Version:            (using KDE 4.4.0)
OS:                Linux
Installed from:    Mandriva RPMs

Installed KDE 4.4 from ftp.kde.org for Mandriva 2010.0. I maintain 8 desktops/workspaces. When I set them to be separate activities I am able to set different appearances for each and place icons in different locations specific to each desktop/activity.

But on restart of KDE/plasma (or log in) several bugs are noted:

- system flips violently around the 8 workspaces before desktop appears, the box that displays the 'marching arrows' that point to your destination (upon manual change for instance) is displayed and shows rapid, uncontrollable movement around the workspaces.

It eventually always settles on workspace #3, and it resets this workspace to "desktop" view, despite all workspaces being set to "folder view" displaying "desktop" folder. All other workspaces remain as set (folder view) and background decoration is persistent but icons are moved from where I had left them. (see next)

- all icons are rearranged, lined up vertically at left. ("lock icons" makes no difference) Any settings whatsoever on workspace #3 are wiped and reset to "desktop" w/no icons.

- any alterations to appearance or view (folder vs desktop for eg) cause several bugs to appear. First, moving icons can be near impossible, as movements are interpreted as "open" or "highlight space." Extreme carefulness is required to select and move an icon. (which is pointless per above anyway)

If system settings dialogs are brought up, example right click pager--->configure virtual desktops, that dialog box will not entirely disappear until log out/log in. OK does close the window, but when changing from one virtual desktop/workspace to another the window is seen for the brief period the desktop effect is displaying. (eg spinning cube)

This system is an intel core2 duo with 3 GB RAM running Mandriva 2010.0 official. It is a 64 bit system w/64 bit KDE 4.4 packages directly from ftp.kde.org. These anomalies do not occur on system where workspaces are set to be separate activities. The errors obviously arise in trying to maintain numerous separate views, wallpapers, icon locations and view properties (folder, desktop etc) across the 8 virtual desktops.

I will be testing 'separate activities' on a 32 bit system this weekend. I will also be testing a 64 bit system on which only 4 virtual desktops/workspaces/activities will be established.

Otherwise KDE 4.4 is an incredible environment. I have been telling my Linux clients that "KDE 4 has arrived." Till now end users who depend on their machines have been using 3.5.9. The 64 bit '4 virtual desktop' machine mentioned above is a client's laptop I will be upgrading to 2010.0/KDE 4.4 tomorrow. (one of 2 I am upgrading tomorrow actually)