KDE vs GNOME

[Kilowatt]

I have been playing around with Linux for a while now and find Linux MINT 7 runs wonderfully on my thinkpads. One thing that is never explained is the difference in use and in appearance of KDE and GNOME desktops. I usually load the default or just tick one without knowing what I'm doing. Could someone explain simply what the difference is.

Many thanks

Kilowatt

[markcynt]

It's kind of hard to explain it. IMO KDE is much nicer. Others will say the opposite. You should give Gloria KDE a try.

http://www.linuxmint.com/download_ce.php

[tenfoot]

I was a KDE junky when I used openSuse 10.1. Went through SimplyMepis and several others using KDE and then found LinuxMint and the Gnome desktop environment. It was different and at first I didn't really like it. Now? Wouldn't give up Gnome for all the tea in China Especially as I can still continue to use KMyMoney and Tellico.

[lagagnon]

Asking the KDE vs. Gnome question is like asking whether one prefers apples or oranges. They are different and you will get many responses from both camps. Opinions here will matter little to you - what matters is what you prefer to use. Try them both and decide for yourself.

[DrHu]

I think one of the main differences will be that Gnome tends to hide settings/configurations from the user (with the idea of making it easier), Kde tends to show most of the settings available and lets the user customize them (with idea that more customization might appeal more, than less)

Other than that, it is more a matter of styles/themes/colors and general shortcuts (hotkeys), and some different applications for similar functions, eg screen magnification ..

They both work..
KDE has a new desktop look, kde 4x, which is more akin to Vista
http://www.kde.org/
http://kde.org/announcements/announce-4.3-rc2.php

Gnome has a look that is more akin to a MAC menus structure (Places, Applications) at the top of the desktop
--fortunately (because I wouldn't be using Gnome otherwise, Mint doesn't adopt that style, they are more like a combination of kde 4x (vista like menus + Gnome categories (All, Favorites, instead of the standard Gnome look..
http://library.gnome.org/misc/release-n ... #rndesktop

And they are also other windows or desktop manager choices, like xfce
http://www.xfce.org/

[Fred]

Kilowatt,

Below is a some what humorous comparison of a few DEs.

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... ts#p121908

Fred

[Kilowatt]

Thanx chaps,

That's sorted that out then, I'll have a go at loading both and comparing.


Kilowatt

[linuxviolin]

Gnome has a look that is more akin to a MAC menus structure (Places, Applications) at the top of the desktop
--fortunately (because I wouldn't be using Gnome otherwise, Mint doesn't adopt that style, they are more like a combination of kde 4x (vista like menus + Gnome categories (All, Favorites, instead of the standard Gnome look..

I hate the "combination of kde 4x + Gnome categories" look! I always use, even with KDE (when I used it a little with the 3.x serie, I hate KDE 4.x) or Xfce for example, a classic Gnome look (two-panels etc...) It is much more functional, e.g. much more space in the bottom panel for windows buttons and much more space for applets in the top panel...