I hate Unity so far...

[Erik1984]

Xubuntu 11.04 is the best release yet, IMHO.

I certainly like it's default look.

[buzzmandt]

Or kubuntu, kde 4.7 (running oneiric testing right now as is my gf, mom, niece, son, other desktop, other laptop lol) is the best ever. Rock solid stable and snappy, even on a netbook (1.2 ghz, 1gig ram, intel 945 graphics).

[unity100]

i like it. its easier to use. it needs some improvements for accessing what you need faster, but it definitely is a major improvement over all the interfaces i have used in all oses, including all windows versions.

[madjr]

Or kubuntu, kde 4.7 (running oneiric testing right now as is my gf, mom, niece, son, other desktop, other laptop lol) is the best ever. Rock solid stable and snappy, even on a netbook (1.2 ghz, 1gig ram, intel 945 graphics).

yes kde 4.7 is finally what old kde users (and new ones) were waiting for.

is pretty awesome.

looking so much like windows is both is weakness and strength. Easy to migrate new users to, but hard to market as something new, unique and revolutionary and not just as a windows clone. Its why i support unity as default and hopefully by the LTS it will be as good and stable as they envisioned it.

But i love that kde is available also for us.

[GSF1200S]

yes kde 4.7 is finally what old kde users (and new ones) were waiting for.

is pretty awesome.

looking so much like windows is both is weakness and strength. Easy to migrate new users to, but hard to market as something new, unique and revolutionary and not just as a windows clone. Its why i support unity as default and hopefully by the LTS it will be as good and stable as they envisioned it.

But i love that kde is available also for us.

I tried KDE 4.6 on Kubuntu 11.04, and I just cant see what everyone is saying its so great for.. I used KDE 3.5 back in the day, and it had a VASTLY greater number of options. Also, KDE is very slow compared to Gnome or XFCE. KDE is mostly stable now, but it is not 3.5 (though I will admit it looks very good). KDE 4 doesnt support dual-head separate X session either, so I cant use it on my desktop anyways.

I mirror all the opinions in here about XFCE and Xubuntu; Xubuntu 11.04 is the best Xubuntu release ever. XFCE 4.8 has come a long way and should be very easy for Gnome 2 users to use; its faster than Gnome 2, lighter than Gnome 2, and in many cases has more options than Gnome 2 (though not all im sure). If you hate Unity (I personally do myself), give it a shot (and KDE too I suppose, if its your thing).

Personally, Im running an Xubuntu install with compiz, and Im running an Arch install with openbox+fbpanel+pytyle- both of them approach using a desktop from different angles; open your mind and think about a completely new experience, and create it yourself. For example, I have an on-demand tiling and floating window manager that is rock stable and ridiculously fast (OB+pytyle), and I havent used OB really ever (used to use fluxbox here and there). Sometimes, crisis (Unity for some) can result in good (rethinking what may be the ideal workspace). Just look at Gnome 3- I hate it, but for others it completely redefines how the desktop is used and they enjoy this change.