What’s the difference (advantages/disadvantages) between Gnome and KDE?
Still learning Linux. I’ve run v10.3 in the past using Gnome. Due to a laptop crash, I’m having to reinstall and will be installing v11.0
Thanks,
scott
Alright gnome and kde r desktop environments each with their unique look and set of features and their own apps.
Apps can be shared between both and they r both very customizable but kde aims to be feature rich whereas gnome aims for simplicity and ease of use.
kde in my opinion looks prettier, gnome in MY opinion, NO OFFENSE to gnome user, looks uglier.
I suggest trying both, check out my desktop, isn’t that cool? 
KDE4.0 is beginning to look more like Gnome… oh, well it is called ‘progress’ I think 
Still KDE offers more settings & tweaking possibilities. That is the main reason for KDE or Gnome as DT, if you want a system that is easy to navigate, does what you want and you do not tweak a system to the max ? Take Gnome. If not KDE(3.5 and soon 4.0) is better.
Personally I love the looks, feel and endless possibilities of KDE.
PS Linus T. also prefers KDE over Gnome 
kde looking like gnome :eek:
no way, what makes u say that?
I like the man’s insight… deep, very deep… and most of all true. GNOME rulze…
Nah, just kidding. Could not resist But KDE just never gripped me, I still prefer GNOME’s ease & probably am also a console freak in the eyes of others, but GNOME just does it for me.
Cheers,
Wj
I absolutely loathe Gnome, and love KDE. I think Gnome looks tacky. It lacks basic customization options I expect, and the UI guidelines says it should design for the lowest common denominator. I won’t want my desktop to treat me like I’m an idiot.
Some people suggest KDE is “harder” because it is so much more flexible, but I’ve been converting people to Linux, and maybe people who aren’t computer savvy at all tell me that KDE’s interface is EASIER and more intuitive than anything they’ve ever used before.
Oh, and people scream bloat all the time, except KDE uses less memory, runs faster, and yet offers more features.
Even Linus wants us all to use KDE.
Slashdot | Torvalds Says ‘Use KDE’
Yet I encourage you to make your own decisions. You can install them both. Log out, and in the session menu select the other one. Log into both.
use both and once u decide the one u like then reinstall with that desktop environment as default cause having both is a complete mess
Please don’t turn this thread into a flamewar. Use what you like the most, kde or gnome or xfce or window maker, etc
Actually I think it all depends on which distro users u ask, openSUSE users usually love kde even though our gnome desktop is one of the nest out there but most people here use kde
Now if u ask the same question to some other distro users like maybe debian or Mint, they may say gnome is better.
I second that… enough flame wars going around to last many life times. Just go for what works for you.
The motto here is : have allot of fun!
Cheers,
Wj
Yes Novell has introduced many Gnome features to the (open)SuSE desktop also in KDE, as an example see the startmenu the traditional KDE or Gnome version, see the settings options menu in KDE4.0 (it does not list 20% of what traditional KDE3.5 gives as customisation options, need I continue ?).
On the upside I think that Gnome under (open)SuSE11.0 is the best that I have seen so far, far better than say Ubuntu (!), I actually do not dislike opening a second DT/user with Gnome as a parallel session.
(I have a KDE4.0 running next to my 3.5 and most of the time a Gnome session as well).
@Cinq-Marquis
To me the KDE 4 config options are just a bit more compacted together, so it gives the feeling of being less. I’ve had the same configuration options I was used to in KDE 3.5 appear in KDE 4.0. (although I may be missing some obscure config option)
But I have to agree with you in that Gnome in openSuSE totally blows Ubuntu’s implementation out of the water. It looks nicer and has a better application launcher.
As for the main topic, I prefer KDE 4 because I think it looks nicer, has more configuration options, and allows me to do more stuff easily (like a more flexible file manager, better desktop widgets, etc.). But Gnome is just rock, solid stable across all the distributions I have tried, and that’s a testament to the great coders over at Gnome. So in the end, it just comes up to what kind of user you are. If you’re a power user, go with KDE. If you’re a person who just expects their desktop shell to work out of the box with no hassles, go with GNOME. It doesn’t hurt to install both either, since both KDE and GNOME only take up about 2 gb each.
I’m not sure that comparison is fair. You’re comparing KDE 4 to Gnome and saying Gnome is stable. KDE 4 is a total rewrite that really isn’t ready for primetime in my opinion.
KDE 3.5.9 is amazingly stable.
And if you love the extra configuration options in KDE 4 as opposed to Gnome, then KDE 3 should blow you away.
Sorry I didn’t make my post clear enough. Of course its stupid to compare beta with stable software, but even KDE 3 was giving me problems, especially Konqueror. It happened less than KDE 4, but still more than GNOME in my opinion.
Back in the KDE 3 days, its default look paled so much in comparison to GNOME, I decided to give up the config options for the better looks. Although with KDE 4, it has won me back over.
Im a newbie on OpenSuse 10.3 and 11 but here is my experience did try twice to install OpenSuse 10.3 w/Gnome crash system twice. Same CD did reformatted HD again 10.3 w/KDE results zero Errors laptop still running. Just install a few days ago OpenSuse 11 on my Desktop with KDE programs are running smooths no crash so far, and like other members said KDE look prettier than Gnome and I will stick with KDE so works for me. Hopping Gnome users don’t get offended.
I remember that openSUSE 10.3’s gnome was horrible, I think 11.0’s gnome is way better but yeah Kde is the best!
you can install both and run them quite happily next to each other, no harm there. I switch between KDE4 and Gnome rather often on Opensuse11 and it works like a charm.
Personally I prefer XFCE. It is fast, lightweigt, it doesn’t get in my way and allows me to get my work done. I do not NEED a WM for being a WM, I just need one to start my apps in. If I wasn’t so lazy I’d switch to openbox but everytime I do I quit halfway there.
Between gnome and KDE? Well imho KDE3 just doesn’t cut it, I really do not like the look and feel nor the cartoony default. Currently I run KDE4.1 on opensuse just to see what’s new and it shows progress but it Just Is Not Ready Yet … by a longshot. I do seem to grow fond of dolphin and gwenview quite rapidly.
Good old gnome would be my preference if deciding between just those two. it works, it is stable, predictable, skinnable and not really slow either. I just hate what opensuse did to the menu’s, the config screen and don’t even mention that SLAB, They are trying to turn gnome into KDE or something. I want my normal menu’s and configs thank you very much. GTK apps are so much more consistent i believe, with the same buttons that are the same size in the same place. I do think that GNOME (and XFCE) have thought through their human interface guidelines a whole lot better then some of the QT apps I have seen.
In the end it is personal, install all and run what you like. if you value performance and stability over eyecandy go for XFCE. if you value plasma (heavens forbid!) go for KDE4. And do you prefer GTK apps (xfce, gnome) or QT apps (KDE3, KDE4)
stefan
I do believe you can change the menu styles in GNOME. There’s a different button you can add to the panel.
I don’t think a DE should be judged on defaults as much as what you can do with it. Plenty of people say they don’t like the crystal defaults of KDE 3, and I agree. I think it looks amateurish. However, I think I can put together a much nicer desktop with KDE 3 than Gnome will allow me.
Since I can, I use all (including KDE 4). To me with openSUSE, KDE 3.5 works best. But I don’t mind using gnome once in a while.