Ubuntu, Kubuntu, or Xubuntu?

[Christmas]

Ubuntu is using GNOME as a window manager, Kubuntu KDE and Xubuntu XFCE. Now I don't know about Xubuntu, but Ubuntu seems the most polished and you can find lots of documentation about it. However it's a well-known fact that GNOME's applications are missing lots of options you might need, also it's less configurable then KDE. If you need something good looking, with all applications working well, an easy way to install packages and update your system (through Synaptic), simple and clear interface then go for Ubuntu. If you want more and advanced options, highly configurable applications and environment, then I'd say you might want to try Kubuntu, which is my favourite. It was always a battle about who's better (GNOME or KDE), my personal opinion is that KDE offers more options for a user and a developer, while GNOME tries to simplify everything to a level that would fit perfectly a new user. If you are an advanced user who needs powerful features and easy access to them then KDE. But this differs from person to person. Why don't you try them both and see which one fits you best? Nothing compares to personal experience

[awakatanka]

Yeah, I know, but I never can get any themes to work in KDE, I always have problems, then lately themes arent working in GNOME on ubuntu ever since the 6.x series came out.

There are some in the repo's for both. The most used for kde are in the repo's. And i hope it will be a easy install in kde 4. Also have some troubles sometime to get a decoration to work if i try them from kde-look

[josys36]

I personally perfer XFCE, however you might want to try all three and then decide. What I did is install Ubuntu, and then install both kubuntu-desktop and xubuntu-desktop. I used each for several days and then found that I liked XFCE and Gnome the best. So now I just install Ubuntu and then install package xubuntu-desktop.

I did not like KDE at all, but I liked both Gnome and XFCE. Right now my personal favorite is XFCE. I have heard tons about Flukebox and I will try that after I am done with the upgrade to Edgy struggle.

Jason

[ComplexNumber]

However it's a well-known fact that GNOME's applications are missing lots of options you might need

i keep on hearing this myth all the time. its only desktop utilities that are lean. you wouldn't claim the following to be missing lots of options would you? - gimp, inkscape, gaim, beast, evolution, k3d, vlc, xara exteme, liferea, dia, gqview,........

[Christmas]

i keep on hearing this myth all the time. its only desktop utilities that are lean. you wouldn't claim the following to be missing lots of options would you? - gimp, inkscape, gaim, beast, evolution, k3d, vlc, xara exteme, liferea, dia, gqview,........

It's a personal opinion. Take Rhythmbox against Amarok, Nautilus against Konqueror or Gedit against Kate. The first two are obviously more poor in options then their KDE equivalents, while Gedit misses features which in my opinion are needed by any programmer (it has syntax highlighting, so it is supposed to be used in coding right?). Also, lack of options when configuring the interface. And it wouldn't be a problem unless gconf-editor would offer all those options there, but it doesn't. For example I couldn't get rid of the, already a real myth, lines that appear when minimizing an application.

[maniacmusician]

It's a personal opinion. Take Rhythmbox against Amarok, Nautilus against Konqueror or Gedit against Kate. The first two are obviously more poor in options then their KDE equivalents, while Gedit misses features which in my opinion are needed by any programmer (it has syntax highlighting, so it is supposed to be used in coding right?). Also, lack of options when configuring the interface. And it wouldn't be a problem unless gconf-editor would offer all those options there, but it doesn't. For example I couldn't get rid of the, already a real myth, lines that appear when minimizing an application.

this is obviously going to turn into a KDE v GNOME flamewar, so please refrain from making posts like that. we don't want a legitimate thread to get locked because of this again


to keep this on topic, you can use any of the three and decide which one you like. just use "sudo aptitude xubuntu-desktop" and replace xubuntu with kubuntu or ubuntu. and then when you're done using it, remove it with "sudo aptitude remove xubuntu-desktop."

[ComplexNumber]

Take Rhythmbox against Amarok, Nautilus against Konqueror or Gedit against Kate.

or gimp vs krita, inkscape vs carbon14, vlc vs kaffeine, gaim vs kopete, k3d vs povray modeller,....



on topic, i suggest installing all 3 of them to see which one the user likes best.

[mcpish]

I really love XFCE, the only thing I don't like is how Xubuntu in particular configures it by default.

I don't like how Xubuntu tries to set the default look/behavior of XFCE to work like Gnome. XFCE is "supposed" to be a CDE clone (remember that old desktop from Sun Workstations?). It's supposed to have a launcher bar at the bottom, desktop icons are minimized running applications only, no tasklist just a centre-click to see running apps, etc. Fortunatly it's easy to switch Xubuntu back to the CDE way of doing things, but I think it should be that way by default. Most newbies to XFCE wouldn't realize that it's not supposed to be a GNOME clone if their first experience with XFCE is with Xubuntu. I used to love the old CDE (Common Desktop Environment) 10+ years ago on Sun Workstations which is what drew me to XFCE originally with other distros.

Most PC users are not used to the way that XFCE and real UNIX workstations fully utilize the 3-button mouse (right click application menu, centre click task list, left click select), but once you get used to it you realize it's really the way it should be.

[maniacmusician]

I really love XFCE, the only thing I don't like is how Xubuntu in particular configures it by default.

I don't like how Xubuntu tries to set the default look/behavior of XFCE to work like Gnome. XFCE is "supposed" to be a CDE clone (remember that old desktop from Sun Workstations?). It's supposed to have a launcher bar at the bottom, desktop icons are minimized running applications only, no tasklist just a centre-click to see running apps, etc. Fortunatly it's easy to switch Xubuntu back to the CDE way of doing things, but I think it should be that way by default. Most newbies to XFCE wouldn't realize that it's not supposed to be a GNOME clone if their first experience with XFCE is with Xubuntu. I used to love the old CDE (Common Desktop Environment) 10+ years ago on Sun Workstations which is what drew me to XFCE originally with other distros.

Most PC users are not used to the way that XFCE and real UNIX workstations fully utilize the 3-button mouse (right click application menu, centre click task list, left click select), but once you get used to it you realize it's really the way it should be.

I agree! I hate that they make it look like a gnome clone. way to let it have its own identity.

[mahy]

Xubuntu. If you think it's for old machines only, think twice. The only problem in Xfce itself is the absence of a nice menu configuration tool. The second problem are howtos and manuals. Vast majority of them are tailored for Gnome (sudo gedit all over the place), a minority for KDE and next to nothing for Xfce. It's a bit of a bummer. On the other hand, i like having a (slightly) less mainstream distro. It's most apparent during downloading of new releases via bittorrent.

Ubuntu desktop installation CD: several hundred peers
Xubuntu alternate CD (my pick): 40-50 peers.