KDE Plasma 6.7.0 to Streamline Printer Management and Enhance Desktop Experience
The KDE Plasma team continues to rapidly iterate on its desktop environment, with the upcoming 6.7.0 release focusing on usability improvements and new features. While version 6.6.0 recently landed for users, developers are already pushing ahead with enhancements slated for 6.7.0, including a significant overhaul to printer management and refinements to desktop navigation and stylus support.
For years, printers have been a consistent source of frustration for computer users, regardless of the operating system or era. From paper jams to connectivity issues and toner depletion, the experience is often less than seamless. Recognizing this ongoing challenge, the KDE team is addressing printer handling directly within Plasma 6.7.0.
The core of this improvement is a new, full-featured print queue viewer. As Mike Noe, a KDE developer, explained in a merge request (print-manager MR #280), the new viewer is designed to handle multiple printers – both local and networked – with greater clarity and control. This is particularly beneficial for enterprise environments where numerous printers are common, but also offers a more intuitive experience for home users with multiple devices.
Beyond printer management, Plasma 6.7.0 introduces enhancements to desktop navigation. Users will be able to switch between virtual desktops within the Overview effect by simply scrolling or using the Page Up and Page Down keys. This provides a more fluid and efficient way to manage multiple workspaces, particularly for those who rely heavily on virtual desktops for organization.
The update also brings improvements for users with stylus devices on Wayland. A new option allows for synchronization between the stylus pointer and the mouse/touchpad pointer. This feature caters to users who prefer a consistent pointing experience across different input methods, ensuring a more natural and intuitive workflow.
These changes build upon the foundation laid by Plasma 6.6.0, which itself focused heavily on bug fixes and polishing. The KDE team dedicated significant effort to resolving high-priority issues, fixing 18 such bugs – representing 28% of all open issues – in preparation for the 6.6.0 release. This commitment to stability and refinement is evident in the rapid development cycle leading to 6.7.0.
The release of Plasma 6.7.0 is still some time away, but these early previews demonstrate the KDE team’s dedication to improving the user experience. The combination of practical enhancements like improved printer management and workflow optimizations like streamlined desktop switching suggests a release focused on making KDE Plasma an even more productive and user-friendly desktop environment. Further details and ongoing development updates can be found on the KDE Plasma blog.
