[xubuntu-users] Now this I disagree with

[Peter Flynn]

On 06/19/2014 12:38 AM, Steve Litt wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 15:39:35 -0500
> "c. marlow" <chris at marlows.org> wrote:
>> Don't mix desktop environments: choose Ubuntu (Gnome/Unity),
>> Xubuntu (Xfce) or Kubuntu (KDE) 6. An Ubuntu in which both the
>> full Unity/Gnome and the full KDE desktop environments has been
>> installed, turns your system into a hopelessly polluted mess. This
>> pollution will decrease performance and may cause instability and
>> malfunctions.
 >
>  From my perspective, the guy who said not to mix KDE and Unity was
> right, but not for the reasons he thinks.

Both arguments strike me as coming from a philosophical point of view 
(mustn't pollute XYZ system's cleanliness). Both are wrong to some extent.

I mix libraries because I *need* to. There are certain programs I need 
to use because Xubuntu is my production platform. I personally don't 
give a tinker's spit whether they come from the KDE camp, the Unity 
camp, or somewhere else. If I need that application, I need that 
application and a substitute will not do.

So in effect I should be suffering...but I'm not. It's all as stable as 
can be expected (modulo the odd timing problem causing a window manager 
crash because I'm actually using Enlightenment, but it recovers 
perfectly and hasn't dropped a bit so far).

But then I pick my applications very carefully, and test them on a 
sacrificial machine before I come to rely on them. I'm not bothered by 
the oddity of the interface differences, really. But I use Ubuntu for 
work, not recreation, so my requirements are different.

Maybe my machines are hopelessly polluted mess, but they work just fine, 
and so far I haven't had any serious problems.

That said, sure there are some crass stupidities:

1. File>Open dialogs that either scroll sideways or vertically depending 
on the libraries, and in both cases IGNORE my default setting of 
single-click to select. This is what happens when you allow programmers 
to play around with the UI without proper supervision, alas. Not a big deal.

2. Print functions which lock up (CUPS timing problems) and require a 
complete reboot (not a library problem, just stupid manufacturers who 
won't open their drivers).

3. Video (webcam and DVD movies) which plainly do not work at all under 
any form of Linux whatsoever, on any platform. (I'll be in the market 
for a new machine soon, so I am offering a pint to anyone who can 
recommend a webcam that is GUARANTEED to work out of the box with 
Xubuntu/Enlightenment in Flash and similar web chat environments, Skype, 
and SIP clients.)

///Peter