There's a huge degree of difference. Moving to another country is a long and tremendously disruptive process. Switching to another desktop is as easy as selecting a different one from KDM's Session Type menu. (Or GDM's -- I assume it has a similar option.)
Imagine if instead of TCP/IP, everyone used their own transmission protocol
Your analogy only works if KDE apps only run under KDE, Gnome apps run only under Gnome, Motif apps only run under FVWM2, etc, etc.
However, on my KDE desktop, I can run Gnome/GTK apps, Motif apps, OpenOffice apps, Mozilla apps, wxWidgets apps, Java/Swing apps, and so on, just fine. So just pick your preferred deveopment environment and write your software. The worst that will happen is that your app won't look like the user's other apps, but people using Windows and MacOS put up with that every day, too.
Sure there is. If you want a well-integrated desktop that gives you loads of configuration options, then use KDE. If you prefer a simpler, cleaner desktop, use Gnome. If you still can't decide, or you're too uninformed to decide, then let your distribution choose the default, or pick one at random and try it. You can always switch later if you don't like it. There's no commitment. You're picking a desktop, not having a child.
I don't understand why these people think that, if Gnome didn't exist, then all the Gnome developers would automatically be working on KDE instead (or vice-versa). I'd like to see them present that argument as a syllogism; I think it'd be funny.
Windowmaker is nice. But when I realized that I was running mostly KDE apps while using Nautilus to give me a desktop that I could put files on, I decided it just made more sense to switch back to KDE. (And it actually cut my memory usage since I wasn't running Nautilus anymore, and thus wasn't loading the GTK libraries. Important on a 64MB laptop.)
Y'know, I didn't lay down US$1800 (+$90 for the Jaguar upgrade two months later) for a Mac because I was expecting to dislike MacOSX. My disillusionment formed over half a year of regular use as I found myself getting more and more irritated by the problems I listed. Now I'm happily back on KDE and only use the Mac to watch the occasional Flash file.
Actually, I have a G4 with MacOSX Jaguar on it, and I don't see what the big deal is.
The window manager sucks. Not only do I have to use that one little corner no matter how I want to resize the window, but putting the Close button right next to the other window controls was a huge leap backward in GUI usability. Don't even get me started on the color coding.
I can't save my session when I log out.
Right-click support is abysmally sparse.
I have to reboot it every few days, otherwise it will start complaining that it can't talk to my USB printer or it will lose the ability to authenticate a PPP connection with my ISP. I haven't had that sort of problem since Windows-fuckin'-95.
Speaking of rebooting, I have to manually turn Internet Connection Sharing back on every time I do it.
I bought a wireless mouse & keyboard after the cheapie Apple keyboard died. The Apple Installer handily put a configuration icon for them in the Control Panel. Too bad I still can't configure them because the driver can't find some kernel module it needs. So much for "It Just Works".
I suppose I shouldn't complain. After all, history shows us that it takes at least six or seven iterations before Apple manages to make an OS that works well. In the meantime, I suppose I could drool over the "lickable" UI.
...Oh, wait. They've even screwed that up with the "metal" look. Ah, well.
I suppose MS could swallow the short-term losses of offering free software and support in exchange for long-term gain via lock-in. Having very deep pockets lets you focus on long-term strategies like that, I suppose.
I've always been annoyed by the people with broadband whining about not being able to download SuSE ISOs. Many of us can't download any ISOs. I spent $15 just to try out MEPIS Linux, and I've spent the last week trying to upgrade the system in 50 MB chunks. So don't expect any sympathy from this corner.
Sure, but fvwm/mwm/blackbox don't come configured the way I like them, either. I doubt anyone uses their desktop as it is "out of the box".
The menu is still location specific
Mmm. Sure, you have to mouse over to one of the screen's edges to get to the menu. But, for me at least, mousing to the upper-right corner to make Kicker appear is no more work than mousing to my window's title bar to unmaximize it or mousing to another desktop to get to the root menu. You Work Habits May Vary.
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There's a huge degree of difference. Moving to another country is a long and tremendously disruptive process. Switching to another desktop is as easy as selecting a different one from KDM's Session Type menu. (Or GDM's -- I assume it has a similar option.)
Your analogy only works if KDE apps only run under KDE, Gnome apps run only under Gnome, Motif apps only run under FVWM2, etc, etc.
However, on my KDE desktop, I can run Gnome/GTK apps, Motif apps, OpenOffice apps, Mozilla apps, wxWidgets apps, Java/Swing apps, and so on, just fine. So just pick your preferred deveopment environment and write your software. The worst that will happen is that your app won't look like the user's other apps, but people using Windows and MacOS put up with that every day, too.
How hard is it to log into KDE and run Gnumeric, or to log into Gnome and run KMail? Did trying that just not occur to you?
Sure there is. If you want a well-integrated desktop that gives you loads of configuration options, then use KDE. If you prefer a simpler, cleaner desktop, use Gnome. If you still can't decide, or you're too uninformed to decide, then let your distribution choose the default, or pick one at random and try it. You can always switch later if you don't like it. There's no commitment. You're picking a desktop, not having a child.
I don't understand why these people think that, if Gnome didn't exist, then all the Gnome developers would automatically be working on KDE instead (or vice-versa). I'd like to see them present that argument as a syllogism; I think it'd be funny.
Windowmaker is nice. But when I realized that I was running mostly KDE apps while using Nautilus to give me a desktop that I could put files on, I decided it just made more sense to switch back to KDE. (And it actually cut my memory usage since I wasn't running Nautilus anymore, and thus wasn't loading the GTK libraries. Important on a 64MB laptop.)
Y'know, I didn't lay down US$1800 (+$90 for the Jaguar upgrade two months later) for a Mac because I was expecting to dislike MacOSX. My disillusionment formed over half a year of regular use as I found myself getting more and more irritated by the problems I listed. Now I'm happily back on KDE and only use the Mac to watch the occasional Flash file.
The window manager sucks. Not only do I have to use that one little corner no matter how I want to resize the window, but putting the Close button right next to the other window controls was a huge leap backward in GUI usability. Don't even get me started on the color coding.
I can't save my session when I log out.
Right-click support is abysmally sparse.
I have to reboot it every few days, otherwise it will start complaining that it can't talk to my USB printer or it will lose the ability to authenticate a PPP connection with my ISP. I haven't had that sort of problem since Windows-fuckin'-95.
Speaking of rebooting, I have to manually turn Internet Connection Sharing back on every time I do it.
I bought a wireless mouse & keyboard after the cheapie Apple keyboard died. The Apple Installer handily put a configuration icon for them in the Control Panel. Too bad I still can't configure them because the driver can't find some kernel module it needs. So much for "It Just Works".
I suppose I shouldn't complain. After all, history shows us that it takes at least six or seven iterations before Apple manages to make an OS that works well. In the meantime, I suppose I could drool over the "lickable" UI.
Thanks.
Hey, that's how I get my technical reading done!
I read this and then spent several seconds trying to figure out how you could give someone an IV without them knowing it.
I must need a Coke.
An excuse to leave the bar so he can negotiate a potentially profitable identity theft scam?
That's the filthiest thing I've read today. Take off, ya perv.
I'd swat your ass, but I suspect you'd enjoy it. 8-)
I suppose MS could swallow the short-term losses of offering free software and support in exchange for long-term gain via lock-in. Having very deep pockets lets you focus on long-term strategies like that, I suppose.
We'll just have to take your word on that.
Writing Perl is easy. Reading Perl, that's hard. (/Scotty)
Wow. Brainfuck looks almost as scary as Whitespace. And I used to think APL was hard to follow.
I only have 50 MB of hosting space, but I managed to fit the images in there by running them through a JPEG converter. You guys can thank me later.
I've always been annoyed by the people with broadband whining about not being able to download SuSE ISOs. Many of us can't download any ISOs. I spent $15 just to try out MEPIS Linux, and I've spent the last week trying to upgrade the system in 50 MB chunks. So don't expect any sympathy from this corner.
Sure, but fvwm/mwm/blackbox don't come configured the way I like them, either. I doubt anyone uses their desktop as it is "out of the box".
The menu is still location specific
Mmm. Sure, you have to mouse over to one of the screen's edges to get to the menu. But, for me at least, mousing to the upper-right corner to make Kicker appear is no more work than mousing to my window's title bar to unmaximize it or mousing to another desktop to get to the root menu. You Work Habits May Vary.
But, hey, check out the picture of Jef's organ!
Too bad I can't mod you up. I needed that laugh.
Hmm. The menus on my KDE desktop stay out of my way until I need them, and I don't even have to keep part of the desktop showing.
Hmm. Is that legal?