KDE or GNOME - Page 2
Forum Linux/Free BSD : Linux/Free BSD General Discussion - KDE or GNOME
http://cloaked.50megs.com/images/desktopshot2.jpg <--my screenie from my other gentoo install (running no x now, so thats not very interesting 
)
if you are looking to make your desktop look better, a couple of window managers you can check out (in addition to kde, gnome) fluxbox (what im using) openbox, blackbox, enlightenment, window maker, tvwm, icewm, fwm, from the top of my head. if you install the gnome and/or kde (qt) libs, you can run any kde or gnome application, even if you are using a different windows manager.
apps to use
firefox -browser
xmms -media
xine or mplayer -video
openoffice -office
there are many choices for any task you could think of
kernel compiles
the kernel is the part of the os that directly interfaces with the hardware, and controls input and output to your computer, processing requests made by applications. the linux kernel is open source, so it can be compiled by anyone who wants. this is good because you can make a very small kernel for your system, that only includes support for devices you have, so unlike the nt kernel, you wont have extra code sitting in there that is not being used, and is slowing things down. compiling the 2.6.4 kernel took under 10 minutes on my p4/2ghz, so no, it is definatly not as long a process as your friend claims.
the reason gentoo installs take so long is becuase everything is compiled from the source code. this will result in _slightly_ faster performance as they can be optomized to your hardware, so for large packages such as xfree86 or kde, it will probably not be worth it. in that case, you install binaries of the program, which are pretty much precompiled packages.
xfree86 is an x server. it provides a graphical environment for your linux box, similar to the kernel controls your main hardware, x is part of the interfaces to gui devices, such as your mouse and video card. the window manager is what actually controlls the look of your desktop, it draws all the menus and windows you see.
the slackware install is not that hard, you will probably have the most trouble on figuring out which packages to install as you will not know what most of them are, but when you finish and boot for the first time, you will be greeted with a command prompt, and will have to set up everything by hand, which can be very hard for a beginner. that is why something like mandrake or fedora will be much better for a beginner. trust me, you will still have plenty to figure out from there. i had the same attitude as you when i started, but i did decided to try mandrake and it was a good way to get an intro. if you do do slackware on the first try (!) you will have to understand no one on irc on linux forums will want to help you with your forgivably noobish problems.
Sort of, but once you figure out how it works it's pretty simple. Of course I just had gentoo do most of it for me:
emerge gdesklets-core
then I downloaded the sensors and displays I wanted, installed the sensors
./InstallSensor
in each directory, and started them up 
s signature has been formatted to fit your scr
Yep 
<-- loves gentoo
s signature has been formatted to fit your scr
Please mind
You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.
