KDE versus GNOME?

[SagaLore]

I'm relatively new to linux.

I have navigated linux, but have never used it on my own machine. I'm building a new machine and will be running Ubuntu on it. I just need to figure out whether to go with the default GNOME based distro, or the one built with KDE.

I don't have any experience with either (all my linux know-how is at command line only).

Suggestions? Pros and cons?

 

[timaeusd]

I suggest burning both an Ubuntu cd and a Kubuntu cd, pop them in and try them both. You can use linux as a live cd without installing it these days.

Don't worry about missing out on any programs or apps - you can use KDE applications within Gnome and vice versa.

Go with whichever one "feels" best to you, but don't worry about it too much. You can always change it later.

One last thing that might be considered a pro/con, is that Ubuntu seems to be slightly better supported as it's the "main" *buntu distro. Don't let that discourage you though.

Good luck.

 

[sourceninja]

I recommend ubuntu right now. I feel KDE 4 still has a way to go before it is ready to recommend for people taking their first steps into linux.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Use Xubuntu with xfce instead

 

[compman25]

use ubuntu and then use synaptic to get kde-desktop and have both.

 

[Colt45]

You can install a bunch of window managers, and switch between them at the login screen (assuming gdm is installed, should be by default in ubuntu afaik).

KDE4 is still kinda newish, so I'm with gnome for now, most of the time at least.

I stick to Xfce or (open | black | flux)box on my slow puters, as they're considerably lighter... esp the *boxes.

 

[recoil80]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Use Xubuntu with xfce instead

I really like XFCE
Anyway I think is just up to you. You should try both and find out which one you like more.
Maybe, for a windows user, KDE is better than GNOME

 

[SagaLore]

Yea I saw the Xubuntu/XFCE. Its going to be a decent system, so I don't need to make it too light. I guess I'll just start with Ubuntu.

I want to setup a virtual Windows XP once I have linux running. What is free?

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
Yea I saw the Xubuntu/XFCE. Its going to be a decent system, so I don't need to make it too light. I guess I'll just start with Ubuntu.

I want to setup a virtual Windows XP once I have linux running. What is free?

Virtualbox is free and very easy to set up

 

[xSauronx]

ubuntu and gnome, but you can run a live cd to see what you like. i found the file manager in KDE to be evil to me (weird behavior, lots of crashes) so im staying away from it until i hear more input on 4.2 (i used 4.1)

ive always been happy with gnome, though. xfce is a good choice, but with xubuntu it isnt that much lighter now than gnome, last i used it.

 

[trmiv]

I actually prefer KDE for the most part, but I use Gnome because I've never been happy with KDE's font rendering. No matter how much I tweak it I can't get it to the point where I'm happy with it like in Gnome, so I've just stuck with Ubuntu.

 

[iGas]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Use Xubuntu with xfce instead

I second the motion.

I'm currently running Debian Lenny with XFCE as default.

 

[Schadenfroh]

I use Gnome, has all of the features I need and a clean interface. I ran into a few quarks with KDE4.0 when it was first released, they are on 4.2 now, so they should have been ironed out by now.

 

[lxskllr]

Try them both. Everybody has different tastes. I like Gnome, and will never use KDE, but that's my personal preference. You'll find a million other people that think the opposite.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Shadenfroh is right about the development, KDE4.2 is probably faster than XFCE (which is probably about as fast as Gnome).

All in all it has more to do with preference than anything else, i can use any WM/DE but i prefer KDE4.

OTOH, like lxskllr says, installing them both only means a few hundred megs extra and no slowdown to either, try them both.