X11's Death Knell: Why KDE Plasma Needs Wayland to Handle Multi-Monitor Madness
Achieving truly independent, per-screen virtual desktops was technically blocked by the EWMH specification within X11, a hurdle that developers have wrestled with since 2005.
The prevailing take is that the limitation is entirely the display server itself. Kjetil Kjernsmo noted this exact feature need dates back to KDE 3.3.2. The high-scoring arguments confirm that the solution path points squarely at Wayland, which is viewed as providing the necessary architectural freedom where X11 failed. The underlying friction is the functional demand versus the old spec.
The consensus is clear: Wayland is the required architecture for modern, complex multi-monitor workflows in KDE Plasma. The technical consensus frames this as a necessary evolution away from X11's inherent limitations.
Key Points
Independent per-screen desktops were technically impossible under X11.
The EWMH specification is cited as the historical blocker for this capability.
The feature request is not new.
Kjetil Kjernsmo flagged the need for this functionality as early as KDE 3.3.2 in 2005.
Wayland adoption is the only viable path forward.
The current development focus and highest-scoring argument point directly to Wayland providing the necessary freedom.
The need for this feature has ballooned with workstation complexity.
General observation notes the increased prevalence of complex multi-monitor setups fueling this demand.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.