Choosing between KDE and Gnome (How)

ZagiFlyer

Okay, so I'm a little confused about how the choice of desktop manager (specifically KDE vs Gnome) affects what applications you can run under x86 Linux.

I've always been a Gnome user, and I really like Evolution as a mail client, Galleon is the best web browser since Mosaic, and Abiword has become a capable word processor. Gnome 2.0 is pretty nice, but. . .

Along comes KDE 3.x, and it looks really good. The trouble is, Konquerer isn't the browser that Galleon is, and KWord (or whatever) seems kind of behind the times (niceties like underlining misspelled words in real-time are missing). I think the KDE desktop is really amazing (the transparent menus are pretty cool), but I don't want to give up Gnome apps.

When Linux is waging a battle with Windows and could really use a "killer app", it sucks that we have to limit the apps we use under Linux based on a choice like KDE vs. Gnome.

How are people deciding between KDE and Gnome?
What sorts of things do you consider when you choose one over another?
_________________
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy"

--Ben Franklin

gfunkmonk · Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2002 11:31 pm Post subject:

You can use gnome apps under KDE and vice versa.

I think most people like KDE cause its more complete, and it *looks* pretty, many times have I heard people refer to gnome as ugly.

When I use to run Debian, I used Gnome and I liked it, but when I switched to Gentoo I figured I'd go with the crowd and install KDE, and I think now I prefer it over Gnome.

Sassur · Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2002 11:33 pm Post subject:

You don't need to choos, you can run Gnome apps in KDE and KDE apps in Gnome. Just choos the Desktop Environment that has the things you want and run waht ever apps you want.

jjramsey · n00b Joined: 03 Aug 2002 Posts: 21

The one caveat that I would have about running KDE apps in GNOME environments and vice versa is that it's possible that KDE or GNOME apps may depend on certain daemons (programs that run in the background). So far as yet, I've yet to see a problem with that in practice, but YMMV.

If you do run into trouble with that, just make sure to start the daemon before running the program, say, in your .xinitrc.

paulisdead · Guru Joined: 10 Apr 2002 Posts: 510 Location: Seattle, WA

I hated Gnome until I gave 2.0 a shot, it's just faster than KDE on my system. RAM and proc usage aren't much higher than those few weeks I played with fluxbox. I used KDE for most of the time I used Linux, and I do love it's configurability, but Gnome is just a lot faster on my system. I do admit I'd love to be able to change the window colors and stuff in Gnome, and really miss those transparent menus ala mosfet's liquid. I managed to get gnome2 setup pretty slick anyway, with the GNU Bubble, AEon Marbles, and Crystal Icons themes (yup they ported crystal from KDE

).

There is actually a bit of a reason to choose to only use KDE or Gnome apps, since if you're not using KDE, KDE apps take forever to start up. Only reason I have QT installed is for Opera, the impatient man's browser

hopesfall · n00b Joined: 29 Jul 2002 Posts: 8

I actually prefer the Gnome aesthetic as well. I suppose it is slightly more "minimalist" than KDE but that is why I like it. Well drawn icons and a nice look and feel to the apps (Gnumeric, Galeon, Evolution, Abiword) . I also find it quite fast, especially now that Nautilus has been updated (fam-oss support etc.). I try KDE with each new release and always end up back at Gnome. Admittedly, Gnome 2.0 is currently missing a few big things (menu editing is currently disabled) but is extremely usable now and being improved at a very rapid pace.

Having said that KDE is also a wonderful piece of software and I recommend trying both and finding the one you prefer. Also, KDE apps can be run under Gnome and vice-versa. Work is being done to streamline this as well (standardized menu formats etc.).

puddpunk · l33t Joined: 20 Jul 2002 Posts: 681 Location: New Zealand

kde can run fast! just trim the fat like the sound server and mosfets pretty widgets.

I love KDE. Im not looking for an outlook clone, just an email client. So that throws evo out, kmail for me. uninstall all your premature office programs and emerge openoffice, its not terraibly heavy, and you can always use ABIWord under KDE.

Konq is ok, I miss tabbed windows, from galeon. But KDE has much better intergration and a wider range of apps to take advantage of KDE's extras like system tray and DCOP Server. (i.e. kopete and Qtella)

Danielb · Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2002 1:08 pm Post subject: Easy choice.

For me this is a really easy choice, Miguel de Icaza has nothing to do with KDE, so I use KDE.

Not a very technical reason.