swesleyd

Apple does not shine because the OS is particularly good. It shines in its little niche (where it will stay unless forthcoming price changes alter the equation to some degree) because its locked down proprietary hardware AND software deliver a really harmonious and satisfying experience to a unique crowd that appreciates that “coolness” more than liberty. Linux cannot compete with that. It should not try.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I happen to use Linux in a business environment, and the poor support for HTML mail is a real deal breaker. Even in the Kontact suite for KDE4 you cannot create a proper HTML mail. E.g. you cannot embed images in the text. And when you forward or reply to a message, the formatting is lost. Whether you like it or not, HTML mail is mandatory in day to day business. It is how people work, so until Kmail fully supports it, it is of no use to me, and I will stick with Thunderbird.

“KDE? Hah.”
“KDE? Who are we kidding here? KDE4 is a /knock-off/, in every sense of the word.”

Its just unnecessary. While using these words can describe his issue, it is also offensive – which is unnecessary. It would be very easy to just think of something less in-your-face–slap–offensive and just to word it in a generally less derisive tone.

I mean, it would probably help him get his point across to more people.

Ubuntu’s method of enabling Compiz/Beryl since 7.04 had made it much easier to add desktop effects that are very eye-catching. I do agree that what is needed to overshadow OSx is yet to come.

The user data services al la Apple is IMHO locks the user in to a so-simple-to-use interface that makes it harder for them to migrate to another platform later on. Never having used anything from Apple before, it does sound a bit like the Zonbu system that, while you can have the basic services for free – extra services that a user may want do cost more.

While Zonbu is still Linux (Gentoo at heart), I’ll stick to less-friendly user-data-services. I like the ‘feature’ of doing it myself that I’m sure other Linus users also enjoy.

I do find it hilarious that Windows Vista’s widgets are a direct rip-off from Ubuntu. The first time I saw Vista, I thought, oh, is that a new Ubuntu theme? Then I looked closer and saw the Windows logo in the left hand corner. I just laughed. “Innovators”, eh?

Now, to address the 10-year-old GNOME-vs-KDE issue that got brought up here.

First, I DON’T CARE. It’s *your* computer, use what you like. That said….

One big business benefit of GNOME over KDE is that it lets you run Evolution, with its integrated MS Exchange Server connectivity. Fortunately, GNOME apps run just fine on KDE, and vice-versa. Additionally, Evolution, like KDE4, runs on Win32, so we can get Windows users using it instead of MS LookOut. What KDE-Win32 brings is multimedia stuff like Amarok (the music program) and K3b (the CD/DVD burner), both terrific programs. These, along with Firefox and OpenOffice.org, will make it considerably easier to get people to switch to GNU/Linux down the road.

–SYG

His entire reasoning for ‘doing something totally different’ is the inadequacy of KDE. Leaving that ‘derision’ out robs his sugggestion of purpose.

…

And tell me you didn’t laugh at GH suggesting there is nothing wrong with KDEPIM and then sighing about a major deficiency of it two paragraphs down.

I can hardly wait until KDE 4 (4.2) arrives.

Unfortunately, Truefire, your comment is mocking and derisive.

Try just saying: “I say we merge Enlightenment and XFCE- something rock solid, and something totally different.”

Much better