KRunner is one of those KDE applications that people generally take for granted. Since it has the same shortcut key, Alt+F2, as Gnome’s Run Application terminal, those who have just started using KDE generally assume that it is just another version of Gnome’s Run Application terminal. However, it cannot be farther from the truth. In reality KRunner is one of KDE 4.3’s most useful application.

With the next version of KDE SC to be released early next year, KRunner, one of KDE SC’s most powerful feature since v4.0, is getting some major updates. The hard feature freeze for KDE SC 4.4 is already done. So, in this article, we shall look at some changes.

It's the "run command" dialog of KDE, it was already available for KDE 3.5.x, but it got a new appeareance and functions, now it's completely plugin based, and shares your plasmoid theme. I already showed a screenshot of it in the Plasma Article, but here is another one in case you forgot about it

KDE have released version 4.8 of their free and open source software bundle. It provides many new features, improved stability and increased performance. Highlights for Plasma Workspaces include window manager optimizations, and the redesign of power management.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you the brand new shiny Plasma theme that will be used for KDE 4.1. You can see the new applet and KRunner backgrounds, the new panel, our brand-new carbon fiber clock and some items that once upon a time weren't themed at all, like the pager and the taskbar. The theming support is now even more extensive.

KDE users get a nifty little app called KRunner that allows them to run all sorts of actions on a number of different resources available to the current user. Actions vary in a number of ways, allowing users to do things like launch applications, open web pages, play music, open documents, search for files, and so on.

A review of some features of the upcoming KDE 4.1, featuring Panel configuration, Gwenview, Marble, folder views and even Akonadi.

Alexander Dymo writes: "KDE 4.2 is going to be the first "real" release targeted not only at KDE developers and enthusiasts, but at general public - all the people who eagerly waited for the next KDE desktop to arrive. With this review I'd like to let people know that the KDE 4 is ready and to once again celebrate the hard work of all the people who put tremendous effort creating this great desktop."

I had to set up a Fedora 8 machine recently.  The installation process was simple enough, but configuring the system reminded me of several simple features that I take for granted when using Ubuntu, but which, when absent, make the user experience significantly more daunting.  Below are four of the features that provide an extra boost of user-friendliness to Ubuntu.