In the Linux community, there are many of us who would answer "Fedora" if we were asked what the GNOME distribution par excellence is. Yes, there are Ubuntu and Debian, but the first changes the interface to offer its own experience and the second is usually several versions behind the latest. This is why I had to look closely at the date when I read about a proposal which asks that, starting with Fedora 42, the main version desktop becomes Plasma.
The description of the proposal reads «Change the default experience from Workstation to KDE Plasma. GNOME desktop moved to separate edition/spin, keeping release lock«. The change, if it occurs, would be about a year from now, when Fedora 42 is expected to arrive. But is it likely to end up happening?
The proposal exists, but it seems unlikely that Fedora 42 will switch to Plasma
The description explains that with plasma 6, KDE Plasma has been developed to a high quality and offers a good desktop experience. According to the proposal, "“Plasma has been at the forefront of creating a cohesive desktop platform that allows the user to fully control their computing experience.”
Furthermore, continue, “Plasma provides this accessible, highly flexible and extensible user experience with predictability across all versions of Plasma. Unlike other desktop experiences like GNOME Shell, the APIs leveraged by Plasma applets/widgets have been more stable across "minor" versions of Plasma, reducing long-term user frustration and promoting a healthier ecosystem for developers and users alike«.
Wayland has his part to blame
One of the reasons that motivate the proposal is Wayland. Months ago it was the PCSX2 developers who they put GNOME in the spotlight, going so far as to assure that "it is a complete disaster." Although they are not big fans of Wayland in general, they did say that at least in KDE it is not so bad, it is not so buggy.
The proposal ensures that KDE offers the most advanced Wayland desktop experience today, supporting things like fractional scaling, color management, variable refresh rate on compatible displays and support for legacy X11 applications, among other things.
It is also mentioned that Plasma is in more and more devices, the latest being the Steam Deck, but it is also in PINE64 devices or Tuxedo computers.
Personally, I would have sworn it was the opposite, since GNOME started using Wayland before KDE. But my tests have been limited to normal use of the operating system, and the laptop where I play emulators has KDE on X11. So I haven't noticed any difference, at least in favor of Plasma.
The possibility that it is just a wake-up call
To me, who likes to look at things from different points of view and try to get the upper hand, the proposal seems serious to me, and the fact that it is still published on April 2 makes me rule out that it is an April Fools' joke. But, evaluating possibilities, one is that all this is a feint, a bluff, a wake-up call for GNOME to continue improving its experience in sections like Wayland.
Fedora and GNOME have been together for a long time, I would say forever, and the change sounds unreal. But it's not impossible. Ubuntu also started with GNOME in 2004 and abandoned it in 2011 to use Unity. He returned years later, but he had the "adventure."
Fedora is currently the most GNOME experience out there, and the marriage has always seemed exemplary. I usually opt for KDE software and I wouldn't take a dim view of the change, but it sounds so strange to me...
The only thing confirmed at this point is that Fedora 42 will arrive in the first quarter of 2025. Everything else remains to be seen. Will we end up seeing Fedora change his hat?