Mark Shuttleworth, first patron of KDE!

[Castar]

Just read this (http://dot.kde.org/1160932072/).

Mark actively supports KDE :)

[taurus]

Yip. Saw it on http://www.linux.org/ this morning...

[ComplexNumber]

what bribe did they use? :D j/k. its a mutually beneficial arrangement - mark gives them money and the event generates publicity for kubuntu within the linux community in return.

yeah, i saw it earlier on today too.

[chaosgeisterchen]

*smile*

I hope this will result in some major improve in KDE, although it is already a great desktop environment which leaves Windows in the dust when it comes to usability.

I long for the day that Konqueror becomes fully competitive with Firefox and Opera.

[.t.]

I don't think this was really wise... Mark founded the GNOME based distro. Surely KDE is a rival to GNOME?

[ComplexNumber]

I don't think this was really wise... Mark founded the GNOME based distro. Surely KDE is a rival to GNOME?
yeah, but he wants lots of mepis, mandriva, suse, xandros, etc users to convert to kubuntu. i think this is a great way for him to generate publicity for kubuntu and to grab more converts from other distros, especially given all the negative things said about the stability and such like of kubuntu.
Mark doesn't need to do the same for ubuntu because its already seen as the number 1 distro (according to distrowatch anyway). ubuntu is already heavily associated with gnome whereas the same can't be said of kde and kubuntu (ie many people don't even know it exists).

[chaosgeisterchen]

Hmh.. judging after an interview made with a member of KDE e.V., GNOME and KDE devs really work together and not against each other.

[Castar]

yeah, but he wants lots of mepis, mandriva, suse, xandros, etc users to convert to kubuntu. i think this is a great way for him to generate publicity for kubuntu and to grab more converts from other distros, especially given all the negative things said about the stability and such like of kubuntu.

I think at some point he said that he was using KDE nowdays. Maybe it's not all about gaining users and he just likes it :)

[ComplexNumber]

I think at some point he said that he was using KDE nowdays. Maybe it's not all about gaining users and he just likes it :)
i have no doubt whatsoever that its ALL about gaining users. otherwise, there would be no point in him releasing variations of ubuntu for every possibility (eg kde users, xfce users, christian users, etc). at the end of the day, he's running a business that he is determined to eventually become profitable. furthermore, he has to be seen to endorse his own products no matter what his personal loyalties are.

[TheRingmaster]

Hmh.. judging after an interview made with a member of KDE e.V., GNOME and KDE devs really work together and not against each other.
http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/

they are trying to work together like the post above said.

[chaosgeisterchen]

Thanks for bringing in evidence towards that.

Working against each other is not a way to success.

[JackSlammer]

I think at some point he said that he was using KDE nowdays. Maybe it's not all about gaining users and he just likes it :)

No, he have Ubuntu installed in his laptops and Kubuntu in desktop machine. But he hardly never uses his desktop.

[Sushi]

I don't think this was really wise... Mark founded the GNOME based distro. Surely KDE is a rival to GNOME?

Are you under the illusion that KDE needs to be destroyed if GNOME wants to be succesfull? Or vice versa? It doesn't really work that way. Yes, the two compete with each other, but it's friendly competition. Yes, users of the two often flame the users of the "other" desktop, but the devels get along just fine, and they cooperate extensively. GNOME is constantly trying to do a better job than KDE, and vice versa. The progress of the two has been trendemous partly because of that.

Would we be really better off, if either KDE or GNOME vanished? No we would not. It would be a tragedy.

And besides: last time I checked, Mark is also involved in this thing called "Kubuntu". I do believe it uses KDE. And I do believe that Mark has said that he uses both Kubuntu and Ubuntu.

[.t.]

I understand that neither needs destroying. I didn't know Mark used Kubuntu. However, it still remains fact that he started a GNOME distro, and it just feels like the KDE people are lying to themselves by having him as a patron. It's like they did it purely to gain popularity. As I said, because of this, I don't think it's a wise move.

[deepwave]

Patron, as in contributing money to KDE eV. That is all.
Still kind of nice of him.

[D!mon]

Great news:) KDE suits me more than GNOME:)

[Sushi]

I understand that neither needs destroying. I didn't know Mark used Kubuntu. However, it still remains fact that he started a GNOME distro

Um, so? Are you forgetting Kubuntu again?


and it just feels like the KDE people are lying to themselves by having him as a patron.

Mark donated money to KDE, and in return he receives the title "Patron of KDE". How exactly are the KDE-folks "lying to themselves" here? By thinking that Mark donated them money, when in reality he did not? Then they would be lying to themselves. But if he did donate money (which I believe he did, where is the lying?

Are you really thinking that if someone supports GNOME (like Mark does), it's completely impossible for that same person to support KDE as well (like Mark does)? Is this a case of "either you are with us, or against us"?


It's like they did it purely to gain popularity.

Did what? Gave Mark the highest "title" they can give? What do you suggest they should have done instead? Take Marks money, and not give anything in return? Not take his money at all? How would that have helped anyone?


As I said, because of this, I don't think it's a wise move.

Why? Who is harmed by this? Mark? KDE? GNOME? I do believe that you are making no sense here.

[asimon]

I don't think this was really wise... Mark founded the GNOME based distro. Surely KDE is a rival to GNOME?
I don't think they are rivals. The are very different from each other and appeal to different people. Most KDE users won't be happy with Gnome and vice versa. The quick upcoming and success of Kubuntu showed it very clearly that not everyone is happy with Gnome. It's good to have both (and XFCE, and others). Not supporting KDE would mean for Ubuntu to not supporting a (not small) part of their user base.

[fuscia]

I don't think this was really wise... Mark founded the GNOME based distro. Surely KDE is a rival to GNOME?

you're thinking of coke and pepsi. with xubuntu around, it wouldn't surprise me if he threw some money behind xfce, too.

[mips]

I don't think this was really wise... Mark founded the GNOME based distro. Surely KDE is a rival to GNOME?

:rolleyes:

[mips]

A lot of new users are attracted to Ubuntu because of the hype/press. A lot of these users have never used linux before. They tend to think/assume that Kubuntu/Xubuntu are different distros.

Later on some of them try out Kubuntu or KDE having never used it and actually seem to prefer it Gnome. Good for them, they found something they like.

It's just more people for ubuntu in general, who gives a flying #*&! what DM/WM you use.

[Polygon]

thats nice the gnome/kde at least are trying to work together

and again, its just a DE/WM, not to mention that you can have different ones installed on your computer and use them as you please.

[darkhatter]

KDE and Gnome are important to Linux, I hate when a distro only supports one, thats why I like Suse so much

[Gargamella]

this man really believe in linux projects and it is very important to take ahead both gnome and kde, because they're both nice ;D



(but i choose gnome ;D)