Anyone else a little disappointed with Kubuntu 6.06?

[apsalyers]

I have been a devout KDE user since I first started with desktop Linux via SuSE 8. I must say that I am a little disappointed with the level of improvement, change, and innovation in Kubuntu 6.06 compared to Ubuntu 6.06. During the beta and pre release processes, I continued to see genuine growth in Ubuntu; in the interface, applications, speed, overall performance, etc. In Kubuntu, it simply continued to make baby steps towards stability and added a tray icon for available updates. There was also some streamlining of packages, such as defaulting to using Xine versions instead of gstreamer versions for multimedia applications. Basic issues which have never been a problem in Ubuntu still exist, such as mysterious icon warping when adding shortcuts to the main bar, support for external volume control buttons on laptops, overall random application crashing, etc. While Ubuntu seems like a developed overall product, Kubuntu seems more like taking a stable command line only install of Ubuntu, doing an “apt-get install kubuntu-desktop”, and calling it finished. This has always been so in Kubuntu, so I probably should not complain, but I personally had high hopes that Kubuntu was going to come/grow into its own in 6.06.

[murph2481]

GNOME is the offically supported desktop for Ubuntu, so they are going to spend more time developeing that side. Although recent developments show that Kubuntu will be getting better and with KDE 4.0 on the horizon with a ton of improvements in architecture it should be a good change.

Good thing with linux is if you dont like it come involved and change it. The release cycles are so short to see fairly signifigant changes. Agreed Kubuntu has a way to go but look where it has already come in such a short time. It's all a work in progress

[Forge2199]

I'm fairly new to Ubuntu and its been quite a while since I last played with Linux at all. I started on Ubuntu and switched to Kubuntu. I have to agree with your observations. Ubuntu is a polished product. Kubuntu, on the other hand, feels very much like a work in progress and I think that Mark Shuttleworth said as much recently when he talked about improving support for Kubuntu. I'm a bit torn. I want to like Kubuntu - it feels like familiar ground since I'm a Windows person primarily. Ubuntu which feels more like MacOS to me is at least a polished product. Personally, I'm looking forward to this new found push to improve Kubuntu along with all the exciting things that will be happening with Edgy Eft. That promises to incorporate some very interesting technologies. Hopefully, they will take the time to also polish the edges.

[Mathias-K]

I agree, but hey, up until now, Kubuntu has been spearheaded by one paid developer, Jonathan Riddell. He has done a good job, but compared to the number of GNOME guys employed by Canonical I'm not really surprised to see Kubuntu lagging a bit behind.

On the other hand I'm convinced that when Mark Shuttleworth says that Kubuntu will be made a first class citizen, I think it will happen during the next development cycle.

[curuxz]

Shuttleworth uses KDE himself on his desktop pc so I think its well maintained.

I really like dapper KDE

[prizrak]

I haven't used Dapper KDE yet but it wasn't all that great on the previous releases. I don't think it's as mature (even tho Ubuntu is barely 3 years old) as GNOME. It is also possible that GNOME is easier since it has much less features.

[raublekick]

i'm installing kubuntu-desktop right now. i've never really liked KDE but i always install it just because i like to have it there. i don't know the ins and outs of Kubuntu, because i use it so little, but i hope that Dapper's Kubuntu makes me like it a little more.

[ComplexNumber]

Shuttleworth uses KDE himself on his desktop pc so I think its well maintained.

I really like dapper KDE he uses gnome on his desktop. he came on the forum here and explained.




On the other hand I'm convinced that when Mark Shuttleworth says that Kubuntu will be made a first class citizen yeah, and novell will keep on focussing on KDE equally as much as they do gnome. and i'm the pope.


I have been a devout KDE user since I first started with desktop Linux via SuSE 8. I must say that I am a little disappointed with the level of improvement, change, and innovation in Kubuntu 6.06 compared to Ubuntu 6.06. During the beta and pre release processes, I continued to see genuine growth in Ubuntu; in the interface, applications, speed, overall performance, etc. In Kubuntu, it simply continued to make baby steps towards stability and added a tray icon for available updates. There was also some streamlining of packages, such as defaulting to using Xine versions instead of gstreamer versions for multimedia applications. Basic issues which have never been a problem in Ubuntu still exist, such as mysterious icon warping when adding shortcuts to the main bar, support for external volume control buttons on laptops, overall random application crashing, etc. While Ubuntu seems like a developed overall product, Kubuntu seems more like taking a stable command line only install of Ubuntu, doing an “apt-get install kubuntu-desktop”, and calling it finished. This has always been so in Kubuntu, so I probably should not complain, but I personally had high hopes that Kubuntu was going to come/grow into its own in 6.06. actually, i haven't seen anything in the way of substantial progress in KDE since about version 1 or 2. they only thing they've done is added more features and got rid of the corresponding bugs, it seems.

[Jason_25]

I think Kubuntu is fine for desktop use. There are minor things like Adept, which is just an awful program. I've set my parents up with it recently and they seem to enjoy it's similarity to windows.

[therunnyman]

In answer to the OP, yes, extremely disappointed. My reasons are all over the place; don't want to over-vent.

[BoyOfDestiny]

I agree, but hey, up until now, Kubuntu has been spearheaded by one paid developer, Jonathan Riddell. He has done a good job, but compared to the number of GNOME guys employed by Canonical I'm not really surprised to see Kubuntu lagging a bit behind.

On the other hand I'm convinced that when Mark Shuttleworth says that Kubuntu will be made a first class citizen, I think it will happen during the next development cycle.

Isn't there one paid developer for GNOME too?

http://lwn.net/Articles/179642/

"Kubuntu needs more paid developers. Even though Canonical says that
there is one paid developer for GNOME and one KDE (seb128/jriddell),
the rest of the paid developers rather tend to support GNOME."

Gnome is the default I guess...

[Christmas]

It's pretty stable KDE in Dapper. I used it since Flight 7 and only with the official Dapper release I changed to GNOME. God if GNOME's developers would make that ***** configuration tool well, so you can have more options. I mean, in Dapper gconf-editor doesn't work at all for a kind of options, like the "Reduced resources" one which you could use back in Breezy to get rid off the minimizing lines.

[GoldBuggie]

I'm very pleased with the the progress of kubuntu. The bugs that I had with previous releases are all gone. More stability and better overall integration has replaced the problems. Software which didn't exist in the repositories before has been added and several things are updated.

When you say you are dissapointed I don't understand why. I'm grateful for kubuntu and hope to see a continuing progress in the direction that dapper has provided.

[nickle]

I tend to agree that the progress on Ubuntu has been considerably greater than Kubuntu. In fact the number of problems I had with the prerelease versions of Kubuntu made me move to Gnome for the first time in years.
I think if you want a better KDE environment you probably need to move to a distro that exclusively supports it. Despite the hype Canonical will never throw their weight behind KDE to the same extent as Gnome. For me thats ok, each company has to set its priorities. But I do no like the pretence of "investing more resources" in KDE. It won't happen unless there is a sound business case for doing so.
I have now come to prefer the Gnome desktop, but I nevertheles think most KDE apps that I generally use are better than their Gnome equivalents.

[murph2481]

Plus you have to remember what you paid for this software...$0 and you know it costs someone a lot of money to make it. So no complaints here

[Mathias-K]

Isn't there one paid developer for GNOME too?

I didn't know that. Thanks for pointing that out.



"Kubuntu needs more paid developers. Even though Canonical says that there is one paid developer for GNOME and one KDE (seb128/jriddell), the rest of the paid developers rather tend to support GNOME."

Gnome is the default I guess...

That kinda proves my point. If the focus was there it could be even better than it is.

[curuxz]

he uses gnome on his desktop. he came on the forum here and explained.


Sorry buddy your wrong listen to the interview he did a few days ago

"...I use both...."

"..I use KDE for my desktop..."

He goes on to say he has Ubuntu (ie Gnome) on his laptop but keeps KDE on his desktop so he can monitor the progress of both.

My reason for using KDE, is its better dual monitor support.

[raublekick]

i've been exploring kde a bit on here now, i kinda like it. can't really tell what's new and what's old but i may stick with it for a while.

[Jucato]

I have mixed emotions regarding Kubuntu 6.06. On one hand, I'm pleased that KDE works better and faster than Breezy. I've been getting less crashes (although I'm still getting some) compared to Kubuntu Breezy. Also, everything looks clean and tidy, compared to other KDE distros.

On the other hand, I'm also a bit disappointed at the rate of Kubuntu's growth. Adept hasn't improved but has gotten messier to look at. It's a geek's app, not a desktop user's app. There hasn't been much improvement either aside from bug fixes. I mean, did they really use all those months just for bug fixes?

But I guess Kubuntu's pace of development isn't really surprising, given that Ubuntu is reallly a GNOME distro, no matter which way you look at it. Xubuntu might also be experiencing the same growth rate, but it might have an advantage since it also uses GTK. I really hope that Mark makes good on his word to improve on Kubuntu by getting more people involved (had to emphasize that just in case "some people" would think that improving Kubuntu might mean taking some people away from Ubuntu). Otherwise, I'm not really sure I want to use a sort of "half-baked" KDE distro that people made just to make a compromise with KDE users who want to belong to Ubuntu.

[jsgotangco]

This is not really a problem on who gets paid to develop Ubuntu and Kubuntu. The problem is that KDE has a different development cycle/schedule compared to Ubuntu which is in-sync with GNOME releases (in case you haven't noticed it).

There is an idea to sync Kubuntu with KDE release schedules which will most likely happen in the near future.

But in a nutshell, Kubuntu 6.06 is lightyears ahead of Kubuntu 5.10.

[RavenOfOdin]

Yes, I think I am disappointed with Kubuntu now. I might switch back to GNOME when I can get it running again.

Then again, there's always the upcoming KDE 4. :D