KDE Plasma 6.7 Brings Back Oxygen Themes, Sparks Debate Over Usability
KDE Plasma 6.7 reintroduces the Oxygen and Air themes from KDE 4, adds per-screen virtual desktops, and improves features like microphone testing and special character input, marking a significant update for daily use. Users are divided on the usability of new features like the 'type-ahead' on the desktop and the 'faster virtual desktop switching in the Overview' with Page Down/Up shortcuts. rozodru praised the return of classic themes and global push-to-talk features, calling Plasma a viable daily driver. Meanwhile, thingsiplay found the shortcut method awkward compared to direct desktop number shortcuts they're used to from tiling window managers. The release also includes Plasma Bigscreen, but its distribution across distros like Pop!_OS is uncertain, with users like jtrek unsure when they'll get the update. The community consensus highlights the value of the new features, but there are clear fault lines over usability and distribution timelines.
The return of Oxygen and Air themes has been a major win for many users, with rozodru calling it a significant improvement. thingsiplay also praised per-screen virtual desktops for their multi-screen setup and the press-and-hold special characters feature for workflow efficiency. However, the same user questioned the practicality of the 'Background Apps' in the System Tray for apps without tray icons. Others, like asudox, noted that Plasma Bigscreen is included in 6.7 but may take time to reach broader distributions. The debate over shortcut methods and feature usability shows a clear divide in user preferences.
The community largely agrees that Plasma 6.7 is a substantial improvement with meaningful features, but there are notable disagreements on usability and distribution. While some users are excited about the return of classic themes and new productivity tools, others are frustrated by the learning curve and distribution delays. The key debate centers on whether the new features are intuitive and accessible, and whether the update will be widely available to all users in a timely manner.
Key Points
#1The return of Oxygen and Air themes is widely praised as a major improvement.
rozodru called the return of these themes a significant enhancement, making Plasma a viable daily driver.
#2Per-screen virtual desktops are seen as a welcome fix for multi-screen setups.
thingsiplay highlighted the usefulness of per-screen virtual desktops for their workflow.
#3The 'type-ahead' feature and virtual desktop switching via shortcuts are controversial.
rozodru praised the new features, while thingsiplay found the shortcut method awkward.
#4Plasma Bigscreen is included in 6.7 but may not be widely available soon.
asudox and melfie noted that the feature might take time to reach broader distributions.
#5The 'Background Apps' feature in the System Tray is seen as potentially useful but uncertain.
thingsiplay questioned the practicality of the feature for apps without tray icons.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.