Attempting To Reframe "KDE Vs. GNOME"

jammag writes "Setting aside the now tired debate about whether KDE or GNOME is the 'better' Linux desktop, Bruce Byfield compares their disparate development approaches and asks, not which desktop is subjectively better, but which developmental approach is likely to be most successful in the next few years. 'In the short term, GNOME's gradualism seems sensible. But, in the long-term, it could very well mean continuing to be dragged down by support for legacy sub-systems. It means being reduced to an imitator rather than innovator.' In contrast, 'you could say that KDE has done what's necessary and ripped the bandage off the scab. In the short term, the result has been a lot of screaming, but, in the long term, it has done what was necessary to thrive.'"

Comments

Gnome alienating users

[HvitRavn]

Instead of planning for a 3.0 release, GNOME is opting for a gradual, piece by piece updating that will culminate in a 2.30 release. The change in version numbers is significant: It indicates that, unlike with the KDE 4 series, there will be no major break with past releases. This philosophy was obvious long before it became official last summer, and has the obvious advantage of not alienating users.

In my opinion, despite Gnome's incremental approach, they are still highly successive in alienating their users.

Well, I think

[$RANDOMLUSER]

"Ripping the bandage off of the scab" is a pretty accurate description of KDE 4.

Re:Well, I think

[BadAnalogyGuy]

You could say it is an Open Sores project. So to speak...

Re:Both will stay relevant

[Hurricane78]

Hey, I heard Slashdot is a write-only forum. So I thought I write something completely unrelated to the article, summary, title and comments I'm replying to.

I even tried to not relate it to the site and reality on/in which I am, but it's kinda hard.

Am I doing well in blending in?

Re:Both will stay relevant

[jeremyp]

Considering your completely off topic post is now at +3, it's hard to deny that your premise seems to be correct and you are in fact doing well.

What?

[DraconPern]

ripped the bandage off the scab

Eh.. that is usually a bad thing to do.

Re:Unmentioned benefit of KDE 4 - Xorg+drivers

[Anonymous Coward]

Turn on desktop effects on any system using KDE 4 and if you have Xorg with good drivers, the difference in experience is startling.

Yeah, I especially was startled by the part where my textures randomly get corrupted. Really innovative.

Re:Both will stay relevant

[PopeRatzo]

Apple broke backwards compatibility and now are not encumbered by obsolete paradigms.

Except for their pricing model.

Re:Both will stay relevant

[PopeRatzo]

I have always allowed a choice for my wife

You're a hell of a guy. Next you'll be letting her go outside without a burqa.

Re:gnome better than kde

[Hatta]

Reason I don't like Gnome, is because GTK simply isn't good. I mean, it can't even show a window inside a window to get MDI

Sup dawg, I heard you liked windows so I... nevermind.

Re:XFCE 4 and GNUStep

[pembo13]

I get the feeling he meant Qt or something.