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View Full Version : [kubuntu] Why Kubuntu isn't Working for my home PC



texaswriter
May 12th, 2010, 05:33 AM
Hey, just thought I'd share my thoughts on desktop environments. I originally got into Linux using Gnome, first on Ubuntu, then on Debian. After hearing about GS and hearing that it wouldn't support Compiz I was nonplussed, so I switched both my laptop and PC to Kubuntu. For some reason, after installing it on my home computer, I can't see to figure out the "shell" part of "Gnome Shell"... Hrrm, this is an install feature, not the default behavior like it had been made to seem. And ironically, immediately after the release [within a few weeks anyways] of Lucid, Compiz worked on Ubuntu and not Kubuntu. Well, it ran on Kubuntu, but without window borders.

EDIT: For a fix on the lack of window borders Compiz in Kubuntu Lucid, see this link: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1475164
This worked for me.

I do have to say, I like Kubuntu's appearance a lot better. As far as functionality, it's all about the same. Most programs install and run cross-wise just the same without any noticeable effect. My favorite aspects about Kubuntu was that you can still run Compiz [sort of with Lucid], there are plenty of options and built-in support for tweaking appearance that were not in Gnome. It was considerably more straight-forward to alter appearance/theme settings. Not that it may not seem so in Gnome, but I borked the default loading screen in Gnome once following instructions for downloading and installing something [for GDM if my memory serves me]. I'm sure plenty wouldn't have problems with it, but to download them in Kubuntu it is as simple as point, download, for whatever element you could imagine.

I say this because I have pretty much abhorred virtually everything about the themes/colors/icons of every Ubuntu gnome distro I have ever seen. I think Lucid was LESS ugly then some. So, that's going to be the first thing I do, and I don't want to spend hours on end searching endless websites for all the different elements and then trying to figure out where to up them.... The whole point of a UI is to be attractive, functional, and convenient. And so everything about it should be that way.

Anyways, those are just some things I like about Kubuntu. Like I said, most programs work just as well installed on either.

There are a few problems that complicate things. I'll post them here as I have not found "real" solutions for them. One of them kind of encompasses many things: a password being required to authorize some mundane activity: bluetooth keyboard/mouse [yes, my Kubuntu on my home pc up and decided it suddenly wasn't going to use my bluetooth mouse/keyboard one day], wireless internet [password is stored in keyring], yet it asks me to authorize it EVERY single time I start my computer, other partitions, and other hard drives [the hd are called external hd in most distro's and there is group support for using those, but Kubuntu appears to ignore this use]. Needless to say the annoyances this issue causes is dramatic. Case in point: Kubuntu will reload apps that were running when you last shut down [memory feature of sorts]. Oh, Rhythmbox [or insert media player name here], loads, but unfortunately the hard drive [that is mounted] is not allowed [lack of permissions] to be accessed. Rhythmbox decides it has no library, so I have to authorize the hard drive, reload rhythmbox, navigate to the folder, rescan, and wait 30 minutes for it to scan my large collection. The same thing if I just forget to open my media player without knowing whether the hard drive is "authorized".

Needless to say, it gets ridiculous entering my home pc, enter password to login, enter password to authorize hard drive, enter password to authorize internet, ...

So, basically, because of the variety of uses my home pc finds, I'm going to end up going back to Debian or maybe trying Ubuntu Lucid .... My laptop will stay Kubuntu because it works great and is all set up for school and other select tasks. Edit: Having installed Lucid, everything is in good working order with password authorizations. Gnome shell is actually an add-on program and not a default. I would probably have uninstalled Gnome Ubuntu if there had been GS. I don't like it. I find the application menu just perfect for me. Kubuntu's is even better with the built-in search.

Anyways, any solutions that people have are very welcome, or comments too. Like I said, I still will be using Kubuntu on my laptop, probably keep it here because it works great and is an LTS. Rather, on my laptop, the problems I described are considerably less pronounced because I only use the computer for casual gaming, browsing, and school-related activities. I rarely even need to mount my Windows partition [except for the rare file swapping].

If anybody has updates to these problems, I'm welcome to them. Like I said, I still use Kubuntu on my laptop and would welcome any suggestions. The most annoying problem is the authorization of network. Is there a way to make this self-authorize on login. I saw a way in Ubuntu but didn't want to bork my system trying it out. It is a school setup with lots of files and programs installed [that I would not want to have to resetup].