KDE4 fork mumbo-jumbo

I just keep stumbling into this online. Why is it so maddening people?

If you don't like KDE4 (in any of its iterations), don't use it. KDE3 is still around.

What's all the fuss??

KDE4 vs. Gnome: where the passion is

OK, so I'm not here to judge anyone, or bash anyone. I just speak my mind. And this is what I think:

First, please let me announce that I'm currently a Gnome user. I so say at the beginning, so everyone would know where I come from. Now, it's been awhile since I read first about the upcoming release of KDE4. I've read and followed the process since it was announced to the public.

About the same time, I started digging into the state of Gnome and KDE in sort of a comparative fashion, and I found the one thing and one thing only - the passion has long been lost in Gnome, and in fact in KDE as well.

Then I rechecked myself, on what should I use. I compared visual and resource-taking aspects of both KDE and GNOME at the time(say, about a 1.5 years ago), and have decided to stick with Gnome.
Here are my reasons:

• I like the simplistic approach of Gnome. Everything is simple, and not more complicated that it needs to be
  
• Customizations are not that important to me. I prefer usability over eye-candy. It is not to say that I don't like pretty interfaces. I do. I just like it both pretty and useful
  
• I'm so used to the interface and familiar with the inner workings (like where is everything), that I don't really see major improvements in moving to KDE.
  

Why would I say then that passion is gone? I suspect that this is due the following possible factors:

• I'm older now, so compiling KDE2 from sources is not that "passionate" for me anymore (quite a strong argument by the way)
  
• I'm so used in all sorts of environments (including Windows for their plethora, Mac, Unix and Linux), that it is very hard to "surprise" me with anything. Hence, no surprises, no passion.
  
• I'm dreaming of so totally different approach, that I don't even see it for myself (except maybe something along the lines of "Avalon" movie or Star Trek series would catch my attention.
  
• I have a decent graphics hardware today, but no matter what environment I'm in (except e17 and console), all the GUI kinda suck. Yes, I know that is expected when using sucky graphics card on 1680x1050 resolution, but I would not want it to be slow. I have a Mac Mini with worse graphics engine, and it shines in matters of performance. Why is it so? I have no idea.
  

So why do I care about the passion? It is because I am a power user, who like to tweak things, but not every second. I would like the environment to be cool, to ignite my passion to use, contribute and distribute the product.

I've done that for ears with KDE 1 about 10 years ago. Then I compiled KDE 2 from sources and it was cool in a geeky way. Then it started to hog my computer. Then I switched to Gnome and was very happy, and especially when it was shown as a "geek" tool in "Antitrust" movie. So I told everyone I know to use Gnome.

But now I'm not sure. Yes, I'm still using Gnome, and probably will keep doing so for seemingly long future. But I feel more passion with KDE these days.

Why is that so? Well, for a few reasons. First, developers in KDE team did not afraid to break everything. Well, I mean they do afraid, but it doesn't stop them to start reworking things they believe need to be reworked. Then, they change things. They switch things that work but not maintained to things that may not work that well yet, or not have all the features, but have better design and important thing - a maintainer team. Second, they actually hear to their community (that might be arguable, but the. Third, there's a bunch of technologies in KDE that Gnome has long forgotten and abandoned the process to build.

In Gnome, on the other hand, the passion is in fights all over the web. It is much more than I hear from KDE (it is not to say there is less fighting in KDE team, just that I hear less about it). And one more thing - the Topaz project (aka Gnome Three Point Zero) has been going for so long, that I don't really believe it will get started anywhen soon.

So while I will keep using a Gnome for now, I'll keep my eyes on KDE4. While I'm not sure its choices are better than Gnome ones, it definitely seems as a cool kid on the block for now.