"I used KDE as my primary desktop from 1996 through 2006, when I installed the GNOME version of Ubuntu and found that I liked it better than the KDE desktop I'd faced every morning for so many years. Last January, I got a new Dell Latitude D630 laptop and decided to install Kubuntu on it, but within a few weeks, I went back to GNOME. Does this mean GNOME is now a better desktop than KDE, or just that I have become so accustomed to GNOME that it's hard for me to give it up?"
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Member since:2005-07-28
Member since:2008-03-17
Unfortunately kubuntu is one of the few high quality deb based KDE distros around (I should give sidux a go tho). I kinda dislike rpms but I hate openSUSEs packaging system everytime I try it I have to add external repos just to get things like non crippled ktorrent.
Inevitably the sheer amount of external repos leads to loads of packaging conficts. The dialog box that pop's up is just plain hideous. Not to mention zypper and yast are damn slow.
With mandriva I couldn't find 64 bit downloads without getting the dvd image...sigh...
Other than that I would say that SUSE and Mandriva are more polished than Kubuntu, but the packaging issue is a deal breaker for me.
Member since:2005-07-13
I never saw Mandrake pledge support for GNOME, and promise to make it a "first-class citizen", as Shuttleworth did for KDE. But of course that move followed the debacle over Novell maybe-or-maybe-not dropping KDE, and since they did an about face on that, he simply forgot about it. It's all about the marketing and generating blog points.
But I do agree with your point. Use the distro that has the best-implementation of the desktop you prefer. Riddell is an extremely talented and high-profile KDE dev, but there's only so much he can do for Ubuntu as a one-man team. If Ubuntu won't invest in KDE, then people should just move on, or make the effort to contribute themselves. Same holds true for distros that may not focus on Gnome, many other alternatives exist. Choice is a wonderful thing.
Member since:2005-10-31
What I don't get is how come the KDE guys don't seem to offer more help with Kubuntu. I know back in the day and maybe even now that SuSE or FreeBSD were the reference Distro's for KDE. But I'm sure if they put a bit more support for the integration of KDE with Ubuntu then there would be a bit more positive feed back. It should be noted it is often cited that Kubuntu is not a well supported project.
Member since:
2006-01-04
This is just another example why Canonical should just really stop supporting Kubuntu in the half ass manner they do. People will compare it to Ubuntu and it just isnt as polished. If you want a polished KDE just look elsewhere.
Sad truth, but it is the truth.