what

I also recommend EndeavourOS. But maybe instead i3 or sway, Qtile is also a good alternative for everyone who knows and wants to do it in Python.

This mainly depends on the distribution and default configuration of the desktop environment. You can make KDE Plasma use less RAM comparable to XFCE, but that’s not the case with the default setup which most people compare.

On smartphones people are used to package managers already. Imagine everyone had to download the executables for every update for each app on their phone, going to their website downloading and such. That’s basically how Windows works. Such a Stone Age.

The best would be to ask a Gentoo user. :D

Disadvantage (besides the update procedure mentioned by the other answers here) is, it might take lot of time, download lot of dependencies and files and need additional space on your drive to compile. It can be a hassle to install and setup the required tools and libraries too. This highly depends on the project itself if its worth it. In example nobody in their right mind wants to compile their web browser (Firefox, Chromium, whatever) themselves (sorry if I offended someone with that. :D). But a simple and short C program is as simple as running make command in example (given the dependencies are installed, which are most likely for simple programs after a few programs have been compiled).

Most of the time you don’t need to compile software. Especially if you trust the source or its in the official repositories of your distribution.

Can it mess with my system in any way?

Depends on what you mean by that.

I still use my mouse with Krohnkite. I even move a window over another, to swap their positions, or change their size with my mouse. It’s not like using an auto tiler means no mouse usage.

KDE wants users to use the mouse.

We are not in GNOME here. KDE team does not want users to use their mouse. KDE usually is there for configuration and features, so that users can do whatever they want. I still think in a future the KDE team will implement “proper” auto tiling functionality.

I watched talks and discussions with Nate Graham. And yes, its obvious they don’t use auto tiling and don’t understand the benefit from it. That’s why the compromise they builtin is the way it is. But as time goes on, more tiling fans will arise, even GNOME and upcoming COSMIC have auto tiling builtin. There are working scripts to auto tile.

KDE will have builtin auto tiling functionality. It’s only a matter of time.

Krohnkite can do that too. You can float individual window on they fly with a keybinding, or switch the entire virtual desktop to float all layout. I even have setup my 4th desktop to always float. So this ability is available in KDE with Krohnkite already.

I tested Karousel addon too. It works. But found out I personally do not like “endless” scrolling window management. I just loose track of the windows and organizing something (especially when working on a project) did not work for me. That is an inherent “problem” of scrolling wms for me, not this script itself. Karousel worked fine.

I switched from a Qtile tiling window manager to KDE with Krohnkite. It does the job of handling the windows. The auto tiling aspect is the only thing I miss in any regular window management. The reason why I switched to KDE back then was, a problem with Qtile and because KDE was good on the Wayland front. In fact, it was the only viable option in my opinion for a desktop environment. I was also using lot of KDE applications anyway, so it made sense.

Cons: you have to use KDE with Krohnkite

I don’t see this as an con. Maybe you could argue that Krohnkite is not a core system functionality and we rely on some community member. BTW that was the biggest issue why I switched away from GNOME years ago, because too much core functionality was community dependent (and breaking). The KDE team themselves should integrate such a functionality. Auto tiling reaches was never more popular and KDE itself has some tiling functionality builtin, just not auto tiling.

Like Qtile had, I like we have many layouts to choose and cycle from. My 4th desktop is set to everything float; no tiling. I could not stand a auto tiler that has only one builtin layout logic.

But there are some couple problems using Krohnkite. It’s not as configurable as I am used to with Qtile off course. And getting rid of the borders and having colored borders in KDE for focused applications and such, was a pain to setup. KDE really need some builtin functionality for that.

Once gamescope even helped me recognizing my gamepad for a very specific game on Steam, which otherwise just didn’t want to. I think you can use gamescope without Steam too.

I do this too btw, when installing new os I always put the old drive out as a backup. You could make a present with cat girl ears xD wish you good luck. And btw also good luck on Linux.

and my gf a few weeks ago

Most people loose their gf when switching to Linux. So congratz on your new gf too. :D

I don’t think anyone would think you were a fanboy, just beacuse KDE has ton of configuration and customization. That’s the opposite of GNOME. I always think of GNOME like Apple, who decides what you can and cannot do, what you are allowed to. I used GNOME 2, then Unity, then GNOME 3 all the way from Ubuntu 2008 to what, 2020 (I forget when I switched to different distro for the first time).

You are not the only one. Its a taste. I personally like the KDE look the most, its beautiful to me. No other desktop environment looks this good.

What a banger release! Last time they focused on bug hunting, this time its about features. This ping pong focused development is very nice.

• KRunner Fuzzy Search: Not earth shattering, but welcome. I hope there is a way to dynamically force to enable or disable it. Sometimes fuzzy search can be in the way (I know it from other fuzzy search tools). My recommendation is ~ character to toggle the functionality: "~file" to enable fuzzy in example, if its disabled by default. I may even make a suggestion in the issue tracker, but I don’t know what options they integrated into it yet.

I don’t know of a service that tracks all major repositories to calculate a single popularity index. They are not really comparable to each other anyway.

Depending on what type of application you search for, I think “Flathub” could be one major source. It’s a pretty popular “platform” and not dependent on a certain distribution. There are “Trending” and “Popular” categories too. It’s excellent to find some new software (or to remind an older one exist) in my opinion. You don’t even need to install the Flatpak and can do it from Archlinux repositories (or the AUR if you prefer).

You have no clue what you saying.

I love the term “dumb TV” and “dumb phone”. :o)

The biggest roadblocks are the manual download and installation process of Linux, if we speak about casuals. I don’t know how important streaming services are, but besides the usual office and adobe application, certain popular videogames are also a blocker for casuals switching to Linux.

For your (or her) streaming, doesn’t it work in the web browser?

https://www.ubuntu-touch.io/apps/ can run Android apps with Waydroid. I don’t know if Signal works with this, but Android apps run with good performance using Waydroid (I just read about it, never used it myself).