Linux Mint Forums

It's really bugging me and I just can't decide wether to stick with gnome or KDE... I'm about to change it on a daily basis... I've been using both for about the same time during this last year that I've started playing with linux.. maybe you guys can help me decide


since I don't have authority... clem could you maybe add a poll to this thread? i.e. gnome/KDE

that's why I started this thread... I just can't decide

You can use both..

yes, but not at the same time... hence the big problem

i personally like gnome, i can never make kde look as good as gnome no matter how hard i try, and its menus are sooo cluttered, and i find gnome faster
also all the best apps are GTK meaning they integrate nicely with gnome (the exception being k3b)
but if you like kde then you should use kde

I had always used Kde in the past and came to gnome through Mint, my feeling is now i love gnome everything seems to me to be that little more streamlined, good on the eye and not as chunky as kde, just my thoughts

I prefer KDE only because I like a clean desktop, nothing on it but any apps running and anything attached. (usb stick, CD, etc.) I can't quite get there with Gnome. I seldom use the menus. Everything I use often is on panels with hiding enabled. The problem with Gnome is that the panels don't hide all the way. Something is always peeking out, and then it looks unfinished, somehow. Right now I'm running Bianca on my testing laptop with both desktops, switching sessions. Haven't decided yet.

@veloct: It's funny, because I also love Macs. I'm writing now on a MacBook. But even though KDE starts out looking like Windows, I can get it to look and behave like my Mac much easier than I can with Gnome.

I'm pretty new, but I tested MEPIS, PCLOS, and others before deciding on Mint. Coming from windows, I thought for sure that I would like KDE-based distros better. When I tried Mint, though, I immediately felt more at home than in KDE. Not sure why--I do like the artwork, and I think that everything feels a little more consistent in gnome.

I prefer Gnome because it's a lot less cluttered than KDE. I don't like the many panels you have to open when you are searching for an app in the K menu. It's confusing. KDE is also a little heavier than Gnome on the hardware, and it's too much Win-like for my tastes. Also, I hate all the K's spread around

That said, KDE has many good native apps and, when tweaked, it can be much better.

Anyway there is still the very light XFCE and the beautiful Enlightenment. I admit I have a soft spot for the last one

btw.... what's are the main differences between gnome and xfce...?

NiksaVel wrote:btw.... what's are the main differences between gnome and xfce...?

Uhhh there are many... But the main one is that XFCE is really, really faster than the other ones
No bloat, no nonsense, very very responsive.
One weakness: if you want to edit the menu (add/remove launchers), it's not intuitive. Not at all. And I hate that, or I probably be using XFCE all the time

Suffice to say, you should feel at home coming from either Gnome or KDE.

It's best if you try a live cd. I suggest you Zenwalk or Dreamlinux. Not Xubuntu, I think it doesn't do justice to XFCE strengths.

kanishka wrote:

NiksaVel wrote:btw.... what's are the main differences between gnome and xfce...?

Uhhh there are many... But the main one is that XFCE is really, really faster than the other ones
No bloat, no nonsense, very very responsive.
One weakness: if you want to edit the menu (add/remove launchers), it's not intuitive. Not at all. And I hate that, or I probably be using XFCE all the time

Suffice to say, you should feel at home coming from either Gnome or KDE.

It's best if you try a live cd. I suggest you Zenwalk or Dreamlinux. Not Xubuntu, I think it doesn't do justice to XFCE strengths.

What's wierd about Xubuntu is that it seems to insist on pulling a bunch of Gnome stuff to the point where its not really lighter then Gnome (and is possibly heavier) On other distros and on FreeBSD, XFCE is much lighter and less Gnomish

KDE for Tweakaholics, Gnome for people who want to chillout and don't see a need to CONTROL EVERYTHING, but you can if you want!

900i wrote:KDE for Tweakaholics

It's better to have the option to tweak it but not need it than being in need to tweak something but not have the option to do it.

KDE rules.

You have the option in Gnome, if you know where to look, it's just not in the control panel apps where every control freak expects to find them

900i wrote:You have the option in Gnome, if you know where to look, it's just not in the control panel apps where every control freak expects to find them

If I wanted to mess around with a stupid registry of some sort I'd be using Windows right away Thanks but no thanks!

KDE rules

99.999% of gconf-keys have a gui available somewher on the internet that you can install if you REALLy want, personally there are some things id rather not bother to tweak.
GNOME rules

I use KDE...

Why? well, I like all the options it gives me for customising it. There are some saying they don't like exactly that, and this is a matter of preference.

Another reason I stay with kde is that I like the file dialogs better. Well I can't really get familiar with that going back and forth on paths. I mostly type the beginning.

just my cents

gnome all the way for me, it's easier to theme (imho) and it's less cluttered. Just because you can't see a menu for it doesn't mean you can't tweak it! The best configuration device is the CLI (if you know how to use it properly you can tweak anything on your system..just try and installing arch-omg it's hard work but damn, do you learn a lot).
KDE 4 will be a big draw for me, but i think I'll stick with gnome. The only downside is that gnome desklets suck-gdesklets, adesklets are the only halfway decent ones to use, and superkaramba still whupps them mightily...and kde 4 has them integrated into the desktop environment (drools...)

KDE because Gnome is contaminated with Mono!
We do not want Microsoft technology in Linux!