[Bio-Linux] next question: KDE or GNOME?

[Dan Swan]

2008/5/12 Dawn Field <dfield at ceh.ac.uk>:
> Many thanks for all the replies about Ubuntu - there seems to be strong interest and support for it in the community, and lots of offers for testing Bio-Linux 5.   This is really helpful.
>
>  The next question is about desktops - Bio-Linux has traditionally used KDE.
>
>  How do you feel about GNOME versus KDE - we're asking because there are some good reasons to consider switching to GNOME for the next release and we are looking for the pros/cons of both.

Hi everyone,

firstly I think the move to Ubuntu is an excellent idea!  I'm not
sticking my oar in here, but as a long term KDE user I would like to
at least place a vote for switching to GNOME in the next release.  KDE
3.5 I do think is an excellent desktop environment, but recently
having trialled the 'future' of KDE (namely KDE's 4.0 and 4.1) I'm
worried that KDE is about to enter a age of 'style over substance'.
KDE 4 is not intuitive to KDE 3.5 users, who would have little
difficulty adapting to GNOME.  We've been using GNOME on Hardy Heron
in preference to our KDE3.5 desktops on Feisty, and pretty much
everyone has made the switch (I am sure KDE3.5 is still the default in
Hardy Kubuntu anyway).  4.X now looks like a horribly mismash of the
worst bits of XP/Vista (convoluted start menus) combined with some
poorly implemented OS X gloss.  The taskbar does not function
*remotely* like the taskbar in any other window manager I have ever
used - in fact losing so much accustomed functionality it is rendered
almost superfluous.   There was (at last check) no way to drag a
quicklaunch icon from the KDE menu to the taskbar.  There are terrible
issues with icon sets, icon placement and sizes on the desktop, and
it's all too easy to accidentally rotate desktop icons - a piece of
functionality I have never, ever desired.  The amount of mouse
waggling to get it back to being lined up could result in many man
hours of lost work..

I never thought I'd step away from KDE, but I have!  GNOME is also a
better choice these days for those who prefer their OSX style screen
layout.

Looking forward to seeing version 5.  Any chance of a server as well
as a desktop build? :)

Dan
-- 
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