Torvalds dumps KDE for Gnome

in brief Ticked off at the latest revamp of KDE, Linux progenitor Linus Torvalds has switched to GNOME. Apparently he thought KDE 4.0 was a "disaster" and "half-baked". Harsh words indeed.

In an interview with Computerworld, Torvalds said "break everything" probably wasn't the best idea:

I got the update through Fedora and there was a mismatch from KDE 3 to KDE 4.0. The desktop was not as functional and it was just a bad experience for me. I'll revisit it when I reinstall the next machine which tends to be every six to eight months.

The GNOME people are talking about doing major surgery so it could also go the other way.

This article was originally published as a blog post on ZDNet UK.

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KDE 3.5 is much better than 4.1 Some Guy -- 27/01/09

Linus is right - KDE 4.1 and 4.2 are just not good enough to replace KDE 3.5. However, I disagree with moving to Gnome - a much better alternative is to stay with KDE 3.5

The main problem with KDE 4.x is that in order to get more eye candy onto the screen, usability and configurability was sidelined.

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Absolutely agree Michael Abboud -- 27/01/09 (in reply to #320121696)

...KDE v4 is a usability disaster.

Back to v3.5

Michael

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KDE 3.5 Better Miles Bradford -- 31/01/09 (in reply to #320121696)

than KDE 4.1 or 4.2...YES YES YES it is. If I wanted a slow mammoth I would buy Vista. I feel insulted that the Linux developers have gone Microsoft. They know longer no what usability and speed are. On most Linux flavors now - you can't tell if you're opening up a KDE 3.5 object or a KDE 4.2 object and when installing - that is complete hell. This whole issue reminds of Microsoft putting Windows 95, 98 and some of NT4 into that Microsoft nightmare of Millenium. What a freak OS that was. Well folks - Linux has made the charts along with Microsoft at this point. The developers have taken a perfectly sound and proven kernel and put a crap GUI on it. Just like Microsoft - these GUI's are getting heavier and heavier and run like crap and functionality is so mixed - what am I doing? Am I on a Desktop or a Server and which version of what tool am I to use ? KDE 3.5 or KDE 4.2. ...and they are different. If users wanted to play "LEARN THE GUI" they'd all go to M$ Windows.

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of course Fat Baby Goose -- 27/01/09

Linus owns Linux so he should have the right to pretend he is a commercial software vendor by deciding what is best for all!!

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KDE4 BigScotty -- 28/01/09

KDE4 looks like a bloody dogs breakfast.
These open source guys need to get some UI designers onside to fix most of the X windows stuff.
I went back to Gnome with a Mac skin and Avant Windows manager. Much more usable now!

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KDE 4.2 Expert Miles Bradford -- 31/01/09

NOT!!! I have thrown away any DVD or CD that I have got with 4.1 or 4.2 on them. KDE is a complete work of disastor trying to be VISTA. KDE 3.5 is by far the best. I htink another issue is that with the kernel advancement ot 2.6.27 and putting a slow mammoth like KDE 4.2 on it is a total waste of time and effort - except that it should have been kept in the lab. Whoever is in that lab - should be fired.d

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a "disaster" and "half-baked" rick -- 04/02/09

a "disaster" and "half-baked"

sums up many linux distros.

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4.2 works for me Thomas Bender -- 26/02/09

To give a slightly more positive opinion: No doubt about the unreadyness of 4.0 and 4.1, but 4.2 does work for me.

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