Comments on: Why I’m not moving to KDE (yet) http://standardsandfreedom.net/index.php/2010/07/25/why-im-not-moving-to-kde-yet/ A weblog by Charles-H. Schulz. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:44:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Jean-Marie Gouarné http://standardsandfreedom.net/index.php/2010/07/25/why-im-not-moving-to-kde-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-3848 Jean-Marie Gouarné Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:01:16 +0000 http://standardsandfreedom.net/index.php/2010/07/25/why-im-not-moving-to-kde-yet/#comment-3848 The major short term issue for KDE is to recover from the huge functional regression between KDE 3.5 and KDE 4.x. Yes, KDE4 is a major improvement regarding the internal plumbing; brings the architectural conditions for a lot of future developments. Unfortunately, for a typical user who had been familiar with KDE for years, KDE4 means "more complexity, less functionality". Of course, knowing the outstanding changes done in the architecture, we know that "regression" is not the right word, but it's an IT point of view, not the user's point of view. Each new release is trumpeted *the* catch up release but, alas, KDE4.4 (in spite of new fancy gadgets) lags behind KDE3.5 for some basic features. And, last but not least, the Plasma customization interface is far less intuitive than the old KDE GUI (and other GUIs); the strange "Lock/Unlock plasmoïds" steps prevents the users from directly (and intuitively) drag/dropping application lauchers from almost anywhere to anywhere at any time, etc. The functional counterparts, such as the 3D desktop integration (that allows the user to forget the old, non-KDE Compiz configuration manager) and the replacement of the Superkaramba applets system by core Plasma features, look like showcase improvements, not productivity upgrades. They prove that the new KDE architecture is more robus, more open and more promising for the future. But, just for now, all that doesn't help me for my daily job. KDE is going through a difficult and risky time: on one hand it needs to be used in order to be improved, but on the other hand it's not ready for everybody. The major short term issue for KDE is to recover from the huge functional regression between KDE 3.5 and KDE 4.x. Yes, KDE4 is a major improvement regarding the internal plumbing; brings the architectural conditions for a lot of future developments. Unfortunately, for a typical user who had been familiar with KDE for years, KDE4 means “more complexity, less functionality”. Of course, knowing the outstanding changes done in the architecture, we know that “regression” is not the right word, but it’s an IT point of view, not the user’s point of view. Each new release is trumpeted *the* catch up release but, alas, KDE4.4 (in spite of new fancy gadgets) lags behind KDE3.5 for some basic features. And, last but not least, the Plasma customization interface is far less intuitive than the old KDE GUI (and other GUIs); the strange “Lock/Unlock plasmoïds” steps prevents the users from directly (and intuitively) drag/dropping application lauchers from almost anywhere to anywhere at any time, etc.

The functional counterparts, such as the 3D desktop integration (that allows the user to forget the old, non-KDE Compiz configuration manager) and the replacement of the Superkaramba applets system by core Plasma features, look like showcase improvements, not productivity upgrades. They prove that the new KDE architecture is more robus, more open and more promising for the future. But, just for now, all that doesn’t help me for my daily job.

KDE is going through a difficult and risky time: on one hand it needs to be used in order to be improved, but on the other hand it’s not ready for everybody.

]]> By: eldarion http://standardsandfreedom.net/index.php/2010/07/25/why-im-not-moving-to-kde-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-3834 eldarion Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:53:22 +0000 http://standardsandfreedom.net/index.php/2010/07/25/why-im-not-moving-to-kde-yet/#comment-3834 Nice to see another Arch user :) "Unfortunately, Konqueror is really outdated, Arora (using the webkit) is way too unstable, which leaves me with reKonq. I think this last one still needs improvements (especially in the interface and bookmark management) but it is so far the most powerful browser for KDE." The most powerful browser for KDE is Opera. Firefox, as you know, is not a GTK app. Nice to see another Arch user :)

“Unfortunately, Konqueror is really outdated, Arora (using the webkit) is way too unstable, which leaves me with reKonq. I think this last one still needs improvements (especially in the interface and bookmark management) but it is so far the most powerful browser for KDE.”

The most powerful browser for KDE is Opera. Firefox, as you know, is not a GTK app.

]]> By: manmath http://standardsandfreedom.net/index.php/2010/07/25/why-im-not-moving-to-kde-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-3833 manmath Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:50:33 +0000 http://standardsandfreedom.net/index.php/2010/07/25/why-im-not-moving-to-kde-yet/#comment-3833 I love gnome's simplicity and KDE's features. As for performance, I don't see any difference between them on Core i7 processor. Of course, I would still prefer gnome on a dated Pentium or Celeron chip. But I am lucky enough to have a Powerpacked Desktop and a flamboyant KDE experience. I love gnome’s simplicity and KDE’s features. As for performance, I don’t see any difference between them on Core i7 processor. Of course, I would still prefer gnome on a dated Pentium or Celeron chip. But I am lucky enough to have a Powerpacked Desktop and a flamboyant KDE experience.

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