Kubuntu, ArkLinux Announce KDE 3.4-Based Releases 176
arexx writes "Kubuntu, the new Linux flavour based on the fast-climbing Ubuntu but with a KDE desktop as standard has reached its first preview release, with the first full release due next month. ISOs and torrents are available for all major architectures from cdimage.ubuntu.com. Kubuntu is the first distribution to ship with the new KDE 3.4, released just two days ago. Existing Ubuntu users can grab KDE 3.4 with a quick and customarily painless 'sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop' in the nearest terminal window." Kubuntu isn't alone, though: as reader fixertechno puts it, "After 3 years of development, testing, and me waiting patiently, the first stable release of Ark Linux has been released; Bero's announcement is here. Ark Linux is a KDE based desktop version of Linux with similar goals of 'it just works' to Ubuntu Linux. If you've been waiting to try Ark Linux -- or any Linux distribution for that matter, now's the time!"
Ark has a long way to go (Score:5, Insightful)
eth0 running Ethernet adapter
lo running Loopback adapter
All of which is perfectly clear to the average end user so presumably this is why there is no help button. And they seem to have a problem spelling associated, there was no z in it last time I looked.
So after a very very brief look I dont see anything particularly user friendly but I do see sloppiness.
Oops (Score:2, Insightful)
Even worse, when Kubunto _also_ gains popularity, people will be able to help each other less. Much like the MacOS and Windows debates, groups of people will form around these and they don't usually sit next to each other, helping others with the different desktop.
This is a big strength in the monopoly of Microsoft with their Windows. People are so used to seeing others who use Windows too, that they assume someone uses it when they see someone. I've lost count how many times people told me to click 'start' while I don't even have a menu button at all on my desktop.
But those people help each other a lot, and they're happy that way. When you say you don't have that, then first they think that you can't do what they do (whatever it is) and second, they think what you run sucks/is harder/ because, well actually, they're just computer illeterate most of the times.
However, I do not oppose the KDE project. But please, don't call this KDE-Ubuntu Kubuntu. Call it something else, because it's _NOT_ ubuntu. That way, it'll just mix into the usual browser war of mandrake/suse/redhat/etc. Thats something that we wont get rid of anytime soon, but one more or less probably doesnt hurt that much.
SuSE Linux Professional and SuSE Linux Personal is ok, people can understand that, and they _both_ use KDE, only personal has no development stuff and other, more advanced stuff.
This is different.
Re:Ark has a long way to go (Score:4, Insightful)
I think you're being pretty harsh here. It's years since I looked at a network setup screen on my linux boxes; nowadays all that just seems to work immediately after installation. I suspect that the only people who use such tools are experts. As for the spelling thing, who cares? It's not as if anyone would fail to see what is meant by the word. The guy has created a whole distribution. I am personally prepared to overlook the odd spelling mistake from someone who offers me so much of his time for nothing.
Re:Ark has a long way to go (Score:5, Insightful)
While I won't argue with you about general sloppiness (I've never tried out that distro), I think it's necessary to understand that only a certain level of "clueless user friendly things" can be allowed.
The dialog you mentioned (link [arklinux.org]) labels the eth0 interface as "ethernet adapter". How much more abstraction can you expect? Should it be labeled "thingy that lets your magic number-adding box 'talk' to other magic number-adding boxes through a metal wire which fits into a rectangular-like hole in the back of both boxes"?
At some point, you have to expect the user to know what they're doing, or expect them to learn something. There is no way around that, short of having someone knowledgable literally hand-hold them through every step.
Ubuntu + KDE (Score:2, Insightful)
Of course there are others with up-to-date KDE (Score:2, Insightful)
And of course it supports nearly all architectures Linux does support - current: alpha, arm, mips, hppa. ia64. powerpc, powerpc64, sparc, sparc64, superh, x86 and x86-64.
Re:Ok I might regret this but,....... (Score:5, Insightful)
Gnome is a GTK based desktop environment with a focus on usability and simplicity, at times to a near detrimental level. Philosophically, it's a solid approach, but developers and users do butt heads from time to time. It's generally considered more 'Mac-like.' (More MacOS = OS 9 than X).
KDE is a QT based destkop environment which focuses primarily on flexibility and a high degree of customization. KDE focuses more on giving those that consider themselves power a larger degree of control. This degree of control does, however, lead to an increased level of complexity. Interface wise, it's the more Windows-like of the two.
And it's this point that has me slightly confused with the Kubuntu project. If you spend any time around the forums, you'll pick up that Ubuntu is built around an almost severely strict regimine of usibility. For example, in one thread I was watching, the idea of using red/green to indicate OK/Fail during boot up was shot down on the grounds that it could cause problems for people with color blindness.
While I appreciate that some people honestly prefer KDE as an environment, I don't quite see where it fits into Ubuntu's philosophy. Ubuntu is almost painfully easy to use - I have a friend who is a geek and a bit of a Macintosh zealot who's previously expressed a rather strong dislike for Linux, and even he's fallen in love with this distribution. I just don't see how it can maintain its character on KDE without pruning away many of the things the KDE advocates really like.
What's the big deal? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:2, Insightful)
You don't see the big difference with downloading one ISO, versus downloading one ISO and then download an additional desktop to replace the one you got from the ISO? I'd guess you are trolling, honestly you can't be that dense?
Re:Kubuntu is a word! (Score:3, Insightful)
Funny that in spanish, bemba means "big mouth" i.e a person that has very big lips, mostly african americans