Version: (using KDE 4.0.82) Installed from: Ubuntu Packages There is an apply button, so user can explicitly apply changes. There should be a counterpart button to cancel changes.
Adding OK button would also very useful (because of the intuitive behaviour).
Just as aside information for you: kdesktop and kicker do not exist anymore in (KDE 4.)
This should be addressed in kcms in general. *** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 163858 ***