DJA wrote:
Karl Cunningham wrote:
Michael J McCafferty wrote:
I have always been more of a RedHat guy than a Debian guy. My
previous
desktop attempts were KDE not Gnome. I will have questions for the list.
Mike,
Any reason you did not stick with KDE and moved to Gnome? I'm
considering installing Ubuntu/Kubuntu as a dual-boot with XP for my
wife on her laptop. I'm wondering about the KDE vs Gnome decision for
my wife, who has never used Linux.
Karl
If you're going to be the support person, pick the environment you're
most fluent in. For a new Linux use, it's not really going to make much
difference to them early in the experience. Cosmetically, there is
little difference between Gnome and KDE.
As the new user gets more experienced, they may want to know about other
options, especially if they encounter annoyances (who doesn't?). If the
current environment doesn't offer solutions then they can explore (with
your help if needed) another.
I used Gnome for years. When both it and Enlightenment (E) were young,
the combination was a very powerful and flexible desktop environment.
When they both became too greedy, I removed E and found that Gnome
itself was sufficient (although not perfect).
Then Gnome, under apparent influence of Redhat, decided to aim itself at
PHB's. Many options and settings upon which I had come to rely, were
removed or hidden. The result was a dumber desktop for a dumber user.
Since I wasn't in that category, I tried KDE. It wasn't perfect either,
but was closer to the old Gnome+E. KDE continues to improve so I've
stayed. I dabble with Gnome on occasion to see if it offers anything I
don't have now - it doesn't.
Because I'm most comfortable with KDE, that's what I give new users. I
don't even mention anything else, mostly so as not to confuse them. That
and because they really don't care. If I have to do the support, I set
the terms. If the user decides they don't like my configuration, chances
are they've moved to a level of proficiency of use with Linux that they
probably don't need me to tweak their desktop anymore anyway. At that
point, they're ready to make their own informed choices.
Cases in point: my seventy-plus-year-old mom is quite happy with KDE.
It's her first home computer. She uses some version of Windows at work.
My sister used Windows for years. She started to get tired of the usual
problems, and asked to try Linux. I set her up to dual boot. In a short
time, she migrated herself to almost exclusive use of Linux. Now she
claims to dislike Windows, although she still uses it for some apps
which require it.
Thanks for the advice, and thanks to everyone else who commented. I've
used KDE much more than Gnome and for the reasons you mention will
probably install KDE. My wife is almost totally a "user" rather than a
"configurer" in windows, and will certainly use Linux that way too.
Now off to burn a live cd and see how it works.
Karl
P.S. Lan, sorry to disappoint. Seems the holy war didn't really develop.
Maybe a better-crafted question next time.
--
[email protected]
http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
