K skjáborðið Try KDE
Trying out a desktop environment like KDE can seem a daunting task. Installing Linux or BSD requires a commitment that you may not be quite ready to give yet. Try KDE provides a list of resources for alternative methods of trying a KDE desktop and applications, some of them without even needing to have Linux or BSD installed.
Live CDs with KDE
A Linux live cd is a Linux operating system stored on a bootable CD or DVD. If your computer is set to boot from CD, putting the CD or DVD into your drive and rebooting your computer will let you boot from and run the Linux operating system on the CD or DVD media without needing to install it to your hard disk. When you remove the CD and reboot your computer again, it returns back to it's previous state. A live cd is a great way to try out KDE without having to install Linux to your hard disk. Running from a CD is slower than running from disk, so please keep in mind that KDE performs much better when it's installed.
To use these live CDs you will need a CD burner and CD burning software, a blank CDR or CDRW and up to 1GB of free disk space for storing and writing the image.
- Kubuntu Linux live CD with KDE 3.5:
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/releases/feisty/release/ - KNOPPIX Linux live CD with KDE 3.5:
http://www.knoppix.org/ - SLAX Linux live CD with KDE 3.5 and KOffice 1.5:
http://slax.linux-live.org/ - KLAX Linux live CD with KDE 3.4.2 and KOffice 1.4.1:
http://developer.kde.org/~binner/klax/ - Kanotix Linux live CD with KDE 3.5:
http://kanotix.com/index.php?&newlang=eng - Kororaa Linux live CD (warning: experimental software):
http://kororaa.org/static.php?page=livecd - PC Linux OS live CD with KDE 3.4:
http://www.pclinuxos.com/page.php?6 - Mandriva Linux live CD with KDE 3.5:
http://wwwnew.mandriva.com/en/downloads/mirrors/mandrivaoneiso - SimplyMEPIS Linux live CD with KDE:
http://www.mepis.com/node/79 - MyahOS Live CD with KDE 3.5.2:
http://myah.org/
Vmware Player
VMware have recently released a free 'VMware Player' application that will run a VMware virtual machine that has been created by a paid version of their product. A virtual machine is a computer emulated in software, letting you run a second operating system within your Microsoft Windows or Linux environment. This second operating system runs within a window on your desktop and acts much like a real computer. There is quite a severe performance penalty in emulating an entire second computer, so please keep in mind that KDE would run much faster if it was running natively on your computer under Linux or BSD.
To run these images you will need the appropriate VMware Player for your platform installed, at least 1GB of free disk space and preferably 256MB memory or more. To download VMware Player, visit http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
- SUSE 10.1 & KDE 3.5.4:
http://developer.kde.org/~binner/vmware/ - PC-BSD & KDE 3.5:
http://www.pcbsd.org/?p=download#vmware
Remote desktop
NX is a technology that allows remote desktop access based on open source technologies. The NX Client software is free and available for Linux, Microsoft Windows and Apple's OSX. Once installed, you can sign up for logins to either of these two servers to get a trial KDE desktop.
To download the NX Client software, visit http://www.nomachine.com/download.php
- cosmopod.com provide a remote KDE desktop using the NX protocol. The service is sponsored by advertising. http://www.cosmopod.com
- NoMachine provide a test server that allows you to try a KDE deskotp for 7 days as an evaluation service for the NX software: http://www.nomachine.com/testdrive.php
Klik
Klik is a framework for deploying applications as self contained bundles. Each Klik package is a single file that contains the complete application and the libraries it needs to run. Klik applications need no installation and do not affect any system files. They provide an easy method for people to try out software without needing to install it, which could possibly overwrite system versions of the program. This makes Klik a great way to try out KDE applications, especially beta versions that may be unstable or unsuitable for everyday use.
To get started with Klik easily, why not try the Kanotix Linux live CD, which comes with the Klik framework preinstalled?
To install the Klik framework and download Klik packages, visit http://klik.atekon.de/
Community
Try KDE wants to grow with the community's needs. Do you have suggestions for content that to you highlights what a KDE experience should be, and preferably can be used on OSX and Windows as well as Linux? Please email the maintainer of this page at jhall (AT) kde.org with your ideas.
