Linux Format - UK (2020-03)

20 LXF260 March 2020 http://www.linuxformat.com

REVIEWS Distribution

An independent

distro that

uses what

can be best

described as

a conservative

rolling release

model. Its

raison d’être

is to deliver

a coherent

desktop

experience

thanks to

its focus on a

single desktop

environment

(KDE) and

toolkit (Qt), as

well as one

architecture

(x86_64).

CPU: Any

64-bit processor

MEM: 2GB

HDD: 25GB

BUILD: 64-bit

IN BRIEF

MIN SPECS

VERDICT

on the distro for a long time has been Calligra Suite.

However, while this is adequate for several tasks, it isn’t a

match for LibreOffice in terms of functionality. KaOS has

now replaced it with stock LibreOffice, thanks to its

improved KDE integration that enables it to ship as a pure

Qt app.

To help users flesh out their installer, KaOS uses the

Octopi graphical application installer, which is a front-end

to the powerful Pacman package manager. So while it

makes use of Arch tools, KaOS is not your typical Arch-

based distro.

As we mentioned earlier, in order to maintain its

tight integration KaOS builds all its packages in its

three repositories from scratch specifically for KaOS.

Furthermore, it also provides a user community package

repository called KaOS Community Packages (KCP). You

can browse KCPs on the project’s website and install

them essentially with a single click, thanks to a helper

program that’s integrated into the distro’s package

management system.

he real difference that sets KaOS apart from

others like it isn’t in the specifications but in the

execution. On paper KaOS is a KDE distro that’s

available only for 64-bit machines. Pull the blinds up and

you’ll see tools, utilities and methodologies cannibalised

from various different projects, all neatly stacked into a

cohesive installation that behaves and performs

admirably well.

KaOS’s developers have structured the project’s

infrastructure to meet their objectives. The repository

structure enables the developers to ship a rolling release

that’s more conservative and stable than its more

bleeding-edge peers. Since the project builds its own

packages, the developers can also ensure that the

toolchain is completely GTK-free, which delivers a far

cleaner and more integrated KDE experience than other

distros (that are not KDE neon).

The first thing you notice about KaOS’ custom KDE

desktop is the awkwardly placed application launcher

that’s on the right side of the desktop. We tried using it

where it was but it turned out to be too much of a

distraction. On the plus side though, repositioning the

application launcher is perhaps the only thing you’d want

to change about the distro.

KaOS is a live installable distro that uses the Calamares

installer. One of the highlights of the latest release is the

improved support for Nvidia’s hybrid graphics hardware.

To that end, the Calamares installer has been tweaked to

support the non-free Nvidia Prime technology as well. The

distro uses the XFS filesystem, and you can’t switch to

another, unless you are installing in a UEFI-equipped box,

which requires a Fat32-formatted /boot partition.

Also, while the distro believes in adapting existing tools

for its needs, it recently dropped the Kaptan greeter app

in favour of its own home-brewed version called Croeso,

which is Welsh for welcome. The QML-coded Croeso

exposes a lot more settings than other greeters. In fact,

we think that the app can be used as an alternative to

KDE Control Center to tweak the frequently used settings,

which is how we used it. Surprisingly, the greeter app

when running KaOS in the live environment, which

includes an offline installation guide, isn’t Croeso.

The usual suspects

KaOS bundles all the usual productivity apps that you’d

expect from a desktop distro. Two that stand out in the

menus, however, are the client for the Seafile file-hosting

server and a link to the web-based instance of the

proprietary communications platform, Skype. The app

that was conspicuous by its absence was an email client.

Two popular apps that have long been the Achilles’

heel of KDE-only distros like KaOS are Firefox and

LibreOffice. For the browser, KaOS relies on Falkon

(previously known as QupZilla) which is essentially just a

Qt-wrapper for Chromium. The office suite of choice used

KaOS 2020.

Just because he can’t resist his urge to pronounce it as chaos

doesn’t make it true, discovers a flustered Mayank Sharma.

T

We don’t like distros making decisions on our

behalf, but KaOS does a wonderful job of delivering

a tightly integrated desktop that performs well – as

long as you agree with its choices.

FEATURES 8/

PERFORMANCE 9/

EASE OF USE 8/

DOCUMENTATION 7/

Rating 8/

DEVELOPER: The KaOS team

WEB: https://kaosx.us

LICENCE: Several

Besides the Croeso greeter, the distro also includes another custom

utility to transfer ISOs to USB.

20 LXF260March 2020 2220March Justb0eJs

REVIEWS Distribution

Anindependent
distrothat
useswhat
canbebest
describedas
aconservative
rollingrelease
model.Its
raisond’être
istodeliver
acoherent
desktop
experience
thanksto
itsfocusona
singledesktop
environment
(KDE)and
toolkit(Qt),as
wellasone
architecture
(x86_64).

CPU:Any
64-bitprocessor
MEM:2GB
HDD:25GB
BUILD:64-bit

INBRIEF

MINSPECS

VERDICT

onthedistroforalongtimehasbeenCalligraSuite.

However,whilethisisadequateforseveraltasks,itisn’ta

matchforLibreOfficeintermsoffunctionality.KaOShas

nowreplaceditwithstockLibreOffice,thankstoits

improvedKDEintegrationthatenablesittoshipasapure

Qtapp.

Tohelpusersfleshouttheirinstaller,KaOSusesthe

Octopigraphicalapplicationinstaller,whichisafront-end

tothepowerfulPacmanpackagemanager.Sowhileit

makesuseofArchtools,KaOSisnotyourtypicalArch-

baseddistro.

Aswementionedearlier,inordertomaintainits

tightintegrationKaOSbuildsallitspackagesinits

threerepositoriesfromscratchspecificallyforKaOS.

Furthermore,italsoprovidesausercommunitypackage

repositorycalledKaOSCommunityPackages(KCP).You

canbrowseKCPsontheproject’swebsiteandinstall

themessentiallywithasingleclick,thankstoahelper

programthat’sintegratedintothedistro’spackage

managementsystem.

herealdifferencethatsetsKaOSapartfrom

otherslikeitisn’tinthespecificationsbutinthe

execution.OnpaperKaOSisaKDEdistrothat’s

availableonlyfor64-bitmachines.Pulltheblindsupand

you’llseetools,utilitiesandmethodologiescannibalised

fromvariousdifferentprojects,allneatlystackedintoa

cohesiveinstallationthatbehavesandperforms

admirablywell.

KaOS’sdevelopershavestructuredtheproject’s

infrastructuretomeettheirobjectives.Therepository

structureenablesthedeveloperstoshiparollingrelease

that’smoreconservativeandstablethanitsmore

bleeding-edgepeers.Sincetheprojectbuildsitsown

packages,thedeveloperscanalsoensurethatthe

toolchainiscompletelyGTK-free,whichdeliversafar

cleanerandmoreintegratedKDEexperiencethanother

distros(thatarenotKDEneon).

ThefirstthingyounoticeaboutKaOS’customKDE

desktopistheawkwardlyplacedapplicationlauncher

that’sontherightsideofthedesktop.Wetriedusingit

whereitwasbutitturnedouttobetoomuchofa

distraction.Ontheplussidethough,repositioningthe

applicationlauncherisperhapstheonlythingyou’dwant

tochangeaboutthedistro.

KaOSisaliveinstallabledistrothatusestheCalamares

installer.Oneofthehighlightsofthelatestreleaseisthe

improvedsupportforNvidia’shybridgraphicshardware.

Tothatend,theCalamaresinstallerhasbeentweakedto

supportthenon-freeNvidiaPrimetechnologyaswell.The

distrousestheXFSfilesystem,andyoucan’tswitchto

another,unlessyouareinstallinginaUEFI-equippedbox,

whichrequiresaFat32-formatted/bootpartition.

Also,whilethedistrobelievesinadaptingexistingtools

foritsneeds,itrecentlydroppedtheKaptangreeterapp

infavourofitsownhome-brewedversioncalledCroeso,

whichisWelshforwelcome.TheQML-codedCroeso

exposesalotmoresettingsthanothergreeters.Infact,

wethinkthattheappcanbeusedasanalternativeto

KDEControlCentertotweakthefrequentlyusedsettings,

whichishowweusedit.Surprisingly,thegreeterapp

whenrunningKaOSintheliveenvironment,which

includesanofflineinstallationguide,isn’tCroeso.

Theusualsuspects

KaOSbundlesalltheusualproductivityappsthatyou’d

expectfromadesktopdistro.Twothatstandoutinthe

menus,however,aretheclientfortheSeafilefile-hosting

serverandalinktotheweb-basedinstanceofthe

proprietarycommunicationsplatform,Skype.Theapp

thatwasconspicuousbyitsabsencewasanemailclient.

TwopopularappsthathavelongbeentheAchilles’

heelofKDE-onlydistroslikeKaOSareFirefoxand

LibreOffice.Forthebrowser,KaOSreliesonFalkon

(previouslyknownasQupZilla)whichisessentiallyjusta

Qt-wrapper for Chromium. The office suite of choice used

KaOS 2020.

Just because he can’t resist his urge to pronounce it as chaos

doesn’t make it true, discovers a flustered Mayank Sharma.

T

Wedon’tlikedistrosmakingdecisionsonour

behalf,butKaOSdoesawonderfuljobofdelivering

atightlyintegrateddesktopthatperformswell–as

longasyouagreewithitschoices.

FEATURES 8/

PERFORMANCE 9/

EASEOFUSE 8/

DOCUMENTATION 7/

Rating 8/

DEVELOPER: The KaOS team

WEB: https://kaosx.us

LICENCE: Several

Besides the Croeso greeter, the distro also includes another custom

utility to transfer ISOs to USB.