[SOLVED] Getting best KDE for Ubuntu 14.04

[frankus333]

G'day folks

Just wondering how to ensure I get the latest KDE version for adding to a new install of Ubuntu 14.04? With previous Ubuntu 13.10 I used terminal and "sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop" but now not sure I will get the most appropriate version this way, as Ubuntu software centre is not clear on what versions it has and which best fits. I wonder if I need to add any repositories to the standard supplied repos in U14.04 to get the latest stable KDE release?

Cheers

[Snowhog]

You can open a console and type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo do-release-upgrade

[SteveRiley]

Just wondering how to ensure I get the latest KDE version for adding to a new install of Ubuntu 14.04? With previous Ubuntu 13.10 I used terminal and "sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop" but now not sure I will get the most appropriate version this way, as Ubuntu software centre is not clear on what versions it has and which best fits. I wonder if I need to add any repositories to the standard supplied repos in U14.04 to get the latest stable KDE release?

If I understand correctly, you've installed a Ubuntu desktop -- meaning the Unity user interface in all of its default purplebrownorange glory? And now you want to install Kubuntu on top of that?

If so, then yes,

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

will accomplish your goal. But it's rather unusual to have both desktops installed.

The files that make up the current released version of Kubuntu 14.04 are in the standard Ubuntu repositories. There is no need to add any PPAs.

[frankus333]

Many thanks for replies, folks. Myapologies if I was not as clear as I might have been.


Yes, I have fresh installs of Ubuntu(not Kubuntu) 14.04 on three old 32 bit machines (Dell Dimension4600i desktop, and eeePC 1000H and ACER Aspire 1641 laptops. ItsGnome/Unity desktop/shell is a bit of a challenge for all of them,especially the desktop (actually too slow to use), so with previousUbuntu 13.10 installs, I have installed KDE, XFCE and LXDE desktopsto find the best one for my uses (everyday computing; no gaming orintensive video). Apart from the overstocked apps menus, this seemedto work out fine on each machine.


I now think I want to settle on the KDEdesktop as the best of the bunch, going forward with the Ubuntu 14.04LTS release. I read somewhere that updates made available for Linuxsoftware are only for the particular release installed, andinnovations from later releases can't be incorporated withoutchanging to that release (makes sense). Particularly as 14.04 isLTS, I am keen to get the most up to date stable release to startwith.


So, I see now that my question isreally about whether to add “unofficial repositories”, eitherKubuntu Updates, or Backports, as per bottom of this page:


https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Kubuntu


so that the desktop I install will bethe latest relatively safe release, which will eventually make itinto the official repositories. If it will never make it into theofficial repositories, or worse, will stop being supported over thelife of the LTS, I will download the desktop from only the officialrepositories.


Apologies if this is long winded, or ifmy understanding is wrong, and thanks in anticipation of any commentsto clarify my decision.


Cheers

[Snowhog]

What I am, and have been, using:

[SteveRiley]

I now think I want to settle on the KDE desktop as the best of the bunch, going forward with the Ubuntu 14.04 LTS release. I read somewhere that updates made available for Linux software are only for the particular release installed, and innovations from later releases can't be incorporated without changing to that release (makes sense). Particularly as 14.04 is LTS, I am keen to get the most up to date stable release to start with.

So, I see now that my question isr eally about whether to add “unofficial repositories”, either Kubuntu Updates, or Backports, as per bottom of this page: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Kubuntu

so that the desktop I install will be the latest relatively safe release, which will eventually make itinto the official repositories. If it will never make it into theofficial repositories, or worse, will stop being supported over thelife of the LTS, I will download the desktop from only the official repositories.

The first thing to understand is that all the flavors share the same basic underlying operating system. So there's no need to install Ubuntu then add Kubuntu on top to be current -- you can simply install Kubuntu directly.

The second thing to understand is that "LTS" is not an indicator of greater quality. It's simply Canonical's label for a support rhythm. A new *buntu release is issued every six months. In every other year, the April release is labeled "LTS," and it receives five years of support. The other interim releases receive only nine months of support. Unless you're managing computers in a corporate setting, in which frequent change can be a bad thing, there is no compelling reason for staying with an LTS for a full two years. You can generally keep yourself close to current by always upgrading to each next release every six months. It's actually quite easy. Just open a console window and type:

sudo do-release-upgrade

If you want to keep the KDE desktop even more current, then you might consider the additional Kubuntu PPAs, as listed in the page you linked to. Packages that land in Kubuntu Updates will eventually migrate to the standard repositories. If you don't want to wait for that to happen, then you can enable the Kubuntu Updates PPA, and receive KDE updates several days or weeks earlier. Kubuntu Backports will allow you to receive major KDE upgrades that would normally only appear during the next *buntu cycle. That is, if you don't want to wait the six months for the next *buntu release, you can receive many packages slated for that release several weeks or months earlier.

My general behavior for managing is as follows:

• Install the current version of Kubuntu
• Enable the Ubuntu backports repository
• Add the Kubuntu Updates and the Kubuntu Backports PPAs
• Run apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade every morning
• Run do-release-upgrade after each interim release goes public
• Reinstall from scratch when a new LTS is released

That last item -- reinstall each new LTS -- has nothing to do with the fact that it's an LTS. Again, LTS does not mean higher quality. I do a lot on my machines: install development stuff, play around with various configuration options, push the OS to its limits -- that eventually means I end up with a fair amount of cruft on my PC. I like to periodically pave and rebuild. I find that a two-year cadence for this is reasonable for me, so I align my rebuild cadence with Canonical's LTS cadence.

From your description, it appears as if you do not want to set and forget: instead, you want a machine that has fresh bits installed soon after they're publicly released. If you follow the outline I listed above, this will be your result.

[SteveRiley]

I will not be preserving my home directory when I rebuild my T520. I've already saved important local files -- VM images, pretty much. Nothing else is local, but instead is stored in various clouds. Configuration files change over time; certain settings no longer exist, others arrive. The various hidden files in ~ and *rc etc. files scattered about can become as crufty as the rest of the system. I guess I like my newly-built machines to be sooooper clean

[frankus333]

Many thanks for replies, folks, and particularly for the detailed explanations, Steve; much appreciated.

I dual or multiboot to other OSes including Windows on all machines, so I don't store any files in the home folders, but on a shared data partition, so no problems with re-installing when needed. (I guess the potential security risks with this arrangement are another consideration, but tangential here.)

I guess I'm after a combination of set and forget and cutting edge. Set and forget on my main everyday computing desktop machine (and maybe on a machine or two for friends who are also WinXP refugees). Cutting edge on the eeePC netbook, in the hope that new developments will eventually lead to needing nothing from Windows in future. I currently need Windows to run iTunes for file transfers/backups for my iPod and iPhone, and MyDriveConnect for my TomTom GPS. (Tried both WINE and Virtual Box to get around this but without success.) Cutting edge on the laptop, to play around with and try risky things.

I would like to keep the fresh Ubuntu 14.04 installs on each machine, and install the Kubuntu desktop over them, as I have done previously. So, based on the "general behaviour" outlined previously, I assume that for a "cutting edge" install I would:

• Enable the Ubuntu backports repository
• Add the Kubuntu Updates and the Kubuntu Backports PPAs
• Run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop
• Run apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade to ensure everything up to date

And for "set and forget" I would leave out the first two lines of repository additions and just run the last two lines?

I tried this cutting edge routine on the experimental laptop, and seem to have Kubuntu back again, albeit after dire warnings that some of the packages were unverifiable and may indicate a compromised system. Some packages did not download or install correctly according to notifications shown, but rebooting and following prompts to try again seemed to resolve this. Re-running the last line above shows nothing new to be gained.

I will now tweak it and try it out, including getting the encrypted swap to work. (This was a challenge with 13.10, and does not work for 14.04 out of the box on all machines. The fix that worked for 13.10 doesn't for 14.04; seems to be a more complex cryptswap1/crypttab setup?)

If there is anything in the above which is a misinterpretation or wrong/dangerous, I would appreciate your comments. Otherwise, many thanks again for all your help, folks.

Cheers

Frank

[SteveRiley]

I would like to keep the fresh Ubuntu 14.04 installs on each machine, and install the Kubuntu desktop over them, as I have done previously.

Unless you have a need for both the Unity and the KDE desktops, I'd advise against this. Just install Kubuntu directly, enable Ubuntu updates and backports, then add and enable the two Kubuntu updates and backports PPAs.

For "set and forget," You should enable Ubuntu updates only. Kubuntu updates eventually land here; the reason that a separate Kubuntu updates PPA exists is for those who wish to obtain the updates before they migrate to the standard Ubuntu updates repository.

I will now tweak it and try it out, including getting the encrypted swap to work. (This was a challenge with 13.10, and does not work for 14.04 out of the box on all machines. The fix that worked for 13.10 doesn't for 14.04; seems to be a more complex cryptswap1/crypttab setup?)

I would also advise against this. In my semi-professional opinion as a security researcher and consultant, I think the mechansim of using LUKS and EcryptFS is overly complicated and has way too many moving parts. I'd encourage you to investigate EncFS instead. Rather than allocating a fixed number of encrypted blocks, EncFS creates a stacked file system, completely in user space, that grows as needed and can be used to contain only the stuff you need to keep private. It's simpler, easier to manage, and less brittle. And you can use a swap file placed in the EncFS space, rather than a separate swap partition.

[frankus333]

Thanks Steve

I am trying out a fresh Kubuntu set and forget install on my eeePC netbook to compare with the kubuntu-desktop over Ubuntu on my laptop. It did not come up with the menu bar at the bottom including Kickoff button, as the laptop installation did, and I am trying to figure how to set it up that way. Selecting the default desktop does not move the bar from top to bottom, and I find the I will continue to explore.

[EDIT; fixed this by selecting Desktop instead of Netbook layout in Workspace, and Air instead of Air for netbooks in Desktop Theme.]

Regarding swap file versus partition, I will look further into this; thanks for the heads up. I want to be able to use hibernation, and also wonder about the access speed loss with an encrypted file versus a partition; more to explore.

I am happy to mark this thread as solved as the original question has been answered, and the additional questions arising are more diffuse and less clear in my head at this stage. I guess I can always start another thread as my questions become more focused.

Thanksagain.

Cheers

Frank