"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: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:2006-05-12
Member since:2006-07-17
in ubuntu/kubuntu kde is unstable and acts totally weird..
I don't find this at all. I used Gentoo for years and so compiled KDE from source and I have found it at least the same now I have switched to Kubuntu. It might be that Kubuntu just ship vanilla KDE, whilst other distros tidy things up a bit (I have little experience with any others) but I certainly wouldn't call it unstable, and nor does it act weird..
Member since:2007-03-08
I use Kubuntu and KDE is actually completely stable here. You could say that KDE is the least of my worries. 
Remember, your mileage will always vary from other users. Diff'rent strokes, sometimes you feel like a nut, etc. Actually, Kubuntu Feisty has pretty much the most stable KDE desktop I've ever used.
In short, you're wrong.
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:2007-03-09
Quit trolling.
How was I trolling? I was just expressing my opinion (that's what forums are for) and my post was on topic.
Some people like KDE and some people like Gnome.
The *point* of my post was not about which DE is better. It was about Ubuntu and how *I* would like to see it developed in the future. I also explained why.
Don't try to push your opinion on others.
IMO, I wasn't *pushing* anything but.. if you really want to go there, read your own post and notice how you're "trying to do the same thing".
Remember that we're all biased in some way...
Edited 2007-08-27 18:23
Member since:2006-03-05
"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. "
This has been said over and over again ever since Miguel d'Icaza's first mail announcing his Gnome initiative. But it simply isn't true at all. Because C++ encodes so much more information about an api and because C++ fits -- because it's object oriented -- so much better in with "modern" languages like Python, Ruby, C# or Java, it's really easy to automatically generate bindings for these languages. Which is the reason we've got complete and functional bindings for all these languages. The bindings argument has simply been demonstrated to be invalid.
Member since:2007-04-05
I don't mind most of your argument, but I'm quite perplexed that anyone advocates one interface over another based on an icon set or the look of widgets when reconfiguring those are just a few mouse clicks away.
Yes, Gnome is quite nice. However, I use multiple desktop environments, and I greatly value the ability to configure each one so as to make switching as interruption-free as possible. KDE with Konqueror is much more consistent than Gnome with its usual bevy of applications that have their own keystroke assignments, some of which cannot be reconfigured.
KDE is almost the best at this of any environment. There are a few more common cross-application bindings that it could implement, so that for example, you can imitate OSX's Command-, keystroke which consistently opens the application's preferences.
While KDE and Gnome leapfrog each other in many ways, Gnome's philosophy seems to prevent it from suiting this strong preference of mine - and perhaps other people.
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:2007-03-09
Not that superior. If it as, Ubuntu would obviously be using it. Gnome and KDE are just a bit different.
I believe Gnome was chosen because...
People have their preferences, often only because of getting used to certain things and ways of doing things.
Meaning the developers preferred Gnome over KDE. I don't believe there was much of a research or testing over this in the beginning.
By the way, have you considered that part of the Ubuntu popularity may have something to do with Gnome too?
I believe the main reasons were the concept (one live cd, with carefully chosen apps), ease of install, good docs and forums and of course successful marketing.
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,
Ok, maybe they're not "embracing" it but they're certainly using it for Tomboy which is part of Gnome.
I don't like this simply because of MONO's controversial connection to Microsoft.
They're using Python too but I don't have anything against python (in principle) except well.. that I don't like the idea of using high level languages in core OS componets, mainly because their lesser performance when compared to C or C++. I like the fact that KDE is written only in C++ so the codebase stays clean and there is less libraries to depend on.
Member since:2005-11-12
Member since:2005-07-07
Point is that by default it comes with Gnome. Now indeed, after two years of no KDE 3.x release, Gnome imho has almost catched up with KDE, but if KDE 4.x will prove to be what the KDE hackers hope it to be, Mark said Ubuntu would consider delivering KDE with Ubuntu instead of Gnome.
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:2007-03-09
Fortunately that opposite will never be true if KDE is default and some newbie asks someone who prefers GNOME that same question...
Yeah, well that's why we really need a desktop agnostic distro...
Seriously, wouldn't it be great if there were just one Ubuntu with different "Desktop Editions" available for download directly from Ubuntu home page:
* Ubuntu Gnome Edition
* Ubuntu KDE Edition
* Ubuntu Xfce Edition
The links could even change places randomly to make sure that any of the Editions are not "embraced" by the distributor 
Optionally, you could download the DVD, which would have all these Editions on one disk, and you could choose which one(s) to install.
This way all the major DEs could ride the Ubuntu hype and compete on a level playing field from the attention of Ubuntu users.
For those saying choice that choice is bad:
1. FLOSS is all about choice
2. Even Vista has 6 or 7 Editions too
PS. I do realize this solution would have it's own problems too, but IMO it'd be still a better situation
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...