With the release of KDE 4.12 around December the 18th, KaOS will release it's next stable ISO. Testing for it will start now, using KDE 4.11.97 RC.

There have been a tremendous amount of changes, hopefully all will test well, so not too many will have to be reverted.

Test ISO KaOS 2013.12.08 is the first ISO that will be available with a kernel that supports hybrid graphics (power savings, prime), Linux 3.12.4

Because of moving to a new major version so early in this cycle, lots of testing will be needed before this kernel will move to the stable users. All using linux-next, please boot into linux (core) for the next week or so, the versions are the same at this time anyway.

More security is added, autologin is disabled, firewall enabled by default. Please test if your normal internet use is not affected. Using torrents probably will see the need from now on to set firewall rules.

The Installer has had a complete overhaul to get more in line with the Kotonaru look.

Four more languages are added to the translation of the Installer, Calligra is now localized on install (installer takes care of removing not used language packs, please check if all works correctly).

In live mode, memtest is possible, this app is updated to the latest version. PCI ids are updated, a few hundred more devices are on the list, hopefully this will bring support for many new Nvidia cards.

Home directories are now created with localization enabled.

This first test ISO comes with all language packs, but are from KDE 4.11.4, so expect some translation errors, this will be gone once language packs are build for 4.12. Not many apps are added, though non-free Nvidia is available, so a very complete testing will be possible.

As always, test ISOs are at:

Home directories are not created localized on this ISO, issue is fixed in git, will be corrected on next ISO.

Just in case it is not clear, these ISOs are not build on just the stable repositories. When helping with testing, you'll need to enable and in /etc/pacman.conf.

5 days later

What will hopefully be the final build for the KDE 4.12 ISO is up:

If all is ok, expect this ISO to be released as the next stable Wednesday.

Changes since last test-build:

  • linux 3.12.5

  • all correct language packs

  • new X stack with xorg-server 1.1.45, mesa 10.0.1

  • home directories are created in correct locale

  • some visual changes to the installer

  • German language added to the Installer

  • hotot added to have Qt5 5.2.0 for every user

Though the ISO tested well, there were some translation issues and a few leftover ugly .desktop files, nothing that would have been a showstopper to release the 2013.12.14 as the next stable, but there is enough time to test one more build before a planned release Wednesday.

No major changes at all in 2013.12.16, just a little quality control. It is up in the usual place:

Anyone who got the 2013.12.16 ISO, no need to test, the overlay packages did not make it onto that ISO, so the install will fail.

New ISO will be up asap.

Just downloaded the new iso 2013.12.17, is this gonna be close to the final one? Otherwise i wait on the stable one because i have made the step to rolling for not installing every 6 months.

This should be final, but any other test ISO you installed has no need to re-install (just use the repo during the ISO testing period), pacman -Syu will always get you the latest.

This thread is for those willing to help testing the ISOs, not the distribution.