Ubuntu and Kubuntu

[quweeze]

Hey guys i've been thinking about making the change to linux for awhile and am thinking about doing it now. I've have decided on using Ubuntu/Kubuntu but i don't really understand what the difference is. I've been using vista for a few years so I would like something that will not be too complicated to learn. My question is what is the difference between Ubuntu and Kubuntu? Is one easier to use then the other?

I'm planning on running this as a duel boot so I can still use windows when I need it. I have a 1TB external HD and a 120GB hard drive in my laptop so is it better to install it on my 120gb or my external?

Finally, my laptop is built as a gaming laptop (if there is such of thing) so if either of these two aren't best for running programs and videos with a geforce 7900GTX card let me know.

Kinda alot there. I'm basing this decision on whether or not i decide to upgrade to windows 7 so if you see my other post asking about windows 7, plz don't be confused why i'm asking about linux and windows 7. (http://revision3.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30431 )

[tehboris]

Ubuntu uses the Gnome desktop environment, Kubuntu uses the KDE desktop environment. KDE is more Vista like, and there for 'easy by default'. However, Gnome keeps things simple, but is less like Vista and there for 'not easy by default'.

You should really try using Ubuntu, Ultimately this decision is down to user preference. I can use either without getting stuck, but that's because I have been using both (on and off) for a while. You also have the option of installing the other desktop enviroment if you decide to switch but can't be bothered to reinstall.

[computoman]

Ubuntu is a clone of Debian and kind of stole the debian glory which debian has done most of the work. Gnome originally had top down menus and kde was the traditional bottoms up menu os. They both do the same thing with a bit different gui. kubuntu and ubuntu are the same underneath, they both are ubuntu with one having a kde interface and the other for having a gnome interface. In the mswindows world you pretty much have only one desktop. with linux you can have several different desktops but be the same underneath. You can have both kde and gnome installed at the same time, but only use one desktop at a time. but programs for both gnome and kde should work on either desktop if certain additional packages are loaded, but that is usually taken automatically care of by the installer, so you usually do not have to worry about it. Xubuntu is the same thing /it is ubuntu with the xfce desktop/. There are other lighter desktops such as enlightenment (e17(, openbox fluxbox, icewm, and many others, Having multiple desktops can be done by most all of the linux and bsd distros. In fact it has been done that way for years. Actually there is an add on for windows so you can run kde program in xp and etc. There is even a new ubuntu flavor that will let you run the full ubuntu in ms windows, but the name escapes me at the moment,. With linux you are not locked in on the gui like you are apple and microsoft.

[quweeze]

Thats helpful. I didn't realize that you could run more than one desktop gui in linux. My other question is since i have a 120gb internal and a 1tb external which would be better to install ubuntu on and how much should i partition for it? Right now I have no idea how much I should partition for it if it should be as few as 8gb or as must as 20 or more gb.

I'm running the ubuntu wubi right now to try it out and am seeing that some of my drivers it didn't pick up on. I'm wondering if kubuntu is more user friendly for this.

[fishtoprecords]

Ubuntu is a clone of Debian and kind of stole the debian glory which debian has done most of the work.

This is not true. Ubuntu is a descendant of Debian. Ubuntu is built on top of Debian. Look under Ubuntu, and you will see a lot of Debian is still there.

Debian is the base for a lot of distributions.

Debian aims at being stable and free. Ubuntu often includes updates for new hardware faster than Debian does, and it includes proprietary drivers for things like Video cards -- something that is a sin in Debian.

To the OP's question, the KDE vs Gnome issue is a personal choice, altho some folks argue with religious fervor.

Neither is really just like Windows or Vista, so some change in your use of the computer is going to be needed. I believe KDE (Kubuntu) is more Windows-like, so the learning curve may be a tiny bit faster.

But if you go into this with an open mind, you will be productive very quickly no matter what you pick.

[nav13eh]

I'm basing this decision on whether or not i decide to upgrade to windows 7 so if you see my other post asking about windows 7, plz don't be confused why i'm asking about linux and windows 7. (http://revision3.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30431 )

If You are confused (like me) about the upgrade to Windows 7, check out the other thread I created to get some answers.

http://revision3.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30399

[computoman]

Anyway, to decide on an operating system is more a choice of what application software do you want to run. Always look at the application software first and the os second. Recently I installed w7 for a client. The application software she needed to use was proprietary for mswindows only. Installing linux on the machine would have made no sense at least at this point. Like it has been said the desktop look is a matter of preference,To some degree the os is also. You can still do pretty much the same thing on all operating systems, albeit in different ways. If you have friends with Osx, linux, bsd, and or mswindows 7, see if you can work on their machine for a while. Then you can decide for your self which is better for you. No one can decide that for you.

One nice thing about having different desktops is that on our ltsp server (terminal server) everyone can have their own different desktops running at the same time even though they are using the same host machine. You can have gnome on one thin client, kde on another, and even say xfce on yet another thin client. Even with a single desktop it is possible to have multiple desktop running but not usually necessary.

Where I used to work we used to have knock down drag out fights over which was better osx or mswindows. Now you have bsd, linux, osx, or mswindows. Using a windows gui has been around a log time before Microsoft borrowed the idea. I guess if you wanted to go in that direction bsd and linux could be called xwindows or osx awindows. I try to never say just windows. Microsoft has no hold in that area.

[quweeze]

If You are confused (like me) about the upgrade to Windows 7, check out the other thread I created to get some answers.

http://revision3.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30399

I saw your post when i was looking around the forums the other day but sadly I don't think it had what I was looking for. I was trying to find out if i already have vista ultimate and i wanted to do an upgrade to win 7 ultimate so that i don't have to do a clean install; would i have to pay the same as someone upgrading from home premium or another version to ultimate or do i get a discount since i already have ultimate?

Anyway, I was using the ubuntu wubi and am really liking the feel that it has. Surprisingly right now i like its feel better than kubuntu (i thought it was going to be the other way around). I'm stuill fuzzy about how everything works but i'm starting to get a feel for it by messing around as well as look at ubuntu forums to get some help. I'm going to stick with this for now until i feel i know what i'm doing before i make the full change. As part of that change i will be doing a duel boot so i can still go back to windows but i still don't know how big of a partition i should make for it. Any ideas?

[nav13eh]

I saw your post when i was looking around the forums the other day but sadly I don't think it had what I was looking for. I was trying to find out if i already have vista ultimate and i wanted to do an upgrade to win 7 ultimate so that i don't have to do a clean install; would i have to pay the same as someone upgrading from home premium or another version to ultimate or do i get a discount since i already have ultimate?

Anyway, I was using the ubuntu wubi and am really liking the feel that it has. Surprisingly right now i like its feel better than kubuntu (i thought it was going to be the other way around). I'm stuill fuzzy about how everything works but i'm starting to get a feel for it by messing around as well as look at ubuntu forums to get some help. I'm going to stick with this for now until i feel i know what i'm doing before i make the full change. As part of that change i will be doing a duel boot so i can still go back to windows but i still don't know how big of a partition i should make for it. Any ideas?

From I've learned from my thread the answer is yes. you will have to pay more. what I have also learned is that With an Upgrade disk you can do a clean install, as long as vista or xp is already installed. the upgrade to Ultimate will cost more than the upgrade to Home. As far as partitions, the OS that is going to contain all of your documents should be much lager than the other.

[fishtoprecords]

Where I used to work we used to have knock down drag out fights over which was better osx or mswindows.
Wow, you must be young. I remember big fights over Windows vs OS/2.

In practice, OS/2 was better, but IBM charged huge amounts of money for the SDK and tools, and MS sold it all for under $100. Soon the small developers were doing wonders.

OS-X is a really nice Unix system. A bit pricey, but nice.

[computoman]

Actually the first battles I ever saw was about the apple }{, cbm, and trs-80, but I dougt most would not have a clue about back then. Besides the old systems are not relevant to the point.

I also have a n original cd of novell unix v2 bought at half-price books years ago. also may still have some fiaSCO disks, I found in the trash.