ZDNet: Linux desktop KDE 2.2.1 rivals Windows

"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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