10 Reasons Why GNOME is Better Than KDE

10 Things
10 reasons why GNOME is better than KDE
By Jack Wallen
March 9 !009 "#$" %M &DT
A new battle is playing out in the Linux desktop arena. See why Jack Wallen believes that today’s GN!" has pulled ahead o# today’s $%" in ter&s o# design' stability' and usability.
't see(s like only yester)ay that ' was rea)ing threa) a*ter threa) o* +e(acs ,s- ,i. *la(e wars- Those were the goo) ol) )ays- Now the +e(acs/,i. wars are 0retty (1ch o,er 2with no )ecisi,e winner e,er
)eclare)3 an) with it (ost in*ighting a(ong 4in15 )e,otees- Well 6 al(ost- % renewe) war is brewing that sho1l) 0ro(ise to bring with it as (1ch shar0 tong1e an) wit as )i) e(acs/,i- This new battle7
GNOME ,s- KDE-
' reali8e that (any o* yo1 are shaking yo1r hea)s thinking either that battle ne,er got o** the gro1n) or it was won long ago- That was then this is now- The +then. was when KDE co(0letely tro1nce) GNOME
in the )eskto0 war- The +now. is GNOME 6 an) GNOME is slowly b1t s1rely 01lling ahea) o* KDE-
9ow co1l) this ha00en7 Well rea) on to *in) o1t e5actly why to)ay:s GNOME 2;< !-!!3 is better than to)ay:s KDE 2;<=-13-
Note( )his article is also available as a *%+ download.
1: KDE 4
This reason 2nay the entire article3 co1l) en) with three letters an) a n1(ber +KDE =-. The backlash *ro( KDE = has been 0retty se,ere- When KDE = was *irst release) it si(0ly wasn:t rea)y- KDE = was a
co(0lete re)esign *ro( the gro1n) 10 o* KDE 6 an) it showe)- KDE took a soli) )eskto0 an) 01lle) the r1g o1t *ro( 1n)er it- What re0lace) the e,er>0o01lar KDE ?-$ was so(ething 1nstable har)ly
1sable an) as con*ig1rable as Win)ows @ista- Gone were the )ays o* con*ig1ring KDE to yo1r e5act s0eci*ications- KDE was 2an) is3 the *irst>e,er +Microso*ting. o* the 4in15 )eskto0- The )e,elo0ers release)
so(ething that was 0ain*1lly worthless an) re*1se) to listen to the 1sers when the 1sers ga,e *ee)back- On the other si)e o* the battle*ront yo1 ha,e GNOME which is stea)*astly (o,ing *orwar) 6 the sa(e
)irection it has been (o,ing *or years-
2: Start menu
With GNOME there are three si(0le (en1s *ro( the (ain 0anel# %00lications &laces an) %)(inistration- 't sho1l) be 0retty ob,io1s what yo1 can *in) *ro( each one- 't sho1l) also be *airly ob,io1s that
na,igating these (en1s is e**icient an) as si(0le as it is elegant- KDE = on the other han) has an incre)ibly cl1(sy (en1- '* yo1 click on the K (en1 yo1 will initially see *i,e tabs# Aa,orites %00lications
Bo(01ter Cecently Dse) an) 4ea,e- By )e*a1lt the Aa,orites (en1 contains Eyste( Eettings an) Aile Manager- To o0en an a00lication yo1 then (1st click on the %00lications tab na,igate to the category
the target a00lication will belong to *in) the a00lication entry an) click on it-
This can be (a)e irrele,ant by a))ing an a00lication la1ncher wi)get to the 0anel- B1t i* yo1:re like (e an) yo1 1se n1(ero1s a00lications yo1 will F1ickly ha,e a 0anel *1ll o* la1nchers- This KDE (en1
syste( nee)s so(e serio1s strea(lining be*ore it can be consi)ere) an e**icient 1se o* a )eskto0-
What:s worse at least *or the new 1ser is that *in)ing the (en1 e)itor tool is not int1iti,e- There:s no entry in any con*ig1ration control 0anel- To e)it the (ain (en1 yo1 ha,e to right>click the K b1tton an)
select Men1 E)itor- B1t e,en then yo1 can e)it only entries within the %00lications tab- Go1 will also notice another entry in the K b1tton right>click# Ewitch To Blassic Men1 Etyle- This (en1 style is (ore in
line with what (ost 1sers are acc1sto(e) to B1t again what new 1ser is going to know to right>(o1se click the K b1tton to *in) this7
3: Nautilus vs. Dolphin
With KDE = ca(e the new *ile (anager Dol0hin- &rior to this change KDE ha) the best gra0hical *ile (anager a,ailable on %NG o0erating syste( 6 KonF1eror- B1t now KDE 1ses Dol0hin which is si(ilar
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to Na1til1s (in1s the stability- Na1til1s is a no>*rills *ile (anager- 't )oes one thing an) it )oes it well# 't (anages *iles- 't has a))>ons *or Dro0bo5 2an) integrates with that syste( sea(lessly3 an) is ,ery
stable-
Dol0hin on the other han) was an atte(0t to get away *ro( what was consi)ere) the bloatware o* KonF1eror an) to a)o0t a (ore si(0le strea(line) *ile (anager- What they ha,e create) is a *ile (anager
that has *eat1res (ost will *in) worthless- Take *or instance a *ile/)irectory rating an) co((ent syste(- '* yo1 are the only 1ser on a (achine what 1se is a *ile/rating syste( *or yo1r *iles an) )irectories7 '
can (aybe 1n)erstan) this i* yo1 are on a (1lti1ser syste( where 1sers )e0en) 10on *iles being rate)- ' wo1l) like to think that Dol0hin wo1l) len) *ile/)irectory tags to the KDE search engine b1t it )oes
not- Eo honestly ' can:t think o* a H1sti*iable reason *or a))ing bloat to an a00lication that was s100ose) to be *ree *ro( bloat-
4: Foundations
When KDE = was b1ilt it was create) on It = in the ho0es that KDE co1l) 2an) wo1l)3 be 0orte) to other 0lat*or(s 2s1ch as Win)ows an) OE J3- This was a h1ge change *ro( the 0re,io1s It ?- With this
change KDE ha) to be co(0letely reb1ilt- GNOME !-!= contin1es to 1se GTKK ! b1t incl1)es *lags in the co)e to en*orce stricter co(0atibility with the 10co(ing GTKK ?-These *lags are incl1)e) so that
when GTKK ? is 01t in 0ro)1ction 1se the transition *or )e,elo0ers will be sea(less- When yo1 install GNOME !-!= yo1:ll be 1sing is the newest release with (any new a))itions b1t the 1n)er0innings are
e**ecti,ely the sa(e- Beca1se o* this the latest GNOME is still stable 2e,en while containing *lags *or the (igration to a new *o1n)ation-3 ,s- KDE =:s instability- Ges this instability is )1e to the i((at1rity o*
the co)e base an) ' *1lly 1n)erstan) an) a00reciate that- ' ha,e to a)(it it wo1l) be cool to ha,e a Win)ows 0ort o* KDE- B1t to 0ort KDE = 2an) its h1ge co)e base3 to Win)ows wo1l) take a great )eal o*
reso1rces- Bonsi)ering how *ar KDE = has to go be*ore it is tr1ly 0ro)1ction rea)y ' think re)irecting any ,iable reso1rce away *ro( the (ain 0roHect wo1l) be a (istake-
5: Resources
One iss1e where KDE = has bragging rights o,er its 0re)ecessor is (e(ory (anage(ent- %ccor)ing to the )e,elo0ers KDE = 1ses a00ro5i(ately ?9L less (e(ory than KDE ?-$ )oes- GNOME !-!= on the
other han) 1ses less (e(ory than KDE =- On (y r1nning syste( *ro( a *resh log in KDE re,eals 1!M""NM K (e(ory 1sage in GNOME ,s- 1!N9?=" K (e(ory 1sage in KDE =- That is a change o* 10=N! K-
Grante) this is not a h1ge )i**erence- B1t it )oes show that GNOME reF1ires less har)ware to r1n- %n) when yo1:re r1nning the )eskto0 yo1 can certainly tell the )i**erence between a )e*a1lt GNOME !-!=
an) a KDE =-1 )eskto0- Go1 will also *in) that KDE = is a bit *lakier with ,i)eo car)s- E,en N@i)ia car)s which ty0ically +H1st work. with 4in15 can ha,e so(e iss1es with KDE =- N@)ia s1ggests se,eral
0er*or(ance tweaks to get KDE = working with its car)s ol)er than GeAorce "-
: !lutter
With the a),ent o* KDE = ca(e the wi)gets- With the wi)gets ca(e cl1tter- KDE = e(1late) the OE J )ashboar) with its 0lethora o* wi)gets an) tiny a00lications that can )o ,ario1s an) s1n)ry tricks all the
while (aking yo1r )eskto0 a ,eritable H1nkyar)- ' a( c1rrently staring at a KDE = )eskto0 with a single wi)get Deskto0 that is )oing nothing- What is it7 't is a si(0le *ile (anager *or a single )irectory 6
O/Deskto0- This wi)get is on the KDE = )eskto0 by )e*a1lt- Why7 ' ha,e no i)ea- When ' can o0en 10 the *ile (anager an) see what is in (y O/Deskto0 *ol)er witho1t ha,ing e5tra cl1tter on (y )eskto0 why
wo1l) ' nee) a wi)get to )o that *or (e7
The wi)gets incl1)e) with KDE are *airly 1seless- Nat1rally )e,elo0ers are going to lea0 onto this an) create so(e 0retty ni*ty wi)gets that (ight act1ally a)) so(e worth to the whole )ashboar) (eta0hor-
B1t as it stan)s ' 0re*er to kee0 the( o** (y )eskto0- O* co1rse (y )eskto0 is not e,eryone:s )eskto0- ' )o 1n)erstan) that there are 0lenty o* 0eo0le o1t there 2like (y wi*e with OE J3 who like to ha,e all
those bells an) whistles on their )eskto0- KDE = will gi,e those 0eo0le 0lenty to 0lay with- B1t those o* 1s who 0re*er a works0ace that is e**icient an) clean will want to stay clear o* KDE =-
": !ustomi#ation
Go1 wo1l) think that KDE = wo1l) allow *or nearly in*inite c1sto(i8ation- What KDE = )oes allow *or is the a))ition o* tons o* +things. 2wi)gets 0anels etc3- Go1 can change the si8e o* yo1r 0anel an)
re0osition it- B1t that:s really where it en)s- Dnless yo1 a)) a the(e to KDE = yo1 can:t change the look o* yo1r 0anel- Not so with GNOME- With GNOME yo1 can 0retty (1ch )o whate,er yo1 want with
yo1r )eskto0- That is the 4in15 way- KDE = has gone the way o* Win)ows locking the 1ser )own to li(ite) con*ig1ration o0tions with regar) to the look an) *eel o* their )eskto0-
Now yo1 (ight think this is co1nterint1iti,e to the whole +e**icient works0ace. arg1(ent ' *reF1ently (ake- Not so- One o* the nice things abo1t the ty0ical 4in15 )eskto0 is that it len)s itsel* to
c1sto(i8ations that can *it al(ost any nee)- To (ake 10 *or lesser con*ig1ration KDE = gla8es o,er the )eskto0 with the a))ition o* yet again (ore wi)gets- Take this *or instance# With KDE = yo1 ha,e one
(o1se (en1 the le*t (o1se (en1 which o**ers Konsole C1n Bo((an) Deskto0 Eettings Dnlock Wi)gets 4ock Ecreen an) 4ea,e- Gone is the Winlist )eskto0 (en1 where yo1 click a (o1se b1tton to see
what a00lications are r1nning 2an) select a 0artic1lar 0rogra( to get *oc1s3- KDE = has also re(o,e) the ability to a)) (o1se (en1s- Witho1t (o1se (en1s the )eskto0 has beco(e e,en less e**icient-
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$: S%stem &ra% over'ill
Go1 know how it see(s like a ne,er>en)ing line10 o* Eyste( Tray a00lets will loa) an) loa) an) loa) an) loa) with Win)ows7- By )e*a1lt 2on a Ae)ora 10 KDE installation3 the *ollowing a00lets are in the
Eyste( Tray# Eo1n) Wi*i Kli00er &ower Beagle Knoti*y Battery Monitor an) Block- GNOME7 &ower Wi*i Dser Ewitcher Block an) Eo1n)- The biggest )i**erence is that the GNOME Eyste( Tray loa)s
instantly 2allowing &ower an) Wi*i to co(e 10 as )etecte)3 whereas KDE:s Eyste( Tray loa)s 10 one a*ter another-
B1t loa) ti(e o* a Eyste( Tray isn:t so (1ch the iss1e 6 it:s s0ace- '* yo1 ten) to ha,e a lot o* a00lication la1nchers on yo1r 0anel an alrea)y *1ll Eyste( Tray co1l) (ake *or a ,ery cl1ttere) 0anel- 't is (y
o0inion that Beagle co1l) be *ol)e) into the K (en1 an) that the Battery an) &ower a00lets co1l) easily be one- This is ty0ical bloat in the KDE = )eskto0 that isn:t li(ite) to H1st the Eyste( Tray b1t the
Eyste( Tray is a 0er*ect e5a(0le-
(: De)ault applications
%s state) earlier the )e*a1lt *ile (anager in KDE = is not goo)- The original )e*a1lt *ile (anager KonF1eror was (o,e) o,er to act as the )e*a1lt Web browser- Don:t get (e wrong ' think KonF1eror is a *ine
Web browser- B1t when yo1 are trying to win o,er 1sers an) show e,eryone that yes 4in15 is H1st as easy to 1se as Win)ows the last thing yo1 want to )o is gi,e the( so(ething co(0letely *oreign as a Web
browser- That:s the tool they will 1se (ore than any other tool- When yo1 ha,e a Web browser a,ailable that is gi,ing 'nternet E50lorer a serio1s r1n *or its (oney %ND is one o* the best browsers a,ailable
why not (ake that the )e*a1lt7 On to0 o* this they (a)e KO**ice the )e*a1lt o**ice s1ite- This is a serio1s 0roble( beca1se KO**ice isn:t e,en co(0atible with Microso*t O**ice- Try o0ening 10 -00t *iles in
KO**ice an) see what ha00ens- %t least GNOME has the intelligence to (ake Aire*o5 the )e*a1lt Web browser an) O0enO**ice the )e*a1lt o**ice s1ite- O* co1rse yo1 can change the KDE = )e*a1lts- B1t the new
1ser )oesn:t want to ha,e to install an) set a )e*a1lt a00lication right o** the bat- These things sho1l) be )one correctly 10on installation-
1*: KDE + ,ista-
%sk anyone abo1t @ista an) yo1:re s1re to get a negati,e reaction- @ista has been nothing (ore than a *ail1re *or Microso*t an) KDE = see(s bent on e(1lating @ista- Go1 can e,en a)) E(eral) an) the(e
KDE = to gi,e it the glass *eeling o* %ero- B1t why7 4in15 is 4in15 an) one o* the things that (akes it 4in15 is that it )oesn:t look or *eel like Win)ows- The OE J inter*ace )oesn:t share (1ch with Win)ows
an) neither sho1l) a 4in15 )eskto0- 't see(s that KDE o0te) to take the ro1te (ore o*ten tra,ele)- ' get that ' )o- B1t e,en in the na(e o* new 1sers it see(s co1nterint1iti,e to the 4in15 way- Don:t get (e
wrong ' a( not a),ocating that the 4in15 )eskto0 be )i**erent H1st to be )i**erent- B1t ' a( a),ocating that the 4in15 )eskto0 be tr1e to its core- 4in15 is abo1t stability an) *le5ibility- KDE = 2at least in its
c1rrent state3 goes ,ery (1ch against that whereas GNOME 2in its c1rrent state3 hol)s tr1e to those ,al1es-
&he .attle continues/
This battle isn:t o,er an) will be wage) *or a long long ti(e- B1t while co(0etition will contin1e to bree) inno,ation that inno,ation nee)s to be *orwar) leaning- &rior to = ' wo1l) ha,e 0icke) KDE o,er
GNOME any )ay- B1t with the a),ent o* = ' ha,e to say GNOME is *ar ahea) o* KDE in ter(s o* )esign stability an) 1sability- What:s yo1r 0ick7
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