KDE-Gnome FAQ

[Kevin Forge <forgeltd@usa.net>]

Sorry for taking so long to get this written.  However here is the
1st draft of the KDE+Gnome howto, presented for appraisal.
Please read it with a view to finding Flamebait, Spelling errors, 
Flamebait, Grammatical Errors, FlameBait, Technical Errors and did
I mention to look for FlameBait ?
======================================================================
I assume by now you know that KDE and Gnome are "Integrated desktops".
What exactly is an "ID" however ?  and why must I use one or the other?
Patience all your questions will be answered in due course.

An Integrated desktop simply means a large number of apps including 
a task manager, Window manager, control panel, Text editor and a
minimum of 12 games that all look and work like they were made by 
the same company.  This means for instance that all the scrolbars are
on the same side and all the menus are laid out pretty much the 
same way.  It means for instance that the only difference between the 
EMail program and the news reader are what needs to be different in
order
for them to be useful.  

As to using one or the other.  Well you don't have to.  You see KDE and 
Gnome are both Linux apps and the developers know full well that Tux 
has a special glassier into which he dumps the remains of programers 
who write apps that prevent other apps from Running.  As an example the
first Gnome app to show it's face on the Internet was "the Gimp" ( A
Photoshope workalike that you had better start using if you want your
pictures to look cool ).  I have been using the Gimp since before it 
hit version 1.0 ( just like everybody else, since all the big 
distributions include it ).  When I installed the then BETA version 
KDE I was able to use the Gimp exactly as before with no difference in
behavior at all.

The same holds true for all the other Gnome and KDE apps.  Simply put
You can run any combination you like of Gnome apps, KDE Apps and 
desktop components

You can launch the Gnome text editor from the KDE Panel.  You can 
switch between KDE apps using the Gnome task bar.  You can essentially 
do whatever you feel like with these two systems.  I'll just dispel
a few more myths and then get to how do you achieve this peaceful
coexistence.

Myth : You can't run KDE without the KWM ( The KDE Window Manager ).
Actually you can and the only problem is that a few icons show up on 
the desktop that simply do not work ( start KFM with the 'kfm -w'
command in your startkde script and that problem will disappear ).

Myth : You can't run any KDE apps without KFM.  Actually this is 
partially true.  A few very important KDE apps require you to have 
the file manager running in order to execute.  The KPanel is the main
offender ( It's being fixed ).

Myth : Gnome doesn't have a Window Manager.  Actually Gnome doesn't 
need any particular Window manager.  You get one anyway ( There are 
3 that work for it already ).

Myth : Drag and Drop doesn't work between KDE and Gnome apps.
Well KDE is switching to XDnD in it's next version ( currently in CVS )
which should be in BETA the same time as the next version of Gnome 
which will also use XDnD.

Now to the mater of how do you make these things work together.
I have found that the simplest way is simply to install Both KDE and
Gnome ( everything you can get to work anyway ) and then edit your 
/opt/kde/bin/startkde script to launch those parts of Gnome you want
and to not launch those parts of KDE you don't want.  Things like 
replacing the Line that says kpanel with one that says gpanel.

In the end you can essentially launch a fully Gnome environment from
the startkde script ( don't complain about the logic, that just works,
 OK. ).

Finally, Why would you want to do this ?  Well each desktop offers some 
features that the other simply dose not have or perhaps you prefer the
Gnome IRC program to the KDE one or the KDE Mail program to the Gnome 
one.  This is what Linux is about,  Unlimited choice.

















-- 
"So let me get this straight," one IBM lawyer said. 
"We're doing a deal with . . . a Web site?"
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/98/0810/6209094a.htm  For context.
mailto:forgeltd@usa.net  http://www.independence.seul.org