Don't you hate it when KDE runs better than XFCE

[4Orbs]

Preface: Novice user, two years into Linux, mainly Xubuntu and have been distro hopping since the start (dozens, maybe even a hundred, installs and reinstalls under my belt). In every distro tried, I have found something to like and something to dislike... can't recall trying any distro that just outright stinks. Through it all, Xubuntu has consistently run almost flawlessly and is the one I keep as the mainstay for my family's computer needs (oh, and XP for some games).

Sensitive Territory: I prefer the Ubuntu way of doing things and have no intention of ever abandoning this champion, but recently I discovered that, for some strange reason, my computer actually works better with Slackware based distro's. Is this my imagination or is it hardware related? Is this an unusual occurance, or common? More disturbing is that Vector Classic (new distro, old version KDE) works better on my computer than any I have ever tried. I should note that up til now I have avoided KDE like the plague. I should also note that Zenwalk xfce also runs better. Still, I dig Xubuntu the most.

The Big Question: Should I trust the distro that works the best (maybe it's a tad quicker, more solid feel, reliable cd burning, family-friendly) for my family's needs, or should I trust the distro that has been my favorite for two years?

yaaaa! My dog just snatched my sandwich while I was typing... so nevermind. Please delete this post.

[earthpigg]

DE isn't nearly as big a deal as you make it out to be -- you are more on track with your evaluation of Slackware-based stuff versus Ubuntu than with different Desktop Enviornments.

it isn't hard to make an XFCE-centric (note i said 'centric' and not 'based') distro heavier and slower than a KDE-centric one.


The Big Question: Should I trust the distro that works the best (maybe it's a tad quicker, more solid feel, reliable cd burning, family-friendly) for my family's needs, or should I trust the distro that has been my favorite for two years?

i can't answer that, but make sure you factor in that your fam will have to relearn some stuff. where the menus are located, what the conventions are, etc.

if speed and stability are your two twin pillars, check out Debian Stable or an Ubuntu command line install, adding just XFCE (and not xubuntu-desktop) afterwards.

It can't be beat for you:
Debian or Ubuntu (probably Debian) because you are already somewhat familiar with the 'guts' from Ubuntu*, and with XFCE since your fam is already familiar with it.

again, that is if speed and stability are your two twin pillars.

if speed is an extremely valuable pillar and you don't mind relearning some stuff, start looking into non-debian-based.

*to often people leave out the human element. whether ubuntu or slackware or debian is better means nothing without context. 500 * X is still zero if X=0. the original poster's experience and knowledge is the X. he knows *buntu/debian, so it's best to stick within that distro family. for now.

[4Orbs]

Thanks for the reply earthpigg. I realize that my post and questions were somewhat nebulous. I guess I'm confusing DE performance with base-os performance. Sticking with Xubuntu is the logical choice. With 10.04 only a few months away, I anticipate dancing with glee.

[squilookle]

the last used xfce seriously was on xubuntu edgy eft. when i've tried later ubuntu releases,i found that xfce is not much lighter than gnome - not enough to justify using it over gnome.