I’m looking to experiment into a KDE-centric system. What I mean by KDE-centric is that if there is an “official” KDE (family) version of an application then to use that in preference over the sometimes more common applications.
Konquerer instead of Firefox (well… maybe keep Firefox just in case its needed for compatibility sake)
KMail instead of Thunderbird (or Evolution)
etc.
As well as the list of popular KDE applications
DigiKam
Amarok
Kopete
etc.
In instances where there is not “official” KDE family app then I would look for Qt-based apps over anything else. I have to look into it more, but I believe Scribus is Qt-based but not in the “KDE family”.
Has anybody already done this? If so, what shortfalls or advantages did you notice? Do you use KDE 3 or 4?
> Has anybody already done this? If so, what shortfalls or advantages
> did you notice? Do you use KDE 3 or 4?
I have, and in actuality I have always gravitated towards a full KDE
environment. Why? Dunno, just like the tools better and I hate those
GNOME/KDE fusion environments…probably about as much as I detest dual
booting. I do use GIMP, just because I started out with it and learned it
fairly well. Krita is nice and I have started to work with it a little
more. A lot of work has gone into it.
KDE3 vs 4, well not all of KDE3 apps are fully ported to KDE4 yet.
If you want to experience ‘total’ KDE, I’d start with KDE3, get used to
it and when 11.2 rolls out try it under KDE4.
Just remember with KDE there’s a whole lot of ‘tweakage’ you can do
with any application so finding the clicky bits you need might take some
time to learn but in the end you’ll appreciate the flexibility.
I think its all about getting used to the programs you are using. Just like most of the people are used to using Windows (and so they feel Windows is better).
If you start using KDE programs, and you get what you wanted/needed, you’ll be happy and you’ll probably keep using it.
The same happened to me when I went from Photoshop to GIMP. Sure Photoshop was more familiar to me, but after a few weeks I started to know GIMP, I could do some things which I couldn’t do in Photoshop and started getting used to it.
I would say, try it! If you don’t like it after a few weeks then you can say: “Heck I tried it, didn’t like it, so I’m switching back.”
I was considering what is KDE partially from the list of applications linked to from the KDE Family page.
Have you found any incompatibilities that you run across like between OpenOffice/MS Office and KOffice?
I am still tossed about whether KDE 3 or go KDE 4 and try upgrade to ver 4 of the apps as they become available. I like the KDE 4 interface a little better.
I’m coming from Gnome (Ubuntu) and I already know it will take me a little time to find all the bits and pieces (like I always have trouble finding Yast, dunno why). I liked KDE when I fooled around with openSUSE 9.3(?), 10?.. it’s been a while.
I know Thunderbird allows me bi-directional control over my Google calendar, does Kontact (KPim?) have anything to do that? add-on? What about contacts or reader?
The main problem between KOffice and OO is that their implementations of the ODF standards are incomplete and so I distinguish between files I shall use only with KOffice and those I expect to have to convert for non-Linux users, for which I use OO.
I am assuming that this problem will disappear with KOffice 2.
KWord is better at importing non-MS formats and OO at MS formats.
The other non-KDE applications I use frequently are ImageMagick and xfig, the latter because it does the best graphics for use with LyX/LaTeX.
LyX is an example of an application whose history has been ‘fluid’ - now back in the KDE camp.