I've been playing recently with the live versions of Mandriva 2008 Spring and Kubuntu Hardy Heron.

For what it's worth, I've written a page describing the pros and cons, how the live versions compare, and how to do the basics with each.
If you're interested the page is here: http://geocities.com/firsttimelinux/live_d...ubuntu2008.html


[moved from Other Distributions by spinynorman]

Fair review. Personally, I wonder how much it will take to fix Adept- or bin it for good. Actually all Kubuntu users I know are using Synaptic instead.

Hi,

I suppose the difference in boot & shutdown is because Kubuntu uses the new -sort of 'experimental' UpStart:

http://upstart.ubuntu.com/

Nice review neddie

I've usually found Kubuntu to be far less polished than Ubuntu.

Hey me too! The fact that the Gnome version is always better than KDE is one of the reasons I keep going back to OpenSUSE.

Kubuntu's KDE implementation, at least the times that I tried it, is pretty crappy IMhO.

I have to agree that Kubuntu is not so nice/polished as Ubuntu, but I'm a Gnome user

Nevertheless, if you want to use KDE on Ubuntu, it's way more better to do a server install (minimal installment) and install KDE core, xorg, KDM and customize/add what you like. Then you'll properly get a KDE that you like.

I used to be a KDE user, then I switched to Gnome and whilst at first I didn't like it, now I know I wouldn't go back to KDE.

I am a former KDE3 user (now using XFCE4 almost exclusively, till KDE4 is mature), and while the default Kubuntu looks and layout is far from stellar, this is no biggie (KDE is way more customizable by simple means compared to Gnome, where most radical changes are hidden and cryptic). It's quite stable too, but Adept really sucks... IMHO it's the major obstacle for Kubuntu being regarded as a major KDE distro.
After all, Texstar (in PCLOS) is using Synaptic for managing an RPM/KDE distro since ages, with remarkable success.
Adept may be the indicated solution for proper KDE integration, but its devs do not seem able to put all the nuts and bolts firmly at place...

Hi Neddie, good review!

Of course all the Ubuntu fans (astroturfers?) will shout you should have compared to Ubuntu...

Now to get your review linked at OSnews, distrowatch (just mail the guy, he'll link to it), linuxtoday, desktoplinux and the holy grail: slashdot... good luck!

After using Ubuntu for two days, I found Ubuntu a bit annoying compared to Mandriva (sorry, Ubuntu users). It's more like using Mac - everything works but all bolts and nuts are hidden away, are strictly guarded and controlled. To Ubuntu's credit, for the first time in years, I was able to connect to VPN server at work from a linux machine (never had any luck with mandriva). On the other hand, perhaps I would prefer Mac to Ubuntu. But in the Mac vs Mandriva competition, Mandriva was a winner for me.