I installed OpenSUSE 11.2-KDE on my computer about a week ago. I'm getting along fine with most of the new or updated apps - with two notable exceptions.
I do quite a bit of audio work, and have used Amarok and Kaffeine for several years now. However, the latest versions installed with KDE4 (2.1.1 and 1.0-pre-2 respectively) are, for my particular needs, classic cases of 'fixing something that wasn't broken' or 'improving for the worse'.
Amarok seems to have lost its neat discrete little 'Player Window' and the simple functionality of the playlist window has been replaced by something unnecessarily gaudy and fussy.
Kaffeine, meanwhile, has lost its ability to encode (i.e. rip) CDs, and, also, the visualisations whilst playing audio appear to have gone awol. I also notice that this particular version is referred to as unstable!
Are there any plugins or tweaks available for me to restore the original functionality to the current versions?
Failing that, would I be able to install previous versions of these programs which I was happier using (in my case, versions 1.4.10 and 0.8.8 respectively). I realise that these versions were tailored for KDE3 and it would involve installing new (or, should I say, old) libraries. I wouldn't want to get involved in any 'dependency hell.'
Any suggestions gratefully received.

OpenSuse has a KDE3 repo.
http://download.opensuse.org/reposit...openSUSE_11.2/

You should be able to install kde3 libs side by side with kde4.

Many thanks for the link.
Please forgive a stupid question, but there are 9 kde3-amarok .rpm files and 5 kde3-kaffeine .rpm files. Will I have to download and install all of them? Must it be done in any particular order?

No, you don't need all of them. The best method would be to enable the kde3 repository in yast.

I'm not very familiar with opensuse, so I'm afraid I can't guide you more specifically on how to enable the repo. It looks relatively straightforward from the link I posted. I believe you can just do
Then you can just install it via yast or do
You might be interested in the kde-amarok-xine package or kaffeine-gstreamer package, instead. I dislike and therefore don't use either application, but as I recall, Amarok defaults to using the gstreamer backend, and Kaffeine defaults to using the xine backend. So the former would be Amarok with Xine instead and the latter would be Kaffeine with Gstreamer instead.

Thanks again!

You've saved me a lot of unnecessary work. I've been using Linux for about five years now, but I'm totally new to OpenSUSE, YAST and .rpm packages. Lots of new stuff to learn.

Glad to help. I've only been using linux for about 2 years, but that's what massive amounts of distro hopping gets you - passing familiarity with lots of distros. Although I'm losing my edge since I've settled down to Arch and given up on GNOME, KDE, and XFCE. Things keep changing, and I can't keep up anymore.

Only two years!!!
You're obviously a far quicker learner than I am.
I've been fairly promiscuous with my distros too. But it's been the more newbie-oriented ones like Ubuntu, SimplyMepis, PCLOS, Zenwalk, Puppy.
I usually regard people who use Arch or Slackware as the ultimate experts. I fear I'll never ascend to those lofty heights.
But I know what you mean about 'keeping up'. I always dread new versions of favourite distros or apps coming out - as this thread clearly illustrates.
Once again - many thanks!

Arch really isn't that difficult, once you get over the initial shock and confusion. I installed Arch about a year in and just kept plugging away until I had things basically figured out. The Arch Wiki is amazingly well done and very helpful. I don't think anything has come up where I could't find the answer there. You'd be surprised how quickly you get used to it and how it grows on you, until you suddenly find yourself just irritated at the bloat of other distros and the way Ubuntu and the like try and do everything for you.

I would like to throw my two cents worth in about the new Kaffeine and Amarok. Since updating to SuSE 11.2 it has been a real test of will to get KDE 4.3.5 working like I want. I now have been able to get the desktop working OK and am slowly getting my normal list of applications lined up to do the tasks I want and need. I will not be all that thrilled to see the next SuSE 11.3 come down the pike anytime soon. As for Kaffeine, I can't imagine just what the authors were trying to do. I was unable to get my optical link to my receiver to do anything but Stereo and my most favorite function to expand the vertical and horizontal picture to fill the screen seem to be gone. As luck would have it, it is still possible to to get Kaffeine 0.8.8 from KDE 3 to work as it always has done and the new improved video in KDE 4.3.5 seems to benefit how well the old Kaffeine works.

I also agree with the questionable improvements in Amarok, though it has not driven me to restore the older version. I might suggest you look at loading Banshee Media Player and give it a try. Oddly, when I first loaded it, it would not play audio. Looking around at posts suggested I needed added gstreamer support (Bad and Ugly versions). After loaded the two, Banshee would no longer load. I then uninstalled it all, reloaded the two gstreamer programs and lastly reloaded Banshee and it now works like a champ and may be more to your liking than the new Amarok.

Thank You,

Thanks for the suggestion.
I did use Banshee briefly about 2/3 years ago, with, I think Ubuntu Edgy (or perhaps Feisty!). I suppose I thought of it as solely a GNOME app.

I've had enough 'shock and confusion' to last for a while.
Perhaps I'll think about Arch when autumn arrives. But then, I remember finding Frugalware too hot to handle.