ZDNet: Linux desktop KDE 2.2.1 rivals Windows
Sep 21, 2001, 16:59 (34 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Michael P. Deignan)
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"Touted as a powerful, yet easy-to-use Internet-enabled
desktop, KDE 2.2.1 lives up to all expectations. Despite
appearances, version 2.2.1 is much more than a simple dot upgrade
from its previous manifestation, KDE 2.1. Numerous bug fixes have
been incorporated into the product, and many enhancements have been
made. Furthermore, the product also includes several new and
redesigned programs, including Kate, a text editor.
We tested version KDE version 2.2, and also the KDE 2.2.1
update. We obtained binary RPMs for KDE 2.2 via FTP for our Red Hat
7.1 system; the total distribution was composed of almost 130 files
totaling 180MB. The 2.2.1 update--which essentially improves
documentation, translations and performance--consisted of 24 files
totaling an additional 55MB. During installation we encountered
some dependency conflicts, but most were unrelated to KDE and easy
to resolve. Even though the distribution size is somewhat large,
administrators can still automate the process of installing or
updating KDE automatically on networked Linux workstations; a few
shell scripts--for downloading the binaries and installing them on
remote computers--is all that's needed.
The desktop environment of KDE 2.2.1 looks almost identical to
previous versions. Managers of Windows systems seeking to make a
transition from the Microsoft platform to Linux should find the KDE
environment quite accommodating for Windows users. The KDE taskbar
includes an applications menu similar to Windows' Start menu; also,
like Windows, KDE includes a comprehensive Control Panel with which
nearly all desktop environment settings can be adjusted."
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