14 DAY TRIAL // Several KDE developers have been working on improving the lock, login, and logout screens of the KDE Plasma desktop environment, which will go live with the next major release, KDE Plasma 5.16.
The KDE Plasma 5.16 desktop environment is currently in the works, due for release this summer, and new KDE contributors Filip Fila and Krešimir Čohar have been trying to improve the lock and feel of the login, lock, and logout screens to make them look more modern, usable, and beautiful.
Their work made the login screen more prettier with a toned-down fader effect for the background so you can clearly see the labels, as well as a new magnification effect for the user icons in focus. On the other hand, the logout screen received improved controls with new subtle transparent background, lighted up text, and reworked or new icons.
Last but not least, the login button has been simplified on the login window. You can see all these improvements in action in the screenshot gallery at the end of the article, as well as the final result of how the login screen will look like after you'll update your KDE Plasma desktop environment to version 5.16 this summer.
"We’ve had a lot of fun implementing all of these changes, our knowledge of Plasma and of computer science in general has increased by leaps and bounds, and the process and the results have been incredibly rewarding. We’re hoping that this login screen will stand the test of time," said the devs in a blog post.
KDE Plasma 5.16 desktop launches June 11th, beta available May 16th
Besides the improvements to the login, logout and lock screens, the KDE Plasma 5.16 desktop environment also brings a new keyboard shortcut (Super+D) for showing and hiding the desktop, support for locking and unlocking Plasma Vaults directly from within the Dolphin file manager, as well as many other smaller enhancements and optimizations.
The KDE Plasma 5.16 desktop environment will enter public beta testing on May 16th, 2019, and the final release is scheduled to hit the streets on June 11th. Until then, the KDE Project released the fourth maintenance update to the KDE Plasma 5.15 desktop environment series, so make sure you update your installations as soon as possible.
