Now that KDE 5 is happening and KDE Software Compilation is soon history (good riddance), I think we need some sort of KDE application showcase that would have "essential" applications in its place. Software that make the KDE user experience feel whole and give distributors something to strongly consider shipping by default or at least a starting point. Similar to what GNOME is doing with its Calculator, Maps, Music, Documents, Weather and Notes, which are exceptionally tightly integrated with the desktop, with great design matching new HIG. Basic utilities that make the life much easier.

Here would be my candidates to be included in KDE Essentials:

• Dolphin
• KCalc
• KAlarm
• Konsole
• KWrite
• KolourPaint
• Ark
• Gwenview
• KColorChooser
• Okular
• KCharSelect
• Klipper
• KSnapshot

Nominating basic utilities to be included into Essentials would also make those a point of special attention for developers and hopefully an initiative for more develpers to join in making those really shine, similar to what happened with GNOME utilities. In the end of the day, it's the basic tools that get the heaviest use and are pretty much excepted as part of the system everywhere (OS X, Windows, GNOME, Mint, Mate). Making those shine would contribute massively on overall feel of desktop, making them as integral and polished as possible, instead of feeling a bit loose.

Hm, good point. Do you think you could post this message also to the kde-community mailing list? I think this deserves some discussion, at least.

Not so sure about Okular or kwrite being essential as I use neither. I've always considered system tools to be the most important to get right. Partition manager, system info. They don't get much use, but when I need them I need them.

Hi, for me it is very important that applications work closley with each other (eg if I create a rating for a picture in the file manager, the same rating should be available in the picture management applications). The applications should also be able to communicate with popular online/cloud services.

These are "Core applications" for me:
- Kontact (EMail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and News feeds, Notes (KJots))
- Amarok (Music)
- Digikam (Pictures)
- Dolphin (Files, local/remote Devices)
- Bangarang (Multimedia, Video)
- Yakuake (Terminal)
- Marble (Maps, Routes)
- Kate (Editor)
- Calligra (Office)
- Calibre (EBooks)
- KTp (Instant Messaging)
- KDE Connect (Smartphone Integration)
- Rekonq (Browser)
- KRunner (search, find, control, run)
- Muon Discovery (Software center/App store)
- Okular (Document viewer)
- (Weather and Time)
- (Social networks)

As mentioned before, each application should integrate with the whole system/technologies (KGet , KWallet, Akonadi, KPeople, Baloo, etc).

Y'know, if it's a smooth, integrated experience you're trying to create, why not ditch the nasty aquatic mammal (Dolphin) and bring back a modernized version of Konqueror? Using Konqueror I do probably 85% of my work from a single window; THAT'S integration.