redhat's new desktop policy

[CiAsA S'Nuey Boark]

On Monday 16 September 2002 05:05 pm, Amir Tal wrote:
This message would probably be better discussed at the kde-cafe mailinglist.

> i am reffering to the fact that they decided to "unite" some parts of the
> gnome and kde desktops, including making code changes in some of the above
> projects, in order to gain sharing of some components in those desktop
> enviroments.
>
> i switched to debian a few weeks ago, so i couldnt care less what RH are
> doing on their future releases, but i do find it kind of offensive that
> they have the nurve (yes, i do believe its nurve) to decide for their users
> what will their desktop look like.

Well obviously you do care, else you wouldn't have fired off this email with 
hasty assumptions.  First off, they are a _distribution_.  Its their job to 
decide how they package their products, and this includes KDE.  The kde team 
provides _sources_ from which anyone can build their own desktop (as long as 
they abide by the governing license).  Practically speaking what redhat did 
was try to make the concept of linux easier on their intended audience, which 
is first-time linux users, or users who just don't give a damn about what 
their desktop looks like, and only use it because of company policy.  Frankly 
red-hat is probably not gonna hear that much complaining from the people that 
buy their distro for desktop use.

> its true that you can always remove the default packages and
> compile\install your own, but why would a user want to go into all that
> truble ?

Correct.  But please explain to me why they would want to go to any trouble at 
all.  If their desktop works the way they want it, then their probably not 
gonna see any reason to change it, whether thats downloading and compiling 
kde from source, or simply changing the icon for the k-menu.

> new users should not have a problem with this new approach, and they may
> even like the new artwork implemented there, but what about old timers,
> that want their desktop set just the way they like it ?

Quite frankly, most people don't use red-hat as a desktop distro, and those 
that do are probably using gnome anyway (due to poor red-hat support for 
kde).  Most of the "old-timers" who are actually looking for a desktop distro 
have probably gone on to other distributions.  And as for the 'power users'  
who want their desktop just the way they want it:  they can have it, just 
like they always have.  Making your desktop look _exactly_ the way you want 
it takes time and patience.  If you choose to use red-hat for your desktop 
distro, then its gonna take all of two or three more minutes more added to 
the total.  Just pick another style, window manager decoration, and icon 
theme.

> in my opinion, this is starting to look like a classic MS scenario, which i
> definetly dont like.
> is this where linux is going from now ?
> doesnt seem so much of a "free choice" now, does it ?

This is way out of line, bordering on flamebait.  Unless you can justify your 
assertion that red-hat has now become a illegal monopoly, and is somehow 
forcing the other distros to use their new layout and themes, then I 
personally wont bother to reply to this statement.

> kde is kde, gnome is gnome, and thats the way its suppose to be.
> you want a new desktop ? a united desktop ? a uniqe desktop ? go ahead, but
> dont *force* users to use it.

Thats your opinion, and your welcome to it.  But keep in mind that the 
decision makers at red-hat also have opinions, and so long as you have a 
right to your own opinion, then you have to acknowledge theirs.

> they could at least let you choose if you WANT it or not (which they dont)

Again, thats way out of line, and obviously incorrect.  Do you seriously think 
that red-hat gives a damn about what you do with your desktop.  Install it 
and tinker with it at will.  No one is gonna show up at your door with a 
baseball bat in hand, demanding you put things back the way they packaged 
them.  Their are trying as best as they see fit to make the desktop as 
comfortable to use as they can geared to their target audience.  If you don't 
like that, then tough.  Go with some other disto and do what you can to make 
sure they don't adopt a similar policy.

The only thing thats even remotely worth discussing is whether or not red-hat 
removed the "About KDE" and "About X-Application" from the help menus, and 
whether or not there are legal implications from doing so.  Frankly im still 
not convinced they they have even done this, but if anyone has thoughts 
otherwise, please let me know.
-- 
Tell the truth or trump--but get the trick.
		-- Mark Twain, "Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar"

Jonathan Nelson [icq=56665957] [aim=ciasaboark]

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