This page aims to setup a nice KDE Plasma5 desktop for someone who's coming from Windows.

KDE Neon: Missing Software / Fixes

There are a few things missing from User Edition of KDE Neon for regular usage.

sudo apt install -y kdeplasma-addons # "Big Icons" Alt+Tab
sudo apt install -y libnotify-bin # notify-send (Dota 2 Notifications)
sudo apt install -y p7zip-full p7zip-rar # (.7z)
sudo apt install -y qapt-deb-installer # (.deb) GUI Installer
sudo apt install -y software-properties-common # add-apt-repository
sudo apt install -y unrar # (.rar)

Useful Software

sudo apt install -y clementine # Music Player (.mp3 SoundCloud)
sudo apt install -y comix # Image Viewer (.cbr .zip .rar)
sudo apt install -y gimp # Image Editor (.jpg .png)
sudo apt install -y htop # Command Line Task Manager
sudo apt install -y inkscape # Vector Image Editor (.svg)
sudo apt install -y scrot # Command Line Screen Capture
sudo apt install -y xbindkey # Remap Mouse Buttons / Keys
sudo apt install -y xdotool # Command Line Trigger Mouse/Keys
sudo apt install -y vlc # Video Player (.mp4 .mkv)

## Chrome
cd ~/Downloads
wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome*.deb
# Set Chrome as the default browser for hexchat (TODO: xdg-mime)
gvfs-mime --set x-scheme-handler/http google-chrome.desktop
gvfs-mime --set x-scheme-handler/https google-chrome.desktop

## Calibre
# https://calibre-ebook.com/download_linux (Isolated install)
# Installs to ~/calibre-bin/
wget -nv -O- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kovidgoyal/calibre/master/setup/linux-installer.py | python -c "import sys; main=lambda x,y:sys.stderr.write('Download failed\n'); exec(sys.stdin.read()); main('~/calibre-bin', True)"

## Redshift (Redden the Screen / f.lux Alternative)
sudo apt install -y redshift
# Unlock Widgets > Right Click ☰ > Add Widgets
# Get New Widgets > Download New Widgets > Redshift Control
# System Tray Settings > General Tab > Enable Redshift

Windows Software Emulation

sudo apt install -y virtualbox-qt # Virtual Machine

Developer Software

sudo apt install -y cmake
sudo apt install -y curl
sudo apt install -y pgadmin3 # DB Editor (PostgreSQL)
sudo apt install -y postgresql postgresql-contrib
sudo apt install -y python-pip python3-pip
sudo apt install -y sqliteman # DB Editor (.sqlite)

## Android Studio
# Via ubuntu-make: http://askubuntu.com/a/677805/513249
# "umake android" is broken in 16.04
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-desktop/ubuntu-make
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ubuntu-make
umake android # Prompts InstallDirectory + License
sudo apt install openjdk-8-jre
# Run with:
# JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/ ~/.local/share/umake/android/android-studio/bin/studio.sh

## Git
sudo apt install -y git
git config --global push.default matching

## Heroku
# https://toolbelt.heroku.com/debian
wget -O- https://toolbelt.heroku.com/install-ubuntu.sh | sh
heroku login # Prompts for Credentials

## NodeJS
# https://nodejs.org/en/download/package-manager/
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_4.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs
sudo apt install -y build-essential

## Sublime Text
# http://askubuntu.com/questions/172698/how-do-i-install-sublime-text-2-3
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/sublime-text-3
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y sublime-text-installer
# To install Package Control: https://packagecontrol.io/installation

Gaming Software

sudo apt install -y steam # Prompts with License Agreement
sudo apt install -y playonlinux

LibreOffice (Microsoft Office/Word Substitute)

(Optional) If you want a more up to date version of libreoffice (v5.4) vs the LTS version (v5.1), use the following ppa.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libreoffice/ppa
sudo apt update

Otherwise, install the gtk3 version (since it's designed for it) and the breeze style. We need the Calibri and Cambria replacement fonts otherwise Microsoft Office files will look weird. Lastly we should clean the icon cache just in case.

sudo apt install -y libreoffice libreoffice-gtk3 libreoffice-style-*
sudo apt install -y fonts-crosextra-carlito fonts-crosextra-caladea
rm ~/.cache/icon-cache.kcache

Configuration

Autostarted Apps

Disable restoring session on Login (restarting apps open during Logout): System Settings > Startup & Shutdown; Desktop Session Tab > On Login: Check Start with an empty session

Desktop

Show the (~/Desktop) files/links on the desktop.: Right Click the desktop wallpaper > Desktop Settings; Wallpaper Tab > Layout: Folder View; Icon Tab > Arrange In: Columns; Icon Tab > Sorting: Unsorted; Icon Tab > Size: 4 (out of 6)

Hide the ☰ button in the top corner: Right Click the desktop wallpaper > Desktop/Folder View Settings; Tweaks Tab > Uncheck: Show the desktop toolbox

Hide the ☰ button in the panel on the bottom right: Right Click the ☰ button > Lock Widgets.

Always Hide System Tray Notification Icons: Right Click the “Expand System Tray Triangle” > System Tray Settings.; Entries Tab > Networks > Visibility: Hidden

Disable Icon in System Tray: Right Click the “Expand System Tray Triangle” > System Tray Settings.; General Tab > Extra Items > Uncheck: Clipboard, Battery

Classic “Start” Menu: While the widgets are unlocked; Right Click the “Start” menu > Alternatives > Application Menu

Don’t sort windows in Taskbar: Right Click a Task > Task Manager Settings; General Tab > Sorting: Manual; General Tab > Uncheck: Keep Launchers Separate

Hide windows from other Desktops in Taskbar: Right Click a Task > Task Manager Settings; General Tab > Filters > Check: Current Desktop

Pin Apps to Taskbar: Launch App; Right Click app in Taskbar > Check: Show Launcher When Not Running

Hide audio indicator in window list: Right Click a Task > Task Manager Settings; General Tab > Uncheck: Mark applications that play audio

Disable Top Left “Hot Corner”: System Settings > Desktop Behaviour; Screen Edges Tab > Top Left: No Action

Bind Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right to Switch Desktop: System Settings > Desktop Behaviour; Virtual Desktops Tab > Switching > Shortcuts; Switch One Desktop Left: Ctrl+Alt+Left; Switch One Desktop Right: Ctrl+Alt+Right; Switch To Desktop 1, 2, …: None

Disable Switch Desktop when scrolling over desktop wallpaper: Right Click the desktop wallpaper > Desktop/Folder View Settings; Mouse Actions Tab > Remove: Vertical Scroll => Switch Desktop

Disable focus stealing prevention: System Settings > Window Management; Window Behaviour Tab > Focus Stealing Prevention: None

“Normal” Alt+Tab popup: System Settings > Window Management; Task Switcher Tab > Click the "star icon"; Install "Thumbnail Grid", then close the installer window.; Select "Thumbnail Grid" in the dropdown.

Show Alt+Tab popup as fast as possible: Normally it will wait 90 milliseconds before trying to show the popup. This makes quick switches faster since it doesn't need to draw anything.; We need to set DelayTime=0 under the group [TabBox] in the file ~/config/kwinrc, then reload kwin.; It's easier to use these commmands than doing it by hand.

kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group TabBox --key DelayTime 0
qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure

Disable Lock Screen: System Settings > Desktop Behaviour > Screen Locking Tab; Uncheck: Lock screen automatically after __ min; Uncheck: Lock screen on resume

Disable Logout/Shutdown Confirmation: System Settings > Startup and Shutdown; Desktop Session Tab > Uncheck: Confirm Logout

Windows Keybindings for moving windows: System Settings > Shortcuts > Global Keyboard Shortcuts Tab; KWin > Show Desktop: Win+M; KWin > Maximize Window: Win+Up; KWin > Minimize Window: Win+Down; KWin > Quick Tile Window to the Left: Win+Left; KWin > Quick Tile Window to the Right: Win+Right; To open the “Start Menu” with the Windows key see the next item.

Present all windows with Win+Tab: System Settings > Desktop Behavior; Desktop Effects Tab > Check Present Windows; Click the Gear Icon > Change the Ctrl+F10 shortcut to Meta+Tab

Open “Start Menu” with Windows/Meta key

KDE 5.8.2: Feature has been added by default.; If it's not working, make sure your "Start Menu" has a global shortcut like Alt+F1 set (you can't assign it only to Meta, but it will open with Meta if another shortcut is assigned).; Right Click the KDE Icon > Application Menu Settings; Keyboard Shortcuts Tab > Shortcut: Alt+F1

<= KDE 5.7: sudo apt install ksuperkey

<= KDE 5.7 (Or just use Win+Space): Right Click the KDE Icon > Application Menu Settings; Keyboard Shortcuts Tab > Shortcut: Meta+Space

Do not open the “Start Menu” with Windows/Meta key (KDE 5.8): We need to set Meta= under the group [ModifierOnlyShortcuts] in the file ~/config/kwinrc, then reload kwin.; It's easier to use these commmands than doing it by hand.

kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group ModifierOnlyShortcuts --key Meta ""
qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure

Hide titlebars when maximized (like Ubuntu): We need to set BorderlessMaximizedWindows=true under the group [Windows] in the file ~/config/kwinrc, then reload kwin.; It's easier to use these commmands than doing it by hand.

kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group Windows --key BorderlessMaximizedWindows true
qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure

Multi Screen

Don't show ~/Desktop folder on every screen (Workaround): Create ~/Desktop2, ~/Desktop3... for each screen.; Right click wallpaper on screen 2 > Configure Desktop; Location > Check: Specify a folder > ~/Desktop2

Login Screen (SDDM) / Lock Screen

Change Login Screen Wallpaper: System Settings > Startup and Shutdown; Login Screen (SDDM) Tab > Background > Load From File; We should also change the lock screen.; System Settings > Desktop Bahviour; Screen Locking Tab > Wallpaper > Wallpaper Type: Image

Dolphin (File Manager)

Double Click to open files: System Settings > Input Devices; Mouse Tab > Icons: Double Click to open files and folders

Always Show Hidden Files: ☰ Control > Adjust View Properties; Check: Show hidden files; Apply view properties to: All Folders; Check: Use these view properties as default

Browse (.zip / .tar.gz / .rar) with Dolphin: ☰ Control > Configure Dolphin; Navigation Tab > Check: Open archives as folder

Clean up Context Menu (Right Click Menu): ☰ Control > Configure Dolphin; Services Tab > Uncheck: “Copy To”, “Delete”, “File to activity”, “Send as Email”, “Send to IM”, “Send via Bluetooth”, “Send via KDE Connect”

Show Terminal Panel: ☰ Control > Panels > Terminal (F4)

Paste into Terminal Panel: ☰ Control > Configure Shortcuts; Paste > Set Alternative (Defaulted to Shift+Insert) as “None”

Chrome

Overlay tabs on top of the title bar: ⋮Button > Settings; Appearance > Uncheck: Use system title bar and borders

Match Titlebar with Desktop Theme: Breeze; Breeze Dark: Chrome Theme

Enable Hardware Acceleration: If you notice tearing while playing video, check chrome://gpu and see if it says hardware acceleration is unavailable. It's very likely that it's just that chrome doesn't recognize that it can use your GPU.; > Origional Article; Go to chrome://flags#ignore-gpu-blacklist, search for "Override software rendering list", enable it and restart Chrome.

Don't use native Linux notifications: Since Chrome v64, Chrome now uses native notifications. If you prefer Chrome's however, you can still use them.; Go to chrome://flags#enable-native-notifications, search for "Enable native notifications", disable it and restart Chrome.

Steam

PixelVision2 Skin: cd ~/.steam/skins; git clone https://github.com/somini/Pixelvision2.git; Steam > Settings; Interface Tab > Select Skin: default skin => PixelVision2

Hide “Big Picture”, etc in the System Tray Context Menu: Steam > Settings > Interface Tab; Set Taskbar Preferences > Only Check: Library, Exit Steam

Hide “Friend is playing ___” Notifications: Steam > Settings > Friends Tab; Uncheck: When friend joins a game: display a notification

Never Show Advertisement Popups: Steam > Settings > Interface Tab; Uncheck: Notify me about additions to my games and other releases

Clementine

Clean up UI: Tools > Preferences; Playback Tab > Uncheck: Show a glowing animation on the current track; Search Tab > Uncheck: DigitallyImported, DropBox, Google Drive, Jazz; Last.fm Tab > Uncheck: Show the “love” amd “ban” buttons; Last.fm Tab > Uncheck: Show the scrobble button

Don’t fade between songs: Playback Tab > Uncheck: Fade out when stopping a track; Playback Tab > Uncheck: Cross-fade when changing tracks manually

Double Click song should play song now: Behaviour > Using the menu to add a song will: Always start playing; Behaviour > Double clicking a song will: Replace the playlist + Always start playing

Gtk Apps (Gimp/Hexchat/etc)

Fix white text on white bg tooltips: System Settings > Colors; Uncheck: Apply colors to non-Qt applications

Known Bugs

Tooltips broken in Chrome/Chromium (Fixed?): https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=442111