Why I Hate KDE? Paradigm
Disclaimer: I'm long time GNOME user and contributor.
I have written about the reason I won't use (and dislike) KDE several times:
- 2005: Something I don't like about KDE (in Thai)
- 2007: Why I Hate KDE (English with pic)
- 2008: KDE 4.0 and Back Again (in Thai)
Today is a good chance to write about it again!
This story has begun by a blog post from a man called Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols. He is ex-ZDNet and somewhat famous Linux journalist and long time KDE user. He tried out KDE 4.04 and dislike it (like me). Some might say KDE 4.0 is just developer preview (then why release it at first, huh?). He then tried KDE 4.1beta (which I haven't) and also hate it. The consequence is he called for a fork of KDE project. Technically, all he wants is porting good old KDE 3.5 on Qt 4 platform but fork is fork.
This blog became widespread over KDE communities. Some key KDE developers like Aaron Seigo (from the Plasma fame) came and post their arguments. The discussion was divided into two obvious side: who support KDE4 direction and who doesn't.
At first glance, it might be yet another KDE flame war, as usual. But the most interesting point is, this time, it's the KDE civil flame war. No GNOME lovers, no KDE haters. Just only KDE users, fanboys, advocates, evangelists who disagree on each other's KDE future vision.
Some media, such as my beloved Ars Technica, talk about this war. Some other OS enthusiastic community, like OSNews, also cited Ars story and became a new comment battleground.
My opinion on KDE4 (btw, it's not the main point of this blog)
- The release of KDE 4.0 this year is one of biggest failure in open source (or the whole software industry) history. No matter KDE 4.x will become a innovative, world class desktop environment or not. Put alpha quality software together and call it point zero release is definitely doom anyway.
- The worse problem is, KDE developers didn't accept this failure. "KDE4 vision is not KDE 4.0, wait for KDE 4.x" is worst excuse I've ever seen.
- Revolutionary change is always pain. Look back on Mac OS 9/X and XP/Vista.
- Modern and solid infrastructure will pay off. Mac OS X became usable in 10.2 and later (2 years after first 10.0 beta) and Windows 7 will be dramatically better than Vista.
- So KDE 4.2, 4.5 or 5.0 will be the same. Give time for the devs to prove their vision. In contrast, GNOME has shown the sign of lackluster since they accept only evolutionary change.
- I still believe that the skill of KDE developers outperform GNOME and many other large open source projects. In term of feature, some KDE projects such as amaroK, K3B, Konqueror are impressing.
Now, it's time to put the KDE 4 topic off and get into the main point of this blog.
This comment by Aaron Seigo in OSNews thread makes me enlighten. (Emphasized by me)
being tired of the one-true-way-of-doing-things in kde3 (e.g. icons on the desktop, "the" k menu, and always a panel!) with no recourse other than a complete rewrite of things, i started designing plasma.
so i would love to see what you describe above to happen as it is one of the motivations behind the project: make it easy to make new stuff with no assumptions forced upon you.
this is why there are something like 6 different application launchers (aka "application menus") in development in different places. diversify, experiment, realize that confining people to one way of doing things is Bad(tm) (even though you need to provide a default experience).
it seemed quite in line with the ideas of freedom otherwise embodied in our software.
The reason why I don't use KDE is obvious: Paradigm. (or perspective, way of thinking, approach, whatever)
It's the same reason why I choose Python over Perl (and Java). and it is the crucial thing KDE folks are missing.
It's also the same reason why Mozilla Seamonkey went off in vain. It's the same reason why Debian, Fedora, Mandriva and SUSE was beaten by Ubuntu in distro front.
New generation Mozilla folks realized this. Then, Firefox revived. Mark Shuttleworth knows about it. Then, Ubuntu became generic term for Linux. Steve Jobs might be the first one who know this. Now we see Mac & iPod everywhere.
Choices are always good. But for the mass, just give them a default, Just Work, one.
The ultimate goal of software development is for the users. Normal users, plain and ordinary one like your mother. Not the power users, alpha geeks or developers themselves.
Seigo's comment mirrors the perspective, culture and paradigm of whole KDE community. It's not wrong but it's definitely not for the mass.
The comment I like most on OSNews thread is from dmantione. He replied the usual "KDE4.x is very innovative, the problem is that people just dont understand it " like this:
> KDE4.x is very innovative, the problem is that people just dont understand it
Sounds like a serious bug to me ;)
Seriously, this is what the whole discussion is about. Nobody doubts the innovation that went into KDE4. On the other hand, the user interface is simply not something people can work it.
Software simply needs to be compatible with the people that use it. This is important for both people unexperienced as people very experienced with computers.
As an alpha geek, I used to want to try the promising KDE 4 and hope it will become the KDE for all people. But today, I realize that culture, perspective and paradigm can not be fixed easily in one or two release.
I will keep using my current software (GNOME, Firefox, Ubuntu) and will not consider using KDE again in short term future.
Don't worry KDE fans. KDE will be survive and become a decent, if not best, desktop environment. But not, and will never be, the "most widely used" desktop environment.
- mk's blog
You will see a good percentage of kde4 mirrored in the mac OS and in windows somewhere down the line.
siego admits that change takes time, but just because it takes time doesn't mean we can't have a revolution...we need in fact a revolution somewhere for there to be any change at all, if kde has to be the scapegoat, posterboy, whathaveyou for desktop design, then thats what its going to be, and I applaud them for that, because a lot of people use ubuntu and iPods and windows doesn't mean that they are good, they are deeply flawed in a lot of ways, trying to change all that is laudable, and kde is that change, its going to be a firebrand, and if it loses users then so be it. Which is why I love open source and think directly commercial efforts in software fail. because they need customers. kde doesn't. it's beautiful. it can give everyone that doesn't like it a big middle finger and go on its way.
Alright, the thing is "In which way will kde go?" If KDE want to keep its old and loyal customers or fanboys or just want to feed its developers desire, well, that's it.
However, if the objective is to introduce an innovation to people, including newbies, then the way of thinking must be changed.
When doing something new, people work with assumptions and instinct, well, in other word, familiarity. The software that is intuitive is the one that people get familiar with. Most people want to do things in the most straight way, and, if possible, no learning curve. Throwing heaps of options to people makes them to avoid using it because more than one way need more understanding and time to learn. However, this may be suitable for someone who's happy with exploration, but not for productivity.
I'm a long time KDE user and still using KDE 3.5.x as my main desktop. When I tried to switch to KDE 4.0.x, it makes me really confused. Anyway, KDE 4.1 is being in delivery phase and I'm still waiting for "tasting" it.
Oh, i't very easy to say all this when Gnome is not even thinking in Gnome 3.0. The only war I see is you an peple like Sven against KDE.
You all remember me of of Vultures!.
It's really crazy to write a such article without even any argument...
Thank you to waste my time...
