KDE's 29th anniversary is here and they need your funding

KDE the free software community that develops the likes of the KDE Plasma desktop, has turned 29 years old and they're doing a fresh fund-raiser. Hard to imagine the Linux space without KDE nowadays isn't it?

Just like they did last year, they're doing a years end fundraising effort in the hopes of gathering at least €50,000. Last year the initial goal was €30,000 but they ended up raising around €54,115. Perhaps this year we can beat that? Since launching it has so far raise just €7,209.65 according to the daily updates.

Not sure where I would be in my own Linux journey without KDE and Plasma. No other desktop environment fits me. Plasma isn't perfect, but their attention to the detail and long list of features and customisation really allow me to feel like it's /home.

From the funding page:

KDE is on the verge of something big, and the popularity of its free software is on the rise. It’s increasingly being adopted by gamers, artists, professionals, companies, and public institutions. But the costs associated with developing and maintaining that software are also growing.

A core aim of KDE is keeping you in control of your digital life, and we do it by providing high-quality and privacy-conscious free software. But we can only keep doing it by preserving our own financial independence, so that we never become too dependent on any single source of support.

This week is also International E-Waste Day, and KDE wants a clean planet too! We started the End of 10 campaign because big tech corporations continue pushing everyone to chase the new shiny… in the process filling landfills with perfectly functional devices that become terrible sources of pollution when junked.

An important ending note there, since Windows 10 support has officially ended. If your PC doesn't support the stricter requirements of Windows 11, Microsoft think you should just buy a new PC. Or, you could install Linux and keep using it for a long time.

Check out the fundraiser on the KDE website.

Happy birthday to the KDE community.