Far better applications can be had on Windows if you just install KDE ones. Luckily, they're well-written enough that they tend to be pretty native cross-platform (hence Konqueror's rendering engine conquered the browser world).
== Pre-built ==
* [[ https://kate-editor.org/get-it/ | Kate (superior text editor) ]]
* Some installers also available at https://keithzg.ca/binary
* Autobuilt binaries at https://binary-factory.kde.org/
== Build it yourself ==
Also pretty easy to build things yourself, relatively speaking. See [[ https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Build_from_source/Windows | the official documentation for Craft ]] for full details, but here's a quick walkthrough:
# [[ https://www.python.org/downloads/ | Install Python ]], if you haven't already., probably choosing:
** {nav name="Install launcher for all users (recommended)", icon=check-square-o}
** {nav name="Add Python 3.x to PATH", icon=check-square-o}
** {nav name="Customize Installation", icon=arrow-right > Next > Advanced Options} :
*** additionally check {nav name="Install for all users", icon=check-square-o}
*** Change install location to something less weird like `C:\Python38-32` or such.
** Isn't there an option at the end to remove the path length limit? Hmm, not on the 32-bit exe maybe?
# Enable [[ https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/get-started/enable-your-device-for-development | Developer Mode ]] so you can have symlinks like the year isn't 1977. Go {nav Settings app > Update & Security > For developers}.
# Start a new PowerShell session (maybe in the [[ documentation/windows/terminal/ ]] if you have it, otherwise just open PowerShell) and run the following commands
## `Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser RemoteSigned` to allow you to run the script
## `iex ((new-object net.webclient).DownloadString('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/KDE/craft/master/setup/install_craft.ps1'))` to grab and run the install script
### At one point it will ask you to choose a compiler. You can either:
**** [[ https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/thank-you-downloading-visual-studio/?sku=Community&rel=16 | Grab Visual Studio 2019 Community Edition ]], which is necessary for anything that uses QtWebEngine, or
**** Just choose MinGW if you want the script to download and use MinGW, which other than failing for QtWebEngine actually supports more applications. For example if you want to install [[ https://kde.org/applications/en/kpat | KPatience ]] you'll need to chose MinGW.
If while it's installing git you get a completely mysterious message saying
```
Insert the diskette that contains the batch file
and press any key when ready.
```
I'm sure it's fine, press {key ctrl c} to end the current step it's trying and it should continue just fine, with no ill effects.
Alright, now run the command it says to launch the environment (ex. `C:\CraftRoot\craft\craftenv.ps1` et voila. Time to start compiling things! [[ https://community.kde.org/Craft#Common_Craft_commands | Basic operation is extremely easy ]]. The first compile make take a long time, but later ones should usually take a lot less time because many of the same dependencies will already be compiled.
Some things you can try:
* `craft kpat` for a good oldskool-style Solitair/Freecell/etc game
* `craft dolphin` for a tabbed file browser (c'mon Microsoft, get with the program already and give Windows Explorer tabs, even goddamn Apple adopted tabs!)
=== Some further possible gotchas ===
You may need to also install Python 2.7 for some packages.. As of this writing you can grab that from https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-2718/, then install it to something like `C:\Python27` and change the Craft settings ini accordingly, probably just uncommenting-out the line like
```
lang=ini, name=C:\CraftRoot\etc\CraftSettings.in
## Some applications may need python 2.7
#Python27 = C:\python27
```
changing to
```
lang=ini, name=C:\CraftRoot\etc\CraftSettings.in
## Some applications may need python 2.7
Python27 = C:\python27
```