What's DE-specific, what's independent? (was: Re: KDE package manager)

["Dan B." <danb@kempt.net>]

Sian Mountbatten wrote:
> Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> writes:
>
> > On 11/09/2011 03:33 AM, Andrei POPESCU wrote:
> > > On Jo, 03 nov 11, 10:59:43, Ken Heard wrote:
> > > > Sian Mountbatten wrote, in part:
> > > >
> > > > > Is there a KDE package manager available?

For the various things that get installed for Gnome, KDE, etc.,
which are specific to the chosen desktop environment, and which
work with any desktop environment (or perhaps any sufficiently
capable DE (e.g., FreeDesktop-compliant))?

When a DE includes a (default) audio player, file manager, CD-writing
program, etc., is the only thing specific to that DE the fact that it
chose that program as its default for that type of application, or
is the application usually tied to that DE?


More generally, what I'm try to get at is:  Of the things you get with
a particular desktop environment (i.e., of the packages installed by
installing a Gnome, KDE, etc., virtual package), which work only with
that DE, and which work with other DE's you might switch to (or also
run)?




Thanks,

Daniel