KDE versus GNU...is there a difference?

English Install/Boot/Login
1

What’s the difference between KDE and GNU?

I have eight years of experience using and supporting Windows and three years with Mac’s. Yet I’m just beginning to learn OpenSuse Linux.

Is KDE and GNU simply the GUI? Is it the Desktop Layout? Is one more flashy then the other?

I would like to use which ever is more appealing, yet more importantly gives me complete control and customization.

Any help and information is appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

2

GNU has nothing to do with KDE.

3

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You’re probably getting GNU and Gnome confused. KDE is a desktop
environment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDE) as is Gnome
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNOME). Each has its focus and paradigm
around the user experience and so they are different. GNU is something
else that may be related, but isn’t as comparable directly
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU).

Anyway, complete control and customization… sounds more like KDE, but
give each a shot. New users to the Linux world often prefer Gnome
because it doesn’t have as many complexities (those same “complete
control and customization” things often result in complexity). Either
is great… you can have both installed at the same time so it can be
changed on a user-by-user basis.

Good luck.

mstrasko wrote:
| What’s the difference between KDE and GNU?
|
| I have eight years of experience using and supporting Windows and three
| years with Mac’s. Yet I’m just beginning to learn OpenSuse Linux.
|
| Is KDE and GNU simply the GUI? Is it the Desktop Layout? Is one more
| flashy then the other?
|
| I would like to use which ever is more appealing, yet more importantly
| gives me complete control and customization.
|
| Any help and information is appreciated.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Mike
|
|
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4

Possibly true but very misleading. GNU is predominantly a set of command line utilities which carry out many of the tasks which a computer user needs to do.

KDE is a desktop environment which protects the user from having to use these command line utilities directly. But KDE implements many of its features by taking input from the GUI environment and then translating them into command line utilities and translating the results into messages in the GUI.

Other programs do similar things with non-GNU programs. For example, ImageMagick provides virtually all the graphics conversion anyone needs and other programs access its command line utilities to convert images to the formats they need.

It’s all part of the Unix principle - never duplicate anything someone else has already written; build on it. (I know not everyone adheres to this principle!)

5

I believe you are referring to: GNU Network Object Model Environment, or Gnome.

Selecting a desktop environment is a matter of personal preference.

The best way is to try them out. See which one suits you better.

If you want to install both, refer to this page: OpenSUSE Wiki Multiple Desktop Environments page.

:slight_smile:

6

Thank you for the information; yours and the others really cleared it up.

I also apologize for not replying sooner, I’ve been a little preoccupied. I posted another thread which will explain part of what I’ve been doing.

Though anyway, thanks again for the information.

Mike