KDE 4 is in a word, cool. You don't have to take my word for it, though. You can download your own test drive copy from KDE 4 Live CD. This is a live openSUSE 10.x CD with KDE 4.x on it. If you like what you see, you can install the live CD snapshot onto your hard drive by going to System->Administrator Settings->Miscellaneous->Live Installer. You can customize the installation by selecting the Change button or you can click Accept to use the default parameters and begin the install process immediately.

KDE 4 promises to provide a dynamic and customizable desktop experience. The idea of a living desktop has been the goal of developers for years and now technology has opened the door for it to become a reality. It is an ambitious project that will pay off abundantly for the end user.

Although I really like KDE 4, I strongly suggest you wait until it has an opportunity to mature a bit more before using it on production-level systems or, for that matter, any system that requires stability. Currently, far too many applications and features don't completely work or are still in development. If you decide to use KDE 4, stay current with fixes and new releases as they become available. The 4.1 version is due out mid 2008 and will be well worth the wait.

Kenneth Hess is a freelance technical writer who writes on a variety of subjects including: Linux, MySQL, SQLite, PHP, and Apache. You may reach Ken via his website at www.kenhess.com.

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