V.T. Eric Layton Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 KDE going the way of the Dodo KDE's Mr Motivator Peter Penz has announced he is walking away from the open source project. Penz is the main developer of the Dolphin file manager for the KDE desktop and a K Desktop user since KDE v1.2. He has been contributing to KDE for more than the past half decade. Penz said that the release of KDE 4.9 in August will have a Dolphin 2.1 file manager but that will be the last release to be handled by Peter Penz. Read the rest of the article --> http://news.techeye.net/software/kde-going-the-way-of-the-dodo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 why wouldn't Mr Penz's (one of the heroes of OpenSource btw) points apply to Gnome as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 why wouldn't Mr Penz's (one of the heroes of OpenSource btw) points apply to Gnome as well? I'm not sure I understand what you mean here, crp. Clarify, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Is the Gnome interface any easier to work with when it comes to the multitasking and multipurposing that he talks about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Wow, I'm not sure if it's the end of KDE because of one developer leaving....seems a bit like developers have flowed in and out on almost every project out there, but if they died was more dependent on size(developer community) and users rather than one team member. Having said that, his frustration seems to be directed at Kontact..which to be honest does need to be pointed at. The integration of akonadi has not been smooth and it still not complete, leading to more than a few problems. Now., as far as being easier....someone elses inability to utilize aspects of a DE(or a whole DE for that mater) doesn't make it uneasy for the rest....efficiency is a nice way of saying "it doesn't work for me" and assuming other have the same issues. We see the same type comments about almost every DE..either it's to simple..not new enough...too complicated...usualy followed by a comment like it doesn't work on my system, therefore it can't work on anything else or for anyone else. Anyway, is it the end of KDE...I dunno...maybe...but than again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturnian Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 The end of KDE? Maybe some people hope so, but I doubt it. I just hope his leaving won't adversely affect Dolphin -- he was the guy behind it. I use different DEs/WMs on different days, and I like 'em all, but Dolphin is my preferred file manager no matter which environment I happen to be using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturnian Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Now., as far as being easier....someone elses inability to utilize aspects of a DE(or a whole DE for that mater) doesn't make it uneasy for the rest....efficiency is a nice way of saying "it doesn't work for me" and assuming other have the same issues. We see the same type comments about almost every DE..either it's to simple..not new enough...too complicated...usualy followed by a comment like it doesn't work on my system, therefore it can't work on anything else or for anyone else. Yep, so true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunrat Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 You could get a job with News Of The World with sensationalist posting like that, Eric. Oh wait............ It's a shame he's leaving. Dolphin has been improving noticeably with each release and is now the most awesomest file manager around. I doubt it will mean the end of KDE though. Even Pat V uses it. PS. got a laugh out of this small spelling slipup: Writing in his bog, Penz said that he had been using KDE since version 1.2 and he never cared about the small market share. "bog" is slang for toilet in case you foreigners don't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Is the Gnome interface any easier to work with when it comes to the multitasking and multipurposing that he talks about? It's a matter of personal taste to a large extent, but Gnome, KDE, and, of course, MS Windows have all gone to user interfaces that are more geared toward eye candy than usefulness. My little Xfce does everything I need a computer GUI to do. It's just not as pretty (or bloated) as those others. I think that's what Penz is feeling also. You could get a job with News Of The World with sensationalist posting like that, Eric. Oh wait............ Don't shoot the messenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 The end of KDE? Maybe some people hope so, but I doubt it. I just hope his leaving won't adversely affect Dolphin -- he was the guy behind it. I use different DEs/WMs on different days, and I like 'em all, but Dolphin is my preferred file manager no matter which environment I happen to be using. Dolphin is very neat indeed. Slick one might say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Eh, someone will take over the Dolphin project as many My little Xfce does everything I need a computer GUI to do. It's just not as pretty (or bloated) as those others. I think that's what Penz is feeling also. Yeah that is what I was thinking. Also, dolphin will be taken over by another developer so it is not like it is going anywhere any time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 KDE going the way of the Dodo Who cares ? Who needs bloat when you have Windowmaker or E17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunrat Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Who cares ? Who needs bloat when you have Windowmaker or E17 I care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 (edited) If I read his complaint correctly, he feels that the Interface developers are dumbing things down while the applications the DEs control are getting more sophisticated. This means a lot more work under the hood for the apps developer and the resources are skimpy in this area. I've never been a big KDE user but I sure don't like what is happening to Gnome. Xfce and Linux Mint's Cinnamon are good solutions in my view. I don't mind "bloat" if you've got the power and memory to use it. I normally don't want to make big changes in DE appearance but - when the time comes to do so - I'd rather do it in a GUI than edit a bunch of text files (which I've forgotten how to do and need to research again before I attempt an edit.) For those who get used to text edits, I'm sure they appreciate the efficiency of that approach. However IceWM used to drive me nuts trying to get what I wanted. Edited June 29, 2012 by raymac46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Good point RayMac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Well, I've developed this reputation around here for being very anti-KDE. And while it's true that I stopped using KDE when version 4 came out because it was ridiculously buggy on my system at that time, that doesn't mean that I have personal enmity to the project or the application. To be honest, I'm saddened any time an open source applications fails or is abandoned. GNU/Linux and open source are all about choice... lots of it. Losing KDE or any DE/WM would limit choices. I don't want to see that happen. Now you know how I really feel. Let's return to my more humorous self now... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I started out with Ubuntu Dapper Drake which of course got me roamin' with the Gnomies. When I joined BATL there were a lot of KDE fans here - I think because there was a lot of interest here in Slackware and Mandriva. So I did give KDE 3.5.10 a whirl. It wasn't bad once I was instructed by Bruno how to turn that dam' bouncing cursor off. KDE 3.5 was way more menu driven than Gnome 2.2 and I had a bit of trouble with that. Also I liked the Gnome file manager and music player better. I understand that many others prefer AmaroK and Konquerer but I never warmed up to them. When KDE 4.X came out and was stable enough I gave it a try. It took me about 2 minutes to completely cock up the taskbar. I basically had to start over. Even now I have this pathological fear of plasmoids. There are some gurus here who use KDE 4.X with elegance and confidence but I am not among them. I do think though that if I spent some time in learning the quirks of the interface, I'd be a lot happier with KDE 4.X than Gnome 3.X. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 I started this show with Dapper and Gnome, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Well I started on Mandrake 9.2 (Mandriva) with KDE 3.1 and loved using KDE for a couple of years until I moved on to other lighter environments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 It seems to my relatively unsophisticated mind that if global interest in KDE is waning, the market has spoken. It is time for KDE's handlers to evolve or die. All of my research says the GNOME is far and away the most popular graphical interface, so KDE can either keep buggering on, or they can try to recognize what it is that users prefer about GNOME and figure out how to incorporate those things into their product. Personally, I kind of like KDE for what it is. But, it is a bit of a novelty, for serious working I find myself gravitating towards GNOME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 All of my research says the GNOME is far and away the most popular graphical interface... Not according to the ever popular Member's Choice Awards at LinuxQuestions.org --> https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-news-59/2011-linuxquestions-org-members-choice-award-winners-928502/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crp Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Not according to the ever popular Member's Choice Awards at LinuxQuestions.org --> https://www.linuxque...winners-928502/ I think there should be a difference noted between "used by most" and "most popular". I'm pretty sure I am safe in saying that GNOME is the default install UI for the majority of linux devos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I've decided to give KDE another try by installing Mageia 2 in VBox on my new desktop. Here's a post from it now. So far I haven't messed anything up but it's early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I more or less started with KDE and kind of grew-up with it (so to speak) from late KDE 2.XX to current. ...but it has not been without it's ...ummm..fun(others would use the word pain). Honestly I can see where KDE would not be a DE of choice for many, there are way to many apps..and , depending on your point of view is indeed bloated. But usually you can streamline a KDE distro and refine the install. Having said that, it is still my DE of choice (but then again I prefer rpm distros) and stay pretty much in the Mandrake (with the line of decendents, children, clones...2nd cousins twice removed)family. But again, I tend to load every DE/WM available for every install(regardless of distro)l if the system will support it(and do DE/WM mood of the day) or depending on system, which DE/WM I can get to work the best, I can do "real work" in any of them and "play" too...or sometime go console login and just geek out,to heck with DE/WM's But that is part of the beauty of Linux and opensource...your distro...your DE....your way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I've decided to give KDE another try by installing Mageia 2 in VBox on my new desktop. Here's a post from it now. So far I haven't messed anything up but it's early. http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/five_clever_things_do_altf2_run_command_kde You might find the above useful then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 I think there should be a difference noted between "used by most" and "most popular". I'm pretty sure I am safe in saying that GNOME is the default install UI for the majority of linux devos. Semantics, eh? Now you're getting just too complicated for this old penguin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 The end of KDE? Maybe some people hope so, but I doubt it. I just hope his leaving won't adversely affect Dolphin -- he was the guy behind it. I use different DEs/WMs on different days, and I like 'em all, but Dolphin is my preferred file manager no matter which environment I happen to be using. I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 I don't think there is a right or wrong GUI to use for Linux. It sometimes depends on the venue (desktop, laptop, netbook, tablet). I like KDE but Gnome has gotten better in recent years but they are not the only ones out there by a long shot. LXDE and xfce are great too as are many others. Some even love Unity. Just depends on personal preference and need. The beauty of Linux is the diversity of the choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 @Eric if you haven't tried out Mageia 2 you might want to take a look at its KDE implementation. It has very much a classic simple KDE feel with less of the KIckoff/Rosa desktop/plasmoid stuff you see in Mandriva or SUSE. I had a bit of trouble adding applications launchers to the bottom panel but I eventually figured it out. You have to unlock the launchers then when you get the application running you can right click on its icon in the panel and check "leave icon when not running" and it'll stick there. Bizarre but at least you can do it. Never thought I'd say this but given a choice between Mageia 2 KDE 4 or Gnome 3 I'd take KDE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I don't think there is a right or wrong GUI to use for Linux. It sometimes depends on the venue (desktop, laptop, netbook, tablet). I agree with you Fran and that's why I think Windows 8 is headed for trouble - trying to make all its users work the same way regardless of the hardware they have. I am certainly no fan of the basic Gnome 3 shell but Linux Mint is doing a great job of building the Cinnamon desktop on top of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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