KDE 4.5.5

Konqueror Browser
Konqueror is KDE by The KDE Project`s next-generation web browser, file manager and document viewer. Widely heralded as a technological break-through for the GNU/Linux desktop, the standards-compliant Konqueror has a component-based architecture which combines the features and functionality of Internet Explorer/Netscape Communicator and Windows Explorer. Konqueror supports the full gamut of current Internet technologies, including JavaScript, Java, HTML 4. 0, CSS-1 and -2 (Cascading Style Sheets), SSL (Secure Socket Layer for secure communications) and Netscape Communicator plug-ins (for playing Flash, RealAudio, RealVideo and similar technologies).

KOffice Office Suite
KDE 4.5.5 also ships with the highly anticipated release of the KOffice suite. The integrated suite consists of a spreadsheet application (KSpread), a vector drawing application (Karbon), a frame-based word-processing application (KWord), a presentation program (KPresenter), and a chart and diagram application (KChart). Native file formats are XML-based, and work on filters for proprietary binary file formats is progressing. Combined with a powerful scripting language and the ability to embed individuals components within each other using KDE [kde4.5.5.exe]`s component technology (KParts), the free KOffice suite provides all the necessary functionality to all but the most demanding power users.

KIO Network Transparency
In addition, KIO`s network transparency offers seamless support for accessing or browsing files on GNU/Linux, NFS shares, MS Windows SMB shares, HTTP pages, FTP directories and LDAP directories. The modular, plug-in nature of KDE - 6.28MB`s file architecture makes it simple to add additional protocols (such as IPX or WebDAV) to KDE - 6.28MB, which would then automatically be available to all KDE 4.5.5 applications.

aRts Multimedia Architecture
KDE 2. 0 introduced a new multimedia architecture based on aRts, the Analog Realtime Synthesizer. ARts enables playing multiple audio or video streams concurrently, whether on the desktop or over a network. ARts is a full-featured sound system, and includes filters, a modular analog synthesizer and a mixer. Its architecture allows developers to create additional filter plugins and users to apply sequences of filters using a graphical drag-n-drop approach. Video support is available for MPEG versions 1, 2 and 4 (experimental), as well as the AVI and DivX formats.

Customizability
KDE`s customizability touches every aspect of this next-generation desktop. KDE`s sophisticated theme support starts with Qt`s style engine, which permits developers and artists to create their own widget designs. KDE ships with over 14 of these styles, some of which emulate the look of various operating systems. Other configuration options permit users to: choose among icon themes and system sounds (using a simple drop-and-replace approach); configure key bindings; select from over 50 languages; customize toolbar layouts and entries and menu composition; employ single-click or double-click to activate desktop items; navigate the desktop using a keyboard instead of a mouse; and much, much more. Moreover, KDE fully supports Unicode and KHTML is the only free HTML rendering engine on GNU/Linux/X11 that features nascent support for BiDi scripts such as Arabic and Hebrew.

Standards Compliance
Besides the exceptional compliance with Internet and file-sharing standards mentioned above, KDE achieves exceptional compliance with the available GNU/Linux desktop standards. KWin, KDE`s new re-engineered window manager, complies to the new Window Manager Specification. Konqueror and KDE comply to the Desktop Entry Standard. KDE generally complies with the X Drag-and-Drop (XDND) protocol as well as with the X11R6 session management protocol (XSMP).