Re: Why?

[Nate Bargmann <n0nb@networksplus.net>]

* S Clement <s.clement@cashette.com> [2006 Jul 10 22:12 -0500]:
> I am new to Debian - within the last two weeks - and two things puzzle me.
> 
> Why do you seem to prefer gnome over kde?  I have examined both and kde seems to me to be easier to use.  There must be something I am missing.

Back in the mists of time, somewhere around 1998 or so, when the
TrollTech Qt library was not DFSG free, the GNOME project was created
built upon the GIMP Tool Kit, GTK.  GNOME is an official Project of
GNU. The Debian Project, itself a part of the GNU project, or at least
tightly affiliated with it, chose GNOME as the default DE.  Neither KDE
or Qt apps were included in the official Debian archive although
unofficial packages were made available by kind souls.  Flamewars
ruled the day between the two camps.

A few years later, TrollTech changed the license on Qt to the "more
free" GPL thus leapfrogging the "lesser" LGPL.  Despite this, old
attitudes have been slow to change and Debian, for whatever reason(s),
still prefers GNOME over KDE at installation.

Personally, I use either KDE or IceWM when they make sense and nothing
else.  I use a couple of GTK based apps regularly.

> Is it worth hunting for a way to change the default?

Yes.  It's your productivity and enjoyment at stake here.  By default
vi/Vim is forced on me at every turn.  I have successfully replaced
them with FTE.  My first experience with a moded editor was edlin, so
vi/Vim don't impress me.  Neither does emacs.

- Nate >>

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