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ANDY MIN

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Member Since: 4/2006Last Seen: 11/07/2009

Updated: GNOME vs KDE (satire, with poll)

News Type: Event — Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:37 PM EDT

Live Poll

Quick! Choose your environmnet!

  • KDE konverted me a long time ago
    36%
  • Gno way! GNOME is the best
    31%
  • I'm a bleeding edge man: Beryl/Compiz for me!
    20%
  • My slow machine runs so much faster with Xfce!
    3%
  • The average Joe is better off with JWM
    0%
  • No GUIs (even if it can be terminal!) for me
    9%

Total Votes: 74

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People have been arguing about which Linux desktop environment is better for years. However, we need a "rational" way to decide. So, I've put together a list of things to compare the two.

Naming

KDE has a huge dis-advantage against GNOME. After all, all it stands for is "K Desktop Environment". GNOME, on the other hand stands for "GNU Network Object Model Environment". GNU stands for "GNU's Not UNIX". UNIX stands for UNiplexed Information and Computing System (it used to be called Unices). So guess what? We have a program called GNU's Not UNiplexed Information and Computing System Network Object Model Environment. What an unforgettable name! No one will forget this one. In addition, GNOME is based on GTK+, while KDE is based on Qt. Qt means "cute". But GTK+ stands for GIMP ToolKit. GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. And we know what GNU stands for! So, GTK+ really means GNU's Not UNIX Image Manipulation Program Toolkit.

Features

This is more of a tie. Basically, KDE developers think that, "If the feature could possibly be useful, add it!" GNOME users think, "If the feature could possibly be confusing, remove it!"

Mascots

Here, KDE's back on top. But it's still pretty close. I mean, it's a battle between a smelly foot that wiggles its toes (in Nautilus, anyway), and a dragon that likes appearing whenever an app crashes. Wonderful. Still, the dragon does it for me (he likes KPat).

Favorite Letter

This is a really big one. KDE programmers seem to love replacing the "c" in every single word with the letter "k" (okkasionally, they add a "qt" at the beginning), while GNOME devs like adding a "g" to every single app they make. KDE kreators also like kopying every single GNOME app available, konverting it into a KDE app, and
replacing all the g's with k's.

Web Browsers

Very big feature. Konqueror is the default applikation for KDE. It is big, has too many features, runs on KHTML, and kan't run Firefox extensions. Epiphany is small, has too little features, runs on Gecko, and can't run Firefox extensions. Tie. Of course, the argument is moot since everyone uses Firefox anyway...

Office Suite

Here, there is a big fight. KDE users have KOffice. Since KDE users have a program with their name, GNOME users have to have one too. So they created GNOME-Office. But GNOME users really like using OpenOffice.org. And some disloyal KDE users left the standard of KDEness and kreated OpenOffice.org bindings for KDE. And Mark Shuttleworth was so disloyal, he removed KOffice from Kubuntu and replaced it with OpenOffice.org with KDE bindings.

  • 29 Votes
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3.1
{"commentId":771586,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
Andy Min

I would like to thank Uncyclopedia for their great articles on KDE and GNOME:
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/KDE
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/GNOME

{"commentId":771586,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
  • 3 votes
Reply#1 - Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:38 PM EDT
{"commentId":771659,"authorDomain":"eElementary"}
eElementary

Yeah, we need to change the foot to a little garden gnome. Or Tux wearing a gnome hat.

~Loyal Ubuntu user!

{"commentId":771659,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"eElementary"}
  • 3 votes
Reply#2 - Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:28 PM EDT
{"commentId":771673,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
Andy Min

Oh, this would be a good time to disclose that I am a proud KDE (Kubuntu) user. But GNOME is pretty nice too. I just like KDE better. And the fact that the only people who use GNOME are those who don't know how to use KDE (sorry, couldn't resist).

{"commentId":771673,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#3 - Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:32 PM EDT
{"commentId":771823,"authorDomain":"eElementary"}
eElementary

No harm--I can't run GNOME! Haha!

{"commentId":771823,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"eElementary"}
  • 1 vote
#3.1 - Sun Jun 10, 2007 7:39 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":771752,"authorDomain":"djehuty"}
Djehuty

Gnome is more beautiful, but neither is as useful as the command line for administering a server... so I nominate csh. And for productivity apps and GUI, well... OS X.

Your mileage may vary, lol ;)

{"commentId":771752,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"djehuty"}
  • 3 votes
Reply#4 - Sun Jun 10, 2007 6:21 PM EDT
{"commentId":771869,"authorDomain":"insert"}
insert_name_here

I personally like GNOME. I tried KDE, and I just can't stand trying to learn a new environment. Maybe it's better, but I just didn't like not knowing where stuff was. Plus, I love my unstable compositing managers (Beryl) which apparently doesn't work in KDE.

GNU's Not UNiplexed Information and Computing System Network Object Model Environment.

Shouldn't that be "GNU's Not UNiplexed's Not UNiplexed Information and Computing System Network Object Model Environment."?

Shouldn't that be "GNU's Not UNiplexed's Not UNiplexed Information and Computing System Network Object Model Environment."?

Shouldn't that be "GNU's Not UNiplexed's Not UNiplexed's Not UNiplexed Information and Computing System Network Object Model Environment."?

...

I love recursion :D

{"commentId":771869,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"insert"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#5 - Sun Jun 10, 2007 8:07 PM EDT
{"commentId":771944,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
Adam Hobson

I prefer the KDE. Gnome just seemed like it was too much of a toy ;-)

{"commentId":771944,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
  • 3 votes
Reply#6 - Sun Jun 10, 2007 8:48 PM EDT
{"commentId":772004,"authorDomain":"UKMatt"}
UKMattDeleted
Reply
{"commentId":772230,"authorDomain":"hamid"}
hamid.nyc

I personally prefer KDE, but now that I've got Beryl running, I find myself using gnome. Beryl really slows everything down in KDE. Maybe on the next Ubuntu upgrade.

{"commentId":772230,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"hamid"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#7 - Mon Jun 11, 2007 12:20 AM EDT
{"commentId":772319,"authorDomain":"jeff"}
Jeff Wheeler

From a design point of view, GNOME just seems more polished (or, I should say, themes have made it more polished). From a technical point of view, KDE easily wins. That simple.

I use GNOME, but that's because I care too much about pixel-perfect design.

{"commentId":772319,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"jeff"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#8 - Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:36 AM EDT
{"commentId":772638,"authorDomain":"hamid"}
hamid.nyc

Well said Jeff, you bottom lined it perfectly. I'm a function before form sort of guy, ergo, KDE. But I've fallen in love with beryl.

{"commentId":772638,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"hamid"}
  • 2 votes
#8.1 - Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:58 AM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":772523,"authorDomain":"dturnbull"}
Donald Turnbull

I love Gnome for it's clean minimal GUI.

{"commentId":772523,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"dturnbull"}
  • 4 votes
Reply#9 - Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:30 AM EDT
{"commentId":772846,"authorDomain":"newcreation"}
Joshua Deacon

I'm currently dating both. Not sure when I'll have the courage to pop the question to one.

{"commentId":772846,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"newcreation"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#10 - Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:32 AM EDT
{"commentId":774031,"authorDomain":"deadcats"}
deadcats

Loved your article. But you missed that KDE was originally Kool Desktop Environment.

regards.
-dc

{"commentId":774031,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"deadcats"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#11 - Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:40 PM EDT
{"commentId":774826,"authorDomain":"arkoudi"}
arkoudi

I've tried both. But I prefer GNOME cause it is simple and fast :) My favourite app though is K3B everything else is GNOME :)

{"commentId":774826,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"arkoudi"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#12 - Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:45 AM EDT
{"commentId":778515,"authorDomain":"bear454"}
bear454

Funny - I use the KDE deskop, but mostly Gnome/GTK apps.

If someone could just tell me how to get the konqueror drag-drop menu on gnome (move/copy/link?) I might switch to Gnome altogether.

{"commentId":778515,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"bear454"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#13 - Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:39 PM EDT
{"commentId":778545,"authorDomain":"bear454"}
bear454

... and don't talk to me about key combinations. If I'm dragging & dropping I'm using the mouse, and don't want to be bothered with CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-META-clicking.

{"commentId":778545,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"bear454"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#14 - Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:46 PM EDT
{"commentId":779157,"authorDomain":"biffster"}
Michael Fierro

KDE? Gnome? PAH! I'll always choose XFCE. Minimalism is underrated!

{"commentId":779157,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"biffster"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#15 - Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:38 PM EDT
{"commentId":957609,"authorDomain":"jnicolas"}
Jacob Nicolas

I use gnome but XFCE is mighty sexy. I might use XFCE on my next Desktop machine.

{"commentId":957609,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"jnicolas"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#16 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 7:39 PM EDT
{"commentId":957740,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
Andy Min

And wicked fast too.

Of course, if you like that then JWM is for you...

{"commentId":957740,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
  • 1 vote
#16.1 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:49 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":957784,"authorDomain":"jnicolas"}
Jacob Nicolas

I think it depends a lot on the distro. I like GNOME in Ubuntu but KDE in Mandriva.

{"commentId":957784,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"jnicolas"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#17 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 9:10 PM EDT
{"commentId":988216,"authorDomain":"ahurley"}
ahurley

Out of those two Gnome and KDE, I pefer Windows XP.

{"commentId":988216,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"ahurley"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#18 - Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:11 PM EDT
{"commentId":988445,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
Andy Min

You know, KDE 4 is coming out with support for Windows.

{"commentId":988445,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}
  • 1 vote
#18.1 - Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:16 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":1455684,"authorDomain":"fredmck"}
Fred McKinney

I used to be a KDE guy until I saw some screenshots of KDE4 and didn't care for it at all. Besides, there was one small but annoying issue with PCLinuxOS, which I was using at the time, in that I never could get it to detect my scanner, but anything Debian-based seems to be able to run it without a problem.

Lately, I've had a hard time debating which distro to switch to. I've finally decided on LinuxMint, and after trying both the Gnome and Xfce versions, went with Gnome, but I've found that the "Quit" command in the Mint Menu doesn't work anymore, and that's obviously not acceptable to me. While Xfce has some issues with desktop font sizes, that's a lot less annoying than Gnome. In fact, Gnome seems slow too, never mind the fact that I've got a 2.26 GHz Intel processor and 512 MB of RAM.

I'm sure Gnome will run a LOT faster than Windows Vista (I had it up to here a long time ago with Steve Ballmer and his arrogance), but with specs like I have, I shouldn't be having ANY slowdowns at all, and that's why I'm going back to the Xfce version of Mint as soon as it's finished downloading.

Fred in St. Louis, MO USA

{"commentId":1455684,"threadId":"112450","contentId":"771036","authorDomain":"fredmck"}
    Reply#19 - Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:20 PM EST
    {"canLink":false,"threadId":"112450","isPrivate":false}
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