Strange enough the 3.5.4 KDE was avaliable via update on the kde update repo, from software.opensuse.org.

Does the openSuSE project generally release these prior for the "Official Release" from KDE.org?

Here is a listing:

rpm -qa | grep kde
kdebluetooth-0.0.svn20060413-17.1
kdemultimedia3-arts-3.5.4-6.1
kdebase3-3.5.4-14.1
kdeaddons3-kicker-3.5.4-10.2
kdepim3-sync-3.5.4-7.1
kdegames3-card-3.5.4-2.1
kdebase3-SuSE-10.1-58.7
kdemultimedia3-sound-3.5.4-6.1
kdegraphics3-pdf-3.5.4-7.1
kdenetwork3-news-3.5.4-7.1
kdepim3-3.5.4-7.1
kdebase3-session-3.5.4-14.1
NetworkManager-kde-0.1r534534-4
kdeartwork3-kscreensaver-3.5.4-6.1
kdegraphics3-scan-3.5.4-7.1
kdeutils3-3.5.4-6.1
kdeutils3-extra-3.5.4-6.1
kdebase3-kdm-3.5.4-14.1
kdelibs3-doc-3.5.4-19.1
kdebase3-samba-3.5.4-14.1
kdegraphics3-kamera-3.5.4-7.1
kdebase3-nsplugin-3.5.4-14.1
kdegames3-arcade-3.5.4-2.1
kdeaddons3-kate-3.5.4-10.2
kdeartwork3-sound-3.5.4-6.1
kdebase3-ksysguardd-3.5.4-14.1
kdegames3-3.5.4-2.1
kdebindings3-python-3.5.4-2.3
kdegraphics3-postscript-3.5.4-7.1
kdemultimedia3-3.5.4-6.1
kdemultimedia3-CD-3.5.4-6.1
kdeutils3-laptop-3.5.4-6.1
kdegames3-tactic-3.5.4-2.1
kdegraphics3-fax-3.5.4-7.1
kdegraphics3-3.5.4-7.1
kdeaddons3-konqueror-3.5.4-10.2
kdelibs3-3.5.4-19.1
kdemultimedia3-mixer-3.5.4-6.1
kdeartwork3-xscreensaver-3.5.4-6.1
kdeadmin3-3.5.4-4.1
kdeartwork3-3.5.4-6.1
kdebase3-extra-3.5.4-14.1
kdetv-0.8.8-14
OpenOffice_org-kde-2.0.2-27.12
kdelibs3-arts-3.5.4-19.1
kdepim3-networkstatus-3.5.4-7.1
kdenetwork3-vnc-3.5.4-7.1
kdenetwork3-3.5.4-7.1
kdegames3-board-3.5.4-2.1
kdepim3-kpilot-3.5.4-7.1

It says that is the experimental repository, so use the packages at your own risk.

Yeah, I know it's a "pre-test" type repo, but is it typical for then to release source for 3.5.4 (prior to actual 3.5.4 release?) I haven't noticed that in the past going from other 3.x or 3.x.x versions.

In the past there was no BuildService. It is meant for packaging programs.

BTW, KDE 3.5.4 will be officially announced this week.
It helps really a lot if the packages are ready for ditributions when the announcement is published. So I don't see any problem here.

Yeah, I figured it was going to be released shortly, but thought SuSE would build the packages and release along side with the KDE official release, unless this is their first BuildService.

Oh well, everything seems to be just fine, and actually a little faster then 3.5.3 (didn't imagine that was possible, since 3.5.3 gave a pretty impresive increase in logon performance.