Trying KDE...

[joey-elijah]

I am a n0ob when it comes to KDE Vs gnome. Generally, from what iv'e seen of KDe, i prefer the sleeker looking Gnome desktop environments - and that's what i use currently.

But a few questions:

Is it possible to try KDE without messing up all my gnome settings? Including compiz and appearance, icons etc?

What is the main benefit of KDE over Gnome? ( i know i could google or read an article but actual users make for better reasons)

Errrm, can you 'theme' KDE as you can gnome? i use a lot of icons and emerald themes from gnome-look.org, is there a KDE equivalent?

Thanks!

[Daisuke_Aramaki]

I am a n0ob when it comes to KDE Vs gnome. Generally, from what iv'e seen of KDe, i prefer the sleeker looking Gnome desktop environments - and that's what i use currently.

But a few questions:

Is it possible to try KDE without messing up all my gnome settings? Including compiz and appearance, icons etc?

What is the main benefit of KDE over Gnome? ( i know i could google or read an article but actual users make for better reasons)

Errrm, can you 'theme' KDE as you can gnome? i use a lot of icons and emerald themes from gnome-look.org, is there a KDE equivalent?

Thanks!

i run ubuntu hardy, and i have both kde3.5.10 and kde4.1 running! so it shud be no problem to install kde. u can use ne compositing manager with kde too, and also there are a lot of nice icon themes and styles available for kde as well, although not that many compared to gnome, but they are great in their own respects. gnome icon themes, most of 'em cannot be used in kde, they need to be ported first, but there are many icon themes, that have been ported to gnome and kde, so there are a plenty of options to try out different icon themes! check out kde-look.org for different styles and themes.

i can't really comment on kde vs. gnome since each desktop has their stregths and weaknesses. i have been using a lot of kde based apps lately, so prefer kde over gnome, mainly becoz of integration issues. but i use both desktops with equal zeal!

hope that helps

[SuperSonic4]

I am a n0ob when it comes to KDE Vs gnome. Generally, from what iv'e seen of KDe, i prefer the sleeker looking Gnome desktop environments - and that's what i use currently.

But a few questions:

[quote]Is it possible to try KDE without messing up all my gnome settings? Including compiz and appearance, icons etc?

You can just install the kubuntu desktop or kde by doing sudo aptitude install kubuntu-desktop or sudo aptitude install kde-core. If you want KDE4 then do sudo aptitude install kubuntu-kde4-desktop or sudo aptitude install kde4-core

However, a clean install of KDE (mandriva or suse give the best kde IMO) would be the simplest option.


What is the main benefit of KDE over Gnome? ( i know i could google or read an article but actual users make for better reasons)

I prefer the applications on KDE, it's more customisable once you get used to. Amarok, k3b, kmess and Konsole to name a few.

Errrm, can you 'theme' KDE as you can gnome? i use a lot of icons and emerald themes from gnome-look.org, is there a KDE equivalent?

Thanks!

Yes, you can. Themes are available from kde-look.org and apps from kde-apps.org, it is not as intuitive as gnome but it can be done. Personally I prefer KDE although Kubuntu doesn't do it justice.

[awakatanka]

Best way to test it without installing it is with a livecd, you can get them here : http://www.kubuntu.org/getkubuntu/download

for kde 4.1.1 info here http://www.kubuntu.org/news/kde-4.1.1

[joey-elijah]

thanks for all the replys, i installed KDE via apt-get, and i must say it was a incredibly "not-what-remember" experience.

Loved the widget upon launch, tho i do HATE that KDE icon in place of the Ubuntu logo. The file manager/windows manager seem incredibly more uniformed in appearance - if a bit more trying-to-do-everything.

Very impressed - more so than i was hoping! It's made me wonder whether use KDE full time for a while.

That said, it's BIZZARE how accustomed to Gnome i'd become in that i felt confused in KDE not knowing hoo to naviagate etc...

thanks guys!

[The Cog]

I spent around half an hour looking for the network configuration in KDE4 - turns out there isn't one.

And I think the start menu is a triumph of form over function. Looks pretty, but much more awkward to use than traditional launch menus like the Gnome one, especially when you're trying to find where something is (like the non-existent network config). It's a shame, because there are some bits of KDE (such as k3b and dolphin) that I really like.

[SuperSonic4]

thanks for all the replys, i installed KDE via apt-get, and i must say it was a incredibly "not-what-remember" experience.

Loved the widget upon launch, tho i do HATE that KDE icon in place of the Ubuntu logo. The file manager/windows manager seem incredibly more uniformed in appearance - if a bit more trying-to-do-everything.

Very impressed - more so than i was hoping! It's made me wonder whether use KDE full time for a while.

That said, it's BIZZARE how accustomed to Gnome i'd become in that i felt confused in KDE not knowing hoo to naviagate etc...

thanks guys!

http://kde-look.org/ has some good kmenu buttons if that's what you mean, most come with instructions. That and http://kde-apps.org/ are two great reasons for using KDE


I spent around half an hour looking for the network configuration in KDE4 - turns out there isn't one.

And I think the start menu is a triumph of form over function. Looks pretty, but much more awkward to use than traditional launch menus like the Gnome one, especially when you're trying to find where something is (like the non-existent network config). It's a shame, because there are some bits of KDE (such as k3b and dolphin) that I really like.


I don't think that's much of a problem but then again I use alt+f2 to launch most of my programs thus bypassing the start menu

[C. Wizard]

I spent around half an hour looking for the network configuration in KDE4 - turns out there isn't one.

And I think the start menu is a triumph of form over function. Looks pretty, but much more awkward to use than traditional launch menus like the Gnome one, especially when you're trying to find where something is (like the non-existent network config). It's a shame, because there are some bits of KDE (such as k3b and dolphin) that I really like.
KDE 4.xx is NOT ready for prime time and
will give you the wrong impression of KDE.

If you really want to see it perform, install
KDE 3.5.10.

I think they are on the right track with KDE 4,
but it has a long, long, LONG, way to go before
I would consider using it on a daily basis.

[The Cog]

I am inclined to agree. I will look back in on KDE4 from time to time. I'm not happy with the way Gnome are going, including MS poison like mono by default. But at the moment, Gnome is the slicker of the two to use.

[The Cog]

Oops - double-posted.

[Asraniel]

I spent around half an hour looking for the network configuration in KDE4 - turns out there isn't one.

Thats a kubuntu problem, but there was something written somewhere that the next beta of 8.04 will have knetworkmanager integrated.


And I think the start menu is a triumph of form over function. Looks pretty, but much more awkward to use than traditional launch menus like the Gnome one, especially when you're trying to find where something is (like the non-existent network config). It's a shame, because there are some bits of KDE (such as k3b and dolphin) that I really like.

Easy to change, right click on the start button and change to classic menu.