasma 5.5.5, and ended with 5.8.9 or thereabouts in the backports PPA.
However, with Plasma and Kubuntu LTS sort of in sync at the moment, it does make some sense to stick to this.

[mr_raider]

Yeah that's why I switched to KDE NEon on pretty much all my machines (with a few exceptions), even my "main gaming rig. The new features are pretty cool.

If you need stability and base that does not change for years, Kubuntu 20.04 is a good choice.

[acheron]

Despite comments that Kubuntu LTS don't get major Plasma updates at all, that is not totally correct, it is just the last two that have had this. For example, 16.04 started with Plasma 5.5.5, and ended with 5.8.9 or thereabouts in the backports PPA.

That was because Canonical maintained an 'overlay' PPA with new Qt and rebuilds of anything dependent in the archive for their phone/desktop converged UI efforts. We could simply copy those to our PPA. That atypical situation went away by 18.04.

[claydoh]

I cannot physically verify, but I believe that we used to get major version bumps even before the overlay PPA existed. At least i *think* we did, the past 15 years' worth of releases blend together for me these days

[acheron]

I cannot physically verify, but I believe that we used to get major version bumps even before the overlay PPA existed. At least i *think* we did, the past 15 years' worth of releases blend together for me these days

Qt4 (one source package) was a completely different beast.

[freecicero]

Thanks for all the additional replies. I am still a little confused on this point: Does adding the backports discussed at this article not solve the issue? I guess you guys are saying that the QT edition doesn't get upgraded on 20.04, and even adding the PPA doesn't solve that?

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2020/05/...-5-19-features
Getting Plasma 5.19

KDE Plasma 5.19 is available download as source code direct from the KDE website. It’s also available to try as a live image you can download and flash to a USB stick.
KDE Neon is in the process of rebasing onto Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and will (likely) make the release ready to its users as soon as it’s able to.
Finally, there’s the Kubuntu backports PPA. This will allow anyone running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS to upgrade to Plasma 5.19 (though at the time of writing it has not yet been updated).
But note that while it is possible to upgrade to Plasma 5.19 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS you should only do so on the understanding that KDE Plasma 5.19 is not a long-term support release and is not backed by the same on-going support as the Plasma 5.18 LTS release available in the main repos.

[claydoh]

Does adding the backports discussed at this article not solve the issue? I guess you guys are saying that the QT edition doesn't get upgraded on 20.04, and even adding the PPA doesn't solve that?

correct

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2020/05/...-5-19-features
Getting Plasma 5.19

KDE Plasma 5.19 is available download as source code direct from the KDE website. It’s also available to try as a live image you can download and flash to a USB stick.
KDE Neon is in the process of rebasing onto Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and will (likely) make the release ready to its users as soon as it’s able to.
Finally, there’s the Kubuntu backports PPA. This will allow anyone running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS to upgrade to Plasma 5.19 (though at the time of writing it has not yet been updated).
But note that while it is possible to upgrade to Plasma 5.19 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS you should only do so on the understanding that KDE Plasma 5.19 is not a long-term support release and is not backed by the same on-going support as the Plasma 5.18 LTS release available in the main repos.

While omgubuntu is an ok site, it does not always do a good job of verifying or validating info,
Unless the kubuntu team announces it, it ain't happening.



While it is still entirely possible that they team decides to take on backporting a newer Qt form an upcoming *buntu release, it is fairly unlikely that this will happen, considering that they did not do so for 18.04. Especially now that Lxde via Lubutnu uses Qt, the possibility of breaking an entire Desktop is not something to be taken lightly, even if they put up flashing warning lights, popup warnings, sirens, and multiple "are you reallly realllllyyyy sure you want to do this?" prompts.

[MeMyself]

The easiest way to get all this is to test out Groovy Gorilla (or one of the rolling builds as others have stated). You will be giving up the stability of Focal for the ability to test out the new features. It wasn't a horrible build, actually quite good, but still had a number of issues that led me to go back to Focal. (And I love testing, so it was far enough from Beta for me to put it on hold).