Solus Plasma defaults

JacekJagosz The plata maintainer hates QT, and wont make a Kvantum (A theme engine for QT that makes it easier to create individual themes) or QT theme for Plasma. That said, feel free to try making a Kvantum theme for it. That's why the Plasma desktop in Solus just uses a color scheme.

jgs How can I go about doing that? I like it better than the plasma logo.

First of all thanks Girtablulu for asking users their inconveniences and needs.

Following are few changes which I make after every KDE install.
1) In a dark theme, black shadows for windows totally defy the purpose of shadows, instead white/light glow is essential as shown in screenshots below. This I see overlooked at almost all places/distros I tested till now with default dark theme.
2) Double click title bar to maximize vertically ( at system settings > window behavior > titlebar actions).
3) There are multiple options pre-configured in KDE to maximize the windows, the most annoying is ‘windows dragged to top of screen edge’, which I deselect at workspace behavior > screen edges.
4) Middle click to shade ( at system settings > window behavior > titlebar actions).
5) Window decorator Breez is OK, but KDE means maximum freedom for configuration. So availability of window decorator ‘oxygen’ in default installation will help the new users to explore KDE.

6) Other than breeze, the two application styles, fusion and ms windows, are present in iso , but they are not convenient. The scroll bar and progress bar is not clearly visible in them. ‘qtcurve’ is a feature rich application style (widget style) which is not in repo. (The screenshot is from Neptune 6 OS).

7) In breeze win deco, title bar height is decided by fonts as well as buttons, whichever is greater. So Keeping title bar fonts bold but of less size than other fonts help in reducing it’s height.
8) Regarding colors :- Active window must be easily distinguishable, so its title bar should have contrast color and inactive window title bar should of less saturated color than the active one. Translucency of inactive window to distinguish the active window is a trouble if one wants to compare 2 images keenly in two windows.
9) Selection color of higher contrast or saturation is especially necessary in Gwenview, because by default first image is selected in Gwenview and when you select some image by clicking '+' sign on it to delete, the first image also gets deleted. One must remember to deselect the first image by clicking in empty space or by clicking on '-' sign on it. So I never delete images from Gwenview but use Dolphin. When they are going to make Gwenview to behave like dolphin, I don't know. Distinctive selection color makes one aware of the 1st image under selection.
10) Cursor theme ‘Breez Snow’.
11) Not a must, but welcome is addition of dark blue-black desktop theme, I mean different from the black variants used in dolphin etc. system wide, so that the start menu and it’s sub menus will be easily separable from the background and other openapplications.

12) What are your thoughts on inclusion of ‘Krusader’ preferably or “mc” in the default installation? It is debatable/disputable as GUI application should not be started with elevated privileges, but what an average user should do?

Please save us from having a nightmare of dark theme over a dark background with dark windows of dark title bars and shadows covered by equally dark menu, nothing distinguishable from each other.

(Few configuration details I have mentioned in detail, not for you but, for the newcomers to make changes in their settings.)

Yeah, hard pass.

jwinnie8 Distros aren't maintaining themes, well most of them aren't. Theme developers are. And until they lock people out of changing themes it'll happen. And at that point people will change toolkits immediately.

All I can say is that it looks pretty and works well. Just as lite as Solus MATE on my system.

I agree with paulvg regarding clean session. It's standard for most desktops.

Girtablulu It's a shame the music player don't work. Everything works in Budgie, except there is no auto pop up asking me which program to use to open the inserted music CD.

It was the same with many other distros. KDE looks nice but everything doesn't work, like in Gnome or Budgie.

Just a few thoughts for what it's worth.

lekkerlinux I honestly thought most people that user PCs had moved on from CDs, I guess not.

Justin I honestly thought most people that user PCs had moved on from CDs

Personally, I have a large collection that I've ripped to the Music share on my NAS, but I usually keep a dozen or so CDs in my car for music while I'm driving. When I get tired of those, I exchange them for a different dozen or so to play in the car.

When I rip CDs to the NAS, I store the originals. If I'm ever accused of piracy because of ripping the CDs, I can always provide the originals to show that I paid for them. I just don't like dealing with the discs and cases for listening at home.

WetGeek Yes, I have a lot of CD's and even some vinyls in the garage. Never got to buying a vinyl record player again, yet. I was a graze the past few years, don't even know if it's over yet.

Justin Yes, it's much better seeing your favourite song on you tube, rather than just listening to the music, but it eats up data and I am prepaid mobile data.

I use DVD's still to install Linux because I never figured out how to install or use the USB burner program.

I once picket up a cd from the dusty floor with Zorin on it from years ago, when the other Linux on my PC disappeared. Memory stick are easier to loose.

Okay, this is way of thread, but if you buy music from say the Google Play store, is it stored in Google drive or something?

Ok.. So I have to say the Solus implementation of KDE is absolutely amazing. I have tried KDE before.. in Manjaro, Ubuntu and the previously unstable release.

I HATE THEM ALL. Hate Hate HATE. I have only ever HATED KDE.

But by God, you all did a freaking -brilliant- job implementing KDE. I actually enjoy it using it. I spend most of my time (over)customizing things.. and I really do feel that it is overkill and things are easier in Budgie. But still.. amazing implementation guys.

One question though.. I have Budgie installed on two laptops and installed KDE as a DE so I can choose to use it as needed. I know that this can cause potential problems but I haven't had a single issue (except existing issues in KDE, like trying to figure out how the Wallet worked, and issues with getting KMail to add my email accounts, nothing Solus related).

I installed SOlus on my roomates computer. He migrated away from Windows 10 completely. He prefers Gnome to Budgie though and so he is using GDM instead of lightdm. I think he would REALLY enjoy the KDE version of Solus. I haven't had any issues running Budgie/KDE side by side.

Are there any potential conflicts that might arise from using GDM (because of Gnome installed next to Budgie) AND having KDE installed as well?

Just researching before I dive in and get him to do it!