Kubuntu 14.10

On the DVD

This month, on our double-sided disk, we have the newest version of Kubuntu, 14.10. Kubuntu is probably the best distro if you want to use KDE's solid desktop. It is updated often with the latest the KDE community has to offer and is frequently used as the test bed for new technologies that will shape the future of the project.

Side A comes with the 64-bit version of Kubuntu 14.10, with KDE's ever so powerful Plasma desktop. Plasma is loaded with dozens, if not hundreds, of productivity apps, games, and educational software. The environment is famous for being flexible and super-configurable.

Side B is a bit of an experiment: KDE's Plasma 5 desktop shows the shape of things to come in regard to free graphical user environments. As such, not everything is finished or polished, and you may find a few bugs here and there (see the "Starting Up Error" box below). But, we wanted to give you the chance to experience first hand the future of the desktop.

Plasma 4.4 desktop (side A)
Plasma 5.2 desktop (side B)
Linux kernel 3.16
Firefox 33.0
LibreOffice 4.3
Improved stability and connectivity

Double-Sided DVD

This DVD is a double-sided live disk. You can try out the operating systems on the disk without installing anything on your computer. You can later install Kubuntu from the live desktop.

This DVD has a label on side A of the disk, so if you want to run Kubuntu 4.10 – Plasma 4, the side with the label should be facing up in the tray. If you want to try out Plasma 5.2, you should insert the DVD in your reader with the side with the label facing down.

Starting Up Error

Some users have reported an error when trying to boot into KDE Plasma 5.2 on Kubuntu 14.10. After the boot has finished, the graphical interface doesn't start and you are left on a console screen with a warning message about saned being disabled.

Getting to the graphical desktop is simple enough: Hold down Ctrl+Alt+F1 to get to a terminal session prompt and kill all instances of the X server with