[ale] KDE

[Mike Kachline]

On Thu, 3 Dec 1998, Michael B Golden wrote:

> 	I finally got around to checking out the sites for KDE and GNOME.
> I was wondering why KDE is taking a new "Macintosh" approach instead of
> the way they had it before. Also, which do you recommend between KDW and
> GNOME?
<snip>
	Michael,

	From the threads which I've seen by following the KDE developer's
mailing list, I think there are a number of developers on the team who
were former Mac users. I do faintly remember a while back a thread
comparing how KDE could have benefited from Mac like ideas.
	Intrestingly enough, the newest thread on the developer's list has
been one on usability. We are starting to see developers sit their wives
and parents down on their KDE boxes to "beta test" usability issues. The
results (from a UI standpoint) should prove very interesting indeed.

	As far as which to use, KDE or gnome? Well, I guess I would have
to say that I am partial towards KDE. It really depends on what kind of
look and feel you like. If you really like the feel of FVWM, then Gnome is
more down that ally. If you like the look and feel of Microsoft's
products, then KDE is more apt. The definate downfall that I would cite
KDE for though is it's speed and tendancy to "lock you out" of
customizations which are eaiser to perform in environments like fvwm
(xearth wallpapers come to mind). Furthermore, KDE isn't the zippiest
environment in the world. But! You can get by the "lack of customability"
with relatively little work (especially when compared with the work needed
to customize WM's like fvwm, twm and the like). Likewise, KDE offers IMHO
the best "let's get some work done" environment I've seen in a while.

							- Mike
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Michael Kachline - CS, Georgia Tech
kachline at cc.gatech.edu
http://brightstar.gt.ed.net/kachline/
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