The better desktop environment?

[UniXoiDe]

Hi ,
I'm using GNOME. You can try all of them and u chose the best.
Say good by to MS W2K
good luck.

[tfk]

If you aren't using Windowmaker, you aren't managing windows. ;)

Which is a better desktop environment... KDE or GNOME..

I would prefer Gnome over KDE, but I have neither KDE nor Gnome installed. They are too bloated - Nice eyecandy, but I'm happier with a lightweight, fast-to-use windowmanager combined with a bunch of rather small programs, which get their task done without doing superfluous heckmeck.
But again, it's up to personal preference.

In addition to jtkleemes post, Here's a link to the XFree86 project:
http://www.xfree.org/

X consists of device drivers, libraries and programs, which form the standard GUI renderer for UNIX and UNIX-like OSes like Linux.

The X Window system for UNIX was introduced in 1984; It was the first UNIX GUI. (AFAIK the term 'X Windows' is wrong.) The current version X11R6 is based on X11, which was released in 1987.
In 1989, X11R4 was ported to a 386 system, which was freed and renamed in XFree86 later.


Today, we have two current X11 versions: XFree86 and X.Org - Both are complete X servers, they do basically the same thing. X.Org is a direct descendant of XFree86 and was founded by XFree86 programmers who were not statisfied with the XFree86 project management.

In contrast to Microsoft Windows, the graphical shell is _not_ integrated into UNIX/UNIX-like kernels, and I never heard of a UNIX kernel with an integrated X Window System. Both XFree86 and X.Org are stand-alone applications.
http://www.x.org

--LC

[jtkleeme]

sorry for my lack of clarity about OSX if that is what LC was refering to. X11 is what the aqua gui sits on top of. X11 in turn sits on top of a customized version of NetBSD. I am sorry for any confusion. My point is that in the unix/linux world, X windows visa via the Xfree86 or xorg projects allows us as x86 users to run similar or sometimes the same software as you may find on the new and improved mac platforms or sun workstations as long as the source and libraries are available. Thanks for being diligent to find those links LC.

I hope that we have all helped make this subject a little clearer.
--Jeff--

[Stormblazer]

X windows is the base GUI infrastructure, it handles the low level graphics primitives.
Up from that, there's the window manager, which handles the windows.

From here, you can either use just a window manager, or you can choose to use just a window manager, which isn't a bad choice, especially on an older (slower) system.
Examples include Fluxbox, Window Maker, and Enlightenment DR16.

There are also whole Desktop systems, which consist of KDE and Gnome (KDE and Gnome also have their own window managers built-in), and they include their own file managers, desktop layouts, etc.

Then you also have Enlightenment DR17, which is a full desktop system, but no where near as heavy (large) as Gnome/KDE. It's also rather incomplete as yet, but being developed rapidly, so check on it often.

edit: Also, the buttons and stuff is usually drawn by some kind of widget library. For example, Gnome uses GTK+ while KDE uses QT. You can use those libraries outside of the desktop systems of course.

[tfk]

sorry for my lack of clarity about OSX if that is what LC was refering to.

I was not. :)
...just wanted to add some historical info and related links about current X Window Systems to the topic.

--LC

[jasonlambert]

**moved to coffee lounge.

This thread has been done several times... also see:
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/topic-27549.html

[Fallen Angel]

I prefer KDE over Gnome, but Flubox and Blackbox are also good for slow machines. But do you know what do I prefer most - COMMAND LINE.

[mechmaster]

i really dont care for either GNOME or KDE, but i like GNOME. Id rather use enlightenment or XFCE4.

[zba78]

I also profer KDE over Gnome, but I use fluxbox.

I'ts just a matter of personnal prefrence

[Windwood]

Me? I like KDE. My only gripe is that I get no sound in flash when I use it. So once a week or so I switch to Gnome to be able to check up on my favorite cartoon characters over at http://www.homestarrunner.com.

Is KDE unable to produce sound in this application. Are there other applications where this is so?
Also-
Is it possible to switch between Gnome, KDE and whatever on the fly or must you reboot when you want to do this?