I´d like to help test Plasma 6 by installing it on EOS.
I’m no expert or developer, but have some experience with testing.
Would this be the right approach to get set up correctly?
Download Cassini Nova R3 ISO
install it on a spare partition
run yay to update, reboot, login
add kde-unstable to /etc/pacman.conf, as per [1]
run yay to update to get Plasma6 on board
reboot
start using the install
Step 8) would be: report any bugs I encounter. But I’m unsure as to where Plasma-bugs are supposed to be submitted. I did find where and how to report KDE-bugs[2], but is that the right place for Plasma6 reports?
Any pointers, pitfalls or problems with this approach appreciated.
That looks like the way to go. The 6 alpha should drop next week, we will see.
In the past Arch handled the KDE plasma pre-releases through kde-unstable very well. The recent undergoing package renaming with the (plasma/kde/qt) 5 suffix indicates Arch packagers are on the case.
Best place for reporting bugs is probably [1]. Find the component you have issues with and file it there - try to find it with the “New” button at the top. Don’t worry to much if it fits a particular category a 100%, the KDE people will move it to the right place if necessary. As a version specify “6ish” or “5.<veryHighNumberThatIndicatesAlpha|Beta>” - That isn’t available in the bug filing system yet, but I assume it will pop up soon.
Also search before filing bugs. Esp. in the beginning there’s a high chance for duplicates. Avoiding processing those saves time for the KDE people.
I tried to find which packages I need to install to fully install Plasma 6 - I have not found many sources [1,2].
The suggestion I found is to build from sources from upstream, which is well beyond my skill level.
If Plasma 6 packages need to be installed, how do I find out which they are?
Having already looked at some of the plasma 6 stuff, it’s not that unstable and could possibly be ran as your daily driver (an approach I would suggest before too long in the development cycle). Most things seem basically at parity with KDE5 at present (based on not checking it out a whole lot).
However, for first looks, being isolated sounds like a good game plan. I went with KaOS and let demm do the heavy lifting for my quick look.
When plasma 6 alpha/beta drops on Arch kde-unstable the packages should be offered automatically. They will feature a much higher 5.x version number (in the hundreds) at the beginning, which should also pull required, newer dependencies from kde-unstable in the same range.
If you subscribe to kde-unstable and everything goes well it will just be offered to you automatically.
KaOS is basically Arch (imo), and that’s close enough for me to be comfortable with it.
I don’t think there will be much difference in the desktop between any two Arch derivatives.
I do get using it where you’re most comfortable though. For that matter, there’s value to be gained in looking at differences (but that’s not about KDE6 specifically).
It normally is. There are currently framework packages in kde-unstable that will only make sense if the plasma desktop alpha drops - which it didn’t do yet. If you look at kde-unstable those framework packages are versioned at 5.240. The alpha release frameworks will be 245.
Apparently Arch package managers are getting their ducks in the row for a once in decade occasion. Don’t worry. If you’re on kde-unstable you’ll receive it when it is out.
Qt6 is already in the stable repo’s. Plasma 5.240 IS Plasma6 pre-alpha. The 0 in this case is important.
not likely. At the moment, none of those packages in KDE-unstable has a “replaces” or “conflicts” entry. All the Plasma 5 packages currently in stable have the 5 added to their package names, KDE-unstable has no 5 or 6 in their package name. Therefore, it will only be an update when “replaces” entries are added. Without “replaces”, the packages have to be installed manually because they are different packages.
My guess is that Plasma 6 will either nether get a replaces entry, or earliest when Plasma 6 stable is released in February next year
Manually installing it will be easy though, because
groups=(kf6)
So a sudo pacman -S kf6 will install all the packages currently in KDE-unstable. The currently missing packages should also see a groups - entry at least if they remain consistent in package management.
.
If you’re on kde-unstable you’ll receive it when it is out.