submitted 1 week ago by thor@mast.ttk.is to c/kde@lemmy.kde.social

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🧵

The other day I learnt that @kde is brewing their own Linux distribution, and it's been living rent-free in my head since. And I think I've come to a conclusion.

I am 100% sure that those involved are 100% vested in the idea - but yet, it sits 100% wrong with me.

Why? What if GoodYear starts making their own cars? They would tight-fit their tyres to their own cars, not all cars in general. Same if Pirelli starts makeing their own cars.

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[-] DmMacniel@feddit.org 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

They are doing it (KDE Neon) as a testbed for KDE specific development and KDE apps (including gear) and they are doing it on top of Ubuntu.

Tire manufactures test their stuff on machines that simulate cars. But they would never built their own as well they lack the expertise and why would you in the first place when all your stuff sells better when it fit on regular rims?

Same with KDE Neon, KDE is most successfully when their DE and apps are run by the most users. That's why those apps also can be compiled to non linux/Unix OSes like Windows, MacOS and Android.

[-] thor@mast.ttk.is 0 points 1 week ago

@DmMacniel I get that - my point was mainly that by creating a distro of their own, they set a certain baseline, nudging reality away from what the distro (in this case Ubuntu) they use as a baseline offers.

If you use a vanilla distribution as a baseline and then have your testbed on top of that, then there's no issue and no mixed messages. But if you create your own distro "based on XYZ" then XYZ isn't the baseline anymore - and that sets a certain message.

[-] DmMacniel@feddit.org 2 points 1 week ago

please refer to the FAQ: https://neon.kde.org/faq

What is KDE neon? 🔗

KDE neon is a Linux distribution built on top of the latest Ubuntu LTS release (24.04 at the moment) that showcases KDE software exactly as the KDE developers intended it, with no patches and no changes to default settings. Adventurous users are encouraged to try out User Edition. KDE testers can try out unreleased KDE software using the Testing and Unstable Editions.

Is this "the KDE distro"? 🔗

Nope. KDE believes it is important to work with many distributions, as each brings unique value and expertise for its users. KDE neon is one distro out of many, and that diversity is a good thing!

thats literally all you need; it is a testbed for the latest and greatest that KDE has to offer, nothing more and nothing less.

[-] thor@mast.ttk.is 0 points 1 week ago

@DmMacniel Thanks, I missed that document! This clears up all of my worries.

It also clarifies that it is't a distro in itself - and that's the important part :)

This was the proper response, and I salute you for it 🫡

Have a nice day!

[-] thor@mast.ttk.is 2 points 1 week ago

@kde 🧵(2/?)

Or what if Heinz starts making their own fast-food chain and only supplies their condiments to said chain?

This is a bad idea *because* it is reversing the supply-chain, redirecting efforts that should be focused on the KDE ecosystem (the tip of the iceberg) and moves it to the bottom. Away from what matters.

It WILL eventually lead to KDE isolation, a foundation fragmentation and frivolous forking.

It is that kind of an idea everyone thinks is either great, comical or satirical

[-] thor@mast.ttk.is 1 points 1 week ago

@kde 🧵(3/?)

- until it's in your face and all of a sudden you realize that you perhaps should have voted differently, as all of a sudden everyone is deporting you, GNOME is taking over and you sit in your little corner cowering in fear.

And no, I'm not talking about a farmer in the US voting for Trump - but there clearly is an analogy.

Wake up and smell the reality. The reality is - you asked the wrong question. It never was "can we do it" or "do we want to do it".

[-] thor@mast.ttk.is 1 points 1 week ago

@kde 🧵(4/4)

Leave others to what they do best. Focus your efforts on what matters - there is still a whole lot to do in KDE to make it the best there is. A massive amount of issues to work out in the UI/UX so that drawing in new users doesn't have to be a long walk on broken glass.

And the project manager that thought this would be a good idea? Reassign him to making Kcalc better.

this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2026

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