"This article will briefly discuss the new features found within Gutsy Gibbon and hopefully give you a better idea of what to expect when the final version of Gutsy Gibbons is released in October. Some of the more notable new features are a Graphical Configuration tool for X, improvements in plug-in handling for Mozilla Firefox, revamped printing system with PDF printing by default, fast user switching, new desktop search (Tracker) application and the new AppArmor security framework."
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Member since:2007-03-09
Yeah, I would like to see KDE4 as the default DE in a future Ubuntu release and Gnome getting the same status as KDE3 has now (i.e. it'd have its own overlooked (esp. by devs) distro called "Gubuntu").
Until this happens I cannot truly advocate Ubuntu, as IMHO KDE is superior to Gnome. I also don't like how Gnome developers embrace MONO.
It is too bad as Ubuntu would be the most obvious distro to recommend to newbies as
1) it has very active development to make it easier to use/install
2) it has the most available information on the net in my (and their) native language (website/docs/forums).
3) it is the most hyped (i.e. advertised) distro which has a big influence to many people's opinions.
Currently it's quite a twisted situation when people who have seen the all the Ubuntu hype come to ask my opinion about Ubuntu and all I can say "Yes, Ubuntu is quite good but I'd rather recommend err.. Kubuntu which is much better."... Obviously the explanation to the question "Why?" will only confuse newbies even more. They'll also wonder what they should believe; me or the hype...
Member since:2006-03-23
not to mention how ubuntu/kubuntu's kde packages are utterly useless compared to other distributions kde..
in ubuntu/kubuntu kde is unstable and acts totally weird..
in short, if you want a real quality DE, you have to avoid *ubuntu, as their kde packages are simply broken.
Member since:2005-11-05
Quit trolling. You might *love* KDE. Personally, I find the KDE interface a bit too "fisher price" and the Crystal icon theme horrendous. Tango is a breath of fresh air compared to Crystal.
Some people like KDE and some people like Gnome. That does not mean one is any better than the other. It might be your opinion that KDE is better than Gnome, but it is your opinion and not mine. Take a look at language bindings. Because gnome is C, it is pretty easy to make bindings for any other language. Granted, it isn't "hard" to make bindings to C++ (KDE), but it is easier to make bindings for gtk because it is C.
Don't get me wrong now, if you were to say QT vs Gtk, QT is technically superior in most ways. Just back your arguments up with some facts before you go all Linus on us.
Don't try to push your opinion on others.
Member since:2005-07-08
"Until this happens I cannot truly advocate Ubuntu, as IMHO KDE is superior to Gnome. "
Not that superior. If it as, Ubuntu would obviously be using it. Gnome and KDE are just a bit different. People have their preferences, often only because of getting used to certain things and ways of doing things.
Also, often active users have tweaked their own desktop environments (KDE or Gnome) very much to suit their needs, and may sometimes forget that when comparing desktop environments. It is also possible to customize Gnome in countless different ways to better suit personal needs. As an example and hint, here is an article that describes a few such Gnome tweaks that some people might find useful:
http://lifehacker.com/software/lifehacker-top-10/top-10-gnome-deskt...
By the way, have you considered that part of the Ubuntu popularity may have something to do with Gnome too? (Other main reasons are, for example, their excellent documentation and community.) There have been lots of KDE-based easy-to-use free desktop distributions before like Suse and Mandrake/Mandriva, yet the Gnome-based Ubuntu has passed them in popularity.
As to KDE4, it does look quite promising also to me, but still only beta, and lets try to keep the discussion on Ubuntu here.
"I also don't like how Gnome developers embrace MONO."
Mono has nothing to do with Gnome (except that some Mono developers are, or have been, also Gnome developers). Mono can be used in many sorts environments. I don't see Gnome embracing Mono in any particular way. Gnome seems to be rather "agnostic" in that matter, there are both supporters and critics, majority probably being rather neutral about it. Mono is not a necessary thing in Gnome, and for every available Mono-based app there are usually lots of good non-Mono alternatives too. As an example, Gnome in Ubuntu Gutsy will use the non-Mono search engine, Tracker instead of Mono-based Beagle.
Member since:2005-11-12
Member since:2005-08-18
"Obviously the explanation to the question "Why?" will only confuse newbies even more. They'll also wonder what they should believe; me or the hype."
Fortunately that opposite will never be true if KDE is default and some newbie asks someone who prefers GNOME that same question...
Member since:2006-05-11
I am not an IT expert, I use my computer as a tool not as a full time employment. I tried KDE3, it is wonderful, but it just looks much more "powerful" and useful for power users. I am an ordinary user, enjoying clean desktop, easy to use interface (without too much additional stuff) and gnome seems to be far better that way. I really enjoy Ubuntu and would not use it if it's default desktop would be KDE.
Member since:2005-10-31
There used to be a time when suse seemed closely tied to the development on KDE. That all seemed to change after the Novell acquisition. It would be nice to know which distro is could be identified as the 'reference implementation' of KDE. That way the strengths of both can be compared on a some what level playing field.
Kubuntu doesn't strike me as following that closely behind KDE development, or I may be wrong. So when the pre release announcements are made for Ubuntu, while being on the same release cycle, Kubuntu not being highlighted does detract from its apparent relevance.
Like SuSE used to be a reference implementation of KDE at one point or Ubuntu and Fedora are for gnome, it might be beneficial if Kubuntu or some other were to be developed 'closely' in sync with KDE. That way feature summaries like this one could be available for those who prefer KDE.
I for one do not mine the lack of 'ground breaking' feature lists if it means all that effort is being put into polish and stability. You know the boring loose end type bugs that are not 'interesting enough' to deal after years of sitting in bugzilla. Now if the polish and stability efforts are being put into problems that have been alleviated in newer features or different solutions, then by all means focus on replacing those old solutions.
I just think there is a case to be made for setting an area and focusing appropriately on it.
Member since:2005-07-15
>it might be beneficial if Kubuntu or some other were to be developed 'closely' in sync with KDE.
First you need something to sync before you can sync.
Mark Shuttleworth has said it already in his keynote[1] at aKademy. If KDE commit themselves to a rythm of releases than Ubuntu can and will commit themselves to integrate the latest and greatest of KDE into their Kubuntu releases. But therefore they need a reliable timetable to sync with.
[1] Video: http://home.kde.org/~akademy07/videos/1-06-Keynote-Shuttleworth.ogg
Edited 2007-08-28 11:26
Member since:2006-10-28
Member since:
2007-04-30
Looking over the specs, nothing here is really all that groundbreaking. Ubuntu has been pretty disappointing over the past few releases. The only noteworthy aspect is the new print manager which was taken from Fedora anyway. I'm far more interested in KDE4 which should be getting released around the same time.