My experience with Kubuntu

I've been experienced for some weeks a crash problems with Eclipse on my Debian installation on my Desktop... I use Debian (and Gentoo) on all my computers (3 desktops and 1 laptop), and this was the only computer showing this problem... unfortunately I haven't been able to solve the problem and so I resorted to reinstall the distribution.

I had tried kubuntu a year ago, and I didn't like it... but I thought I could give it another try, and so, instead of re-installing Debian (I'm using Debian on the other computers after all so I won't miss it), and installed a kubuntu edgy 6.10. Since I definitely don't like Gnome (I never did, and probably never will ;-) while I've always loved the pleasant environment provided by KDE, kubuntu was the only choice, instead of ubuntu.

My first impressions were definitely good: the installation consists of only few steps (although grub by default wants to install itself on the mbr, while I didn't want to touch the mbr, since I'm using Gentoo's installation grub, and it wasn't clear in the beginning how to avoid this) and it's quite smooth.

After the installation I was surprised by the desktop and menus that are quite clean, with only the essential programs; actually I was a little bit disappointed by the lacking of programs I'm used to, such as, e.g., the program for resizing the screen (although there's a similar program in System Settings). Concerning the System Settings program, this seems to replace the standard KDE Control Center, but it lacks some voices such as "themes". You can still call the good ol' KDE Control Center by the terminal, though.

I soon installed the good ol' Synaptic package manager, since I wasn't comfortable with Adept package manager, since it provides too few functionalities and packages (but probably it's more usable for the first time users, so praise for it!). Adept is however very good for update checking and installation. It checks for updates in background and then notifies you if some updates are ready. Installing the updates is also very easy.



What I never liked about (k)ubuntu, and I don't think I ever will, is the fact that you're forced to use sudo, since root shell is disabled... I don't think this enhances security and it's less error prone, but that's just my opinion... In fact, I always use sudo -s that opens a root shell ;-)

Another really great surprise is that, few weeks ago, the adept manager not only notified me about available updates, but also about the update of the whole kubuntu distribution itself!


It offered me to install the update (the new Kubuntu 7.04, codenamed Feisty Fawn), and I didn't refuse :-)


This update takes some time but goes on smoothly


and after the downloading, the installation of the update starts and when it's finished you can simply reboot into your new system!


I then enjoyed my new kubuntu system! I think I'll keep on using kubuntu (of course, together with debian and gentoo :-) since it really looks like a very good distribution (standing on the shoulders of the giants... but it stands very well!)