Free Software Linux

The Situation

Ok, so you know that currently SLED (SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop) 10 defaults to GNOME as the desktop, a move that garnered a few cranky folks from the KDE [KC]amp, but one that was easily understood when you realized that most corporations really needed to have a default, that way they didn’t have to stall their testing to make a decision about what Linux Desktop standard they would support. openSUSE 11.0 doesn’t force such a choice, you have several options, none is selected by default, it’s like being in line at Starbucks and having to decide if you want a twist of lemon in your half-caf, double-decaf.

I’ve been a KDE supporter for a while now, (me love you very long time, KDE) but I realize also that while KDE is very snazzy and fun to use, that’s not exactly the set of criteria that corporations use when choosing a desktop for thier users who use Linux.  Let’s face it, most corporations would be very happy and a lot less confused if they didn’t HAVE a choice, it just comes in Blue, and that’s it.  With a big sigh, I realized long ago that when it comes to the corporations out there, KDE loses out to GNOME, it’s just a fact, nothing much to do about it.

What to DO?

I have come to the realization that while we support KDE, we have a whole GNOME division, staffed with tack-sharp and very committed guys/gals who really think that GNOME is the cat’s behind.  I have finally come to the weird and strangely comfortable compromise where I use the GNOME desktop as my default, and I almost homeopathically use KDE apps to get certain things done.

Case in Point

Nautilus.  Oh my GOD, Nautilus, what’s happened to you?  I’ll use Nautilus grudgingly, only if it’s easier than setting up KDE’s Konqueror with the Midnight Commander view, or it’s not my machine.  Otherwise, it’s straight into Konq’y and the 2-pane MC view for this techie.  Peter Norton is the KING and I loved and still love the Norton Commander view of things, even more than Xtree Gold, which I have opined about in the past, a bit misty-eyed.

If you unsync the views on Konqueror’s Midnight Commander mode, you get a great way to move and copy things without having to do a lot of right-clicking, and then when you’re on the command line, which I spend a LOT of time in, the same keystrokes are there, and you don’t have to remember yet another set of oddly-mnemonic-ly setup commands.

Cool Tip

Use Konsole, it rocks.  Set up Konsole to remember your settings, and open up multiple tabs, which gnome-terminal does grudgingly and not very well.  I use the konsole program to administer 7 different servers all from the command line, all by opening up the tab with either clicking on the little tab icon on the bottom left of the Konsole window, or by pressing Ctrl-Shift-t, then ssh’ing to that server and renaming the session tab to something useful like .  Talk about easy to use, you just press Shift-Left or Shift-Right to move among the tabs and administer the servers.

End Game

Use whatever desktop for your Linux desktop experience you want, but remember that the other side has some cool apps too, you only sacrifice 2MB or so for the needed libraries to run the alternative Desktop’s apps, so it’s memory well spent.

Enjoy,

RossB

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