Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Gnome vs. KDE vs. X

Author:Ken MacLeod
Posted:3/10/1999; 10:35:09 AM
Topic:Gnome vs. KDE vs. X
Msg #:3896
Prev/Next:3895 / 3897

Dave Winer writes in today's DaveNet:

Unix needs a desktop, not two or five. It needs one, one that has the polish and finish of Windows or Macintosh, and has the support of tool and runtime software developers. To gain that support, one of the desktop metaphors for Unix has to jump out in front of all of the others, to become the "consensus platform" and then, and only then, can Unix *start* to challenge Windows and Macintosh on the desktop.

It's going to be a few years before this happens and it may not be the way one might expect. None of Gnome, KDE, GNUStep, or any of a myriad other desktop projects will jump in front of all the others. Not only do they each have their strengths and weaknesses, followers and detractors, but to standardize on one implies a lack of ongoing development on new metaphors (a large number of seemingly incremental UI improvements come from a deep rethinking of the underlying architecture).

What is more likely to happen over the next few years is that consensus will be gained on how 80% of the user interface should be implemented consistently and replaceably, and each desktop project will have a plug-in that emulates the look-and-feel of the other leading desktops. This will allow a individual user or an organization to standardize on a look and feel while still keeping the ongoing development of new metaphors wide open. A preview of this ability is how Gnome (and KDE?) support ``themes'': a skin-deep change of your desktop's look. The next step is to support themes that can actually modify your desktop's feel, so your desktop can look and feel the way you choose.

The other 20% of user interface are the things that individual application developers need specifically in their own applications. Having multiple desktop libraries to choose from allows developers to choose the one that provides the most added value to their application while still maintaining at least visual compatibility through themes.

KDE and Gnome are the leading modern GUI toolkits on Unix today. Choosing one or the other, based on their individual merits today, does not exclude a user from using applications from any other desktop toolkit, it just makes the desktop seem somewhat schizophrenic. Choosing either KDE or Gnome today will most likely lead effortlessly to being part of the ``consensus platform'' that is developing among Unix GUIs already.

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