veilor-os/docs/research/2026-05-05-agent-wave/07-kde-skel-branding.md

# KDE theme + DuckSans + /etc/skel branding audit

**Agent 7 of 9-agent wave, 2026-05-05.**

## Catalog: what's currently shipped

| Component | Status | Path |
|---|---|---|
| Color scheme | shipped | `assets/kde/veilor-black.colors` → `/usr/share/color-schemes/` |
| System kdeglobals | shipped | `assets/kde/veilor-default.kdeglobals` → `/etc/xdg/kdedefaults/kdeglobals` |
| Breeze decoration override | shipped | `assets/kde/breezerc` → `/etc/xdg/breezerc` |
| Plasma containment defaults | shipped | written by `30-apply-v03-theme.sh` → `/etc/xdg/kdedefaults/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc` |
| Wallpaper (PNG+SVG) | shipped | `assets/wallpapers/veilor-black.{png,svg}` → `/usr/share/wallpapers/veilor-black/` |
| SDDM theme | shipped (full QML) | `assets/sddm/veilor-black/` → `/usr/share/sddm/themes/veilor-black/` |
| SDDM theme activation | shipped | `30-apply-v03-theme.sh` writes `/etc/sddm.conf.d/veilor-theme.conf` (Current=veilor-black) |
| Konsole profile + colorscheme | shipped | `assets/konsole/veilor.{profile,colorscheme}` → `/usr/share/konsole/Veilor.*` + `/etc/xdg/konsolerc` |
| Plymouth theme | shipped | `assets/plymouth/veilor/` |
| os-release branding | shipped | PRETTY_NAME="veilor-os 0.5.27", LOGO=veilor-logo |
| Fira Code fontconfig | shipped | `/etc/fonts/conf.d/55-veilor-firacode.conf` |
| DuckSans font | DEFERRED — empty dir, README only | |

## Drift inside active configs

- `overlay/etc/sddm.conf.d/veilor.conf` sets `[Theme] Current=breeze`.
- `30-apply-v03-theme.sh` then writes
  `/etc/sddm.conf.d/veilor-theme.conf` with `Current=veilor-black`.
- SDDM merges alphabetically → `veilor-theme.conf` wins (loads after).
- Shipping a `Current=breeze` line in the overlay is misleading drift.

## Specific gaps preventing visual brand consistency

1. **No `/etc/skel/` whatsoever.** `overlay/etc/skel/` does not exist.
   All KDE config lives in `/etc/xdg/kdedefaults/` and `/etc/xdg/*rc`.
   Works for fresh boots, but the moment the user clicks anything in
   System Settings, KDE writes `~/.config/kdeglobals` and silently
   shadows the system defaults. **Zero per-user seeding** = one click
   away from losing all branding.

2. **No PRETTY_NAME secondaries.** `/etc/system-release`, `/etc/issue`,
   `/etc/issue.net`, `/etc/lsb-release` never written. `lsb_release
   -a` reports Fedora. KDE About dialog uses os-release (OK) but TTY
   login banner + many user-space tools read `/etc/system-release`.

3. **No `kwinrc` shipped.** Plasma 6 Wayland-specific defaults
   (TitlebarDoubleClick, Compositor backend, FocusPolicy, animation
   speed) not seeded. Vanilla Fedora KDE animations + click-to-focus
   prevail.

4. **No panel layout** (`plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc`
   containment for panel). The file written by `30-apply-v03-theme.sh`
   only seeds `[Containments][1]` (desktop containment) for wallpaper.
   Actual Plasma panel containment (taskbar, system tray, clock,
   kickoff icon) is unseeded → users get stock Fedora panel with
   Fedora-blue kickoff button.

5. **DuckSans deferred but README claims it as the brand font.**
   `kdeglobals`, Konsole, SDDM all hardcode `Fira Code`. If DuckSans
   ever ships, ten files need synchronized edits.

6. **`overlay/etc/sddm.conf.d/veilor.conf` says `Current=breeze`** —
   internal contradiction with script-written `veilor-theme.conf`.
   Cosmetic but confusing.

7. **`kde-theme-apply.sh` has `warn()` undefined** (line 64) — calls
   `warn` but only `ok`/`info` defined. If os-release source ever
   goes missing, script crashes with `command not found`.

## Top 5 `/etc/skel/` additions (highest impact, lowest effort)

1. **`/etc/skel/.config/kdeglobals`** — copy of
   `assets/kde/veilor-default.kdeglobals`. Single highest-impact file:
   locks ColorScheme, AccentColor, Font, Icons.Theme,
   LookAndFeelPackage into the user's first-write file so System
   Settings interaction won't revert anything to Breeze defaults.

2. **`/etc/skel/.config/konsolerc`** — `[Desktop Entry]
   DefaultProfile=Veilor.profile` plus `[KonsoleWindow]
   ShowMenuBarByDefault=false`. Per-user override of system konsolerc;
   ensures first konsole launch is branded even if user's home
   pre-exists.

3. **`/etc/skel/.config/kwinrc`** — Plasma 6 Wayland defaults:
   `[Compositing] AnimationSpeed=0`, `[Windows]
   FocusPolicy=ClickToFocus`, `[Plugins] blurEnabled=false` (mirrors
   the no-animations Breeze override).

4. **`/etc/skel/.config/plasma-org.kde.plasma.desktop-appletsrc`** —
   full containment file with both desktop containment
   (wallpaper=veilor-black) AND panel containment (kickoff icon =
   `/usr/share/pixmaps/veilor-logo.svg`, panel height/position).
   Without this, the taskbar is vanilla Fedora.

5. **`/etc/skel/.local/share/konsole/Veilor.profile`** — local copy so
   user-local konsole sees the profile in its dropdown without needing
   `/usr/share/konsole/` walk. Pair with #2.

**Bonus near-zero-effort:** write `/etc/system-release`, `/etc/issue`,
and `/etc/lsb-release` in `kde-theme-apply.sh` to close the
lsb_release/TTY-banner gap. And fix the undefined `warn()` in
`kde-theme-apply.sh:64`.