You know how a lot of people say they would love to contribute to Free Software but can’t code? No more! Become a KDE Booth Buddy and help out at ScaLE!
This is @druonysus and he needs help managing the KDE booth at Scale 21x.
https://floss.social/@[email protected]/111887967308318720
If you are located in or visiting the Los Angeles area on the days of the event, DM Drew so you can just turn up and help!
While KMail isn’t necessary at all to use KDE (even Neon uses Thunderbird as its default email app) I think I know what you’re getting at. The issue isn’t KMail itself. Installing KMail will also install Kontact, which runs with Akonadi server on the back end, and Akonadi is the culprit for it being so “far embedded” into Plasma and on some setups can use up just as much RAM as Plasma itself on its own. It’s my main complaint about KMail/Kontact/Akonadi, if they could get the RAM usage under control (you seriously don’t need to use almost a freaking GB of RAM just to keep track of email, contacts and a calendar, Thunderbird does it using less than half the memory), it would be a really nice system for one bundled with a DE.
Wrong. You can remove Akonadi no problem and it will not affect Plasma’s workings. Plasma does not depend on any PIM component to be fully functional.
Yes, I know that or else Plasma wouldn’t work for most people. What I mean is that it’s so “far embedded” in the sense that it uses an outsized amount of resources to do what it does compared to the rest of Plasma when it is installed, mainly for the sake of integration with those other parts of Plasma. But as far as I’m aware, KMail and other Kontact programs depend on it so you can’t remove it and have them work. Which is Kontact’s big problem, IMO. Way too taxing on the system for too little functionality at the end of the day.
Ok. You have ton understand that neither Kmail nor Kontact are part of the Plasma project in any shape or form. The same way as Krita, Kdenlive, KDE Connect, GCompris, etc. are not part of Plasma. Plasma does not need any of them to be fully functional and, conversely, none of them need Plasma. Hell, most of them don’t even need Linux, being able to work on Windows, macOS, Android, etc.
Are KMail and Kontact dependant on Akonadi? Yes, but, again, Akonadi is not part of Plasma either. All are KDE, but they are all different projects, and none of them are Plasma.
YES I UNDERSTAND THAT. I feel you’re not reading me right here. You’re getting hung up on the literal sense of the word “embedded” when I am just using it to relate it to the OP’s concerns.