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) ]]
== 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 one approach:
# [[ 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?
# Then [[ https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/thank-you-downloading-visual-studio/?sku=Community&rel=16 | grab Visual Studio 2019 Community Edition ]] or commit to not compiling anything that uses QtWebEngine, which would suck so sadly for these instructions we won't be using MinGW despite how much less terrible it is. Don't really have to //use// Visual Studio though, thankfully.
# 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/ ]] and run the following commands:
```
lang=powershell
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser RemoteSigned
iex ((new-object net.webclient).DownloadString('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/KDE/craft/master/setup/install_craft.ps1'))
```
ThenAt 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. 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.
```
This seems to come up while installing Git? I'm sure it's fine, press {key ctrl c} to end the current step it's trying and it should continue just fine, will no ill effects.
Alright, now run the command it says to launch the environment (ex. `C:\CraftRoot\craft\craftenv.ps1` et voila. Who cares,Time to start compiling things! [[ https://community.kde.org/Craft#Common_Craft_commands | Basic operation is extremely easy ]]. I'm sure it's fineThe first compile make take a long time, press {key ctrl + c} and let it continuebut later ones should usually take a lot less time because many of the same dependencies will already be compiled.
Alright, now run the command it says (ex. `A:\CraftRoot\craft\craftenv.ps1` et voila.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, Time to start compiling things! [[ https://community.kde.org/Craft#Common_Craft_commands | Basic operation is extremely easy ]]. I'd recommend starting something right away,even goddamn Apple adopted tabs!)
Some further possible gotchas:
* You may need to also install Python 2.7 for some packages.. since there's a lot of dependencies you'll have to download and compile and many will be shared. So just run `craft dolphin` or something.As of this writing you can grab that from https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-2718/