Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

[Guest]

I have been with the system for some 5 months and struggle to do anything on my own except email and surf the net - so used to Microsoft Windows Vista at workplace that I am not sure I have made the right move to use this software etc. at home, despite supporting the philosophy of free and open software. Should I continue the struggle? how long do others new to Linux OS and Kubuntu take to become familiar with its many functions and applications? I can take ages to locate features, it at all and its v time-consuming. Sorry to be so negative - must be our English weather today which is cold and wet, v wet!
Brocsockate

[drumkitcat]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

Linux is a different mindset than Windows - and there are similar programs available for anything you'd find in Windows as well. The trick is that they called something totally different... so it does take some searching and investigation. When you do find them though, you'll be pleased to see that often times they are more feature-rich than the Windows counterparts.

I use Windows at work, and Linux(Kubuntu9.1 and UbuntuStudio9.1) at home. It does take some time to get used to all the ins and outs of Linux, no question.

I do find that this forum is an outstanding resource - you can ask questions about anything and you'll get answers. There's a lot of very knowledgable and helpful people here and I've found they're always pleasant and quick to help!

stick with it, it's worth the learning curve.

Best of the holidays to ya!
Paul

[Telengard]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

It is completely up to you whether you want to stick with Kubuntu or not. Of course you are free to try any other Linux distro which may, or may not, be easier for you to learn. It goes without saying that most of us would like to see more people adopt Gnu/Linux desktop systems and join us in learning how to get the most from them.

If you find yourself so lost that you can no longer be productive on your computer, then maybe it would be best for you to go back to Windows. Obviously no one here would like to see you go back to Windows, the #1 target of virus and spyware mongers and one of the most expensive systems to maintain for home users. IMHO though, your computer is about your data and what you want to do with it. In the event that do you choose to return to Windows, please keep your system fully patched and maintain up-to-date anti-virus/spyware.

Before you give up on Kubuntu though, please spend some time reading the documentation you've already been given. It will surely help fill in some of the knowledge gaps you may be struggling around.

[sithlord48]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

I have been with the system for some 5 months and struggle to do anything on my own except email and surf the net - so used to Microsoft Windows Vista at workplace that I am not sure I have made the right move to use this software etc. at home, despite supporting the philosophy of free and open software. Should I continue the struggle? how long do others new to Linux OS and Kubuntu take to become familiar with its many functions and applications? I can take ages to locate features, it at all and its v time-consuming. Sorry to be so negative - must be our English weather today which is cold and wet, v wet!
Brocsockate

first off i am very sorry to hear you have to use windows @ work, and vista of all versions...also welcome to kubuntu and the forum. getting used to the way that kubuntu (gnu/linux w/kde4) operates, is not all to hard depending on what your trying to get out of it..

the time it takes can vary greatly, depending on your previous computer knowledge , and the task(s) you wish to preform. in general i would say that most new users take around a month or two to get used to the desktop environment and feel completely happy using it as well as the programs that you want to use. although it can take longer(again depending on what your trying to do). just remember when you feel overwhelmed. that you can read the documentation or even here on the forum ask your questions , some posts get very fast responces.. now if you decide to stick it out you will in no time realize that its not that hard as you remember when you first started.

[Qqmike]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

I love reading these posts (the OP's). What an irony.
If you really set up and learn Windows correctly, and set it up for protection, privacy cleaning, and for managing and tweaking (e.g., learn the registry and the many often cryptic kb articles), learning Windows is one heck of a daunting challenge (be it XP, Vista, or 7). At least, with its issues and challenges, Linux/Kubuntu makes things understandable and transparent so you CAN manage it. As for "support," there's no comparison (guess who wins?). This is hardly worth taking the time to post about, but I'm giving Brocsockate the benefit of the doubt and assuming he is sincere in his quandary and I'm wanting to welcome him to the forum and I don't care to apologize for my elitist attitude this morning.

[sithlord48]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

I love reading these posts (the OP's). What an irony.
If you really set up and learn Windows correctly, and set it up for protection, privacy cleaning, and for managing and tweaking (e.g., learn the registry and the many often cryptic kb articles), learning Windows is one heck of a daunting challenge (be it XP, Vista, or 7).....

not to start a rant myself..but although what you said is completely true the sad part is that most windows users don't know how to use windows it self. alot of them are just in it to use the for what ever social network(s) there on..

I don't care to apologize for my elitist attitude this morning.

i try very hard to leave mine at the door.. someday's i do a bad job.

[verndog]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

I have been with the system for some 5 months and struggle to do anything on my own except email and surf the net - so used to Microsoft Windows Vista at workplace that I am not sure I have made the right move ...

Stay with it. It just takes time. Find a good book on Linux in general and Kubuntu/Ubuntu specific. Everyday try something new. Experiment. Something gain, nothing lost.

There is a learning curve as with any new task. Just try not to compare between Windows and Linux.

Usually Windows users have everything handed to them on a "platter". They buy a computer with everything(most) already installed. The problem is most sites assume everyone is using Windows and or a Mac.

I have found work around for my financial web page. I was told in no uncertain terms that Linux could not be used. I found a solution myself without using Wine.

[toad]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

Nobody's mentioned the possibility of trying another desktop environment yet or if they have I missed it - sorry!

But I'd suggest you give gnome a shot. I fully appreciate that KDE is not to everybody's taste. Some people think its ugly, others think it too complicated and convoluted and yet others may think that it is ugly AND convoluted. Does matter? Nope

All you have to do is

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

During install you will get asked whether you prefer kdm or gdm - chose the latter for a native gnome experience and next time you log in chose a gnome session. Getting there couldn't be easier, what you make of it is your own business

EDIT:
changed command

[Snowhog]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

It is also possible, with the OP, that working/learning to use Kubuntu is being tainted by the continued use of Windoze. It is easy for many (most?) who use Windoze daily, and then venture into Linux, to carry into the Linux adventure, expectations on how this new OS should work based on their understanding/experience/knowledge of Windoze. This single thing is probably the biggest impediment to a successful Linux experience out there.

Also, I didn't see where the OP stated which version of Kubuntu they are using, nor anything about their hardware. Two VERY important pieces of information. Additionally, the OP has made no specific statements as to what issues are being experienced. In fact, no additional posts (here) other than the initial post.

[doctordruidphd]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

First of all, to the Original Poster (that's what OP means...), welcome. When I started using Linux, I found that I soured on Windows very quickly, partly because I found it much easier to do the things I wanted to do on Linux.

Linux works differently than Windows, and within Linux, different distributions work differently from each other. The most obvious part of the distribution for the new user is the desktop environment; in Kubuntu (as well as OpenSUSE, Sidux, and others) that is KDE. Another popular environment is Gnome, which is what Ubuntu is set up for by default. My opinion is that KDE, out of the box, looks a little more like Windows, while Gnome looks a little more like the Mac used to. As such, Gnome may be easier to learn for the new user.

You have a choice. You can have both KDE and Gnome on the same system, using the same data files. As an earlier post mentioned, you need only install gnome-desktop (or Ubuntu-desktop, if you want all the Ubuntu goodies). Then, when you reboot the system, in the login screen you can choose a "session type", and then choose whichever desktop you want.

There are a couple of books you might find helpful, but they are specifically for the Gnome desktop. There are, unfortunately, no equivalent KDE based books for beginners. "Beginning Ubuntu Linux", by Keir Thomas, published by Apress, is a very good introduction to Linux, and will ease the pain of learning the new system considerably, although, as I said, it is specifically for Gnome. You might want to set up Gnome while you are learning the system, and then move on to KDE when you have the basics down. Another book by the same author, with the same limitation, can be found, and downloaded free, here:

http://www.ubuntupocketguide.com/index_main.html

My opinion is that it is very important to get a basic grasp of how Linux systems work, if you are going to use it, and the best way to do that is by reading a guide like one of these, while trying the things it suggests on your system. And don't be afraid to ask for help on user formus like this one; that's what they are here for.

[askrieger]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

Personally, I started with Gnome (about 10? years ago). I thought it was ugly and complicated. Someone told me that KDE was "more like windows", so I downloaded it, and found that it was cleaner and less complicated. To my mind, it still is, but you may find GNOME easier. A number of configuration decisions that you have to make in KDE are made for you in Gnome. This makes it "easier", IF YOU LIKE THE CHOICES THE DEVELOPERS MADE. If you don't, it's harder to change things in GNOME.

My only other advice is to remember that you didn't become a windoze veteran in a week (or even a year). Stick with Linux, in the long run it will save you a lot of grief.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

Brocsockate,
You shouldn't expect to become as proficient in an OS/Desktop that you've been using PART-TIME for ONLY 5 months, while comparing it to an OS/Desktop that you've been using FULL-TIME for as long as, and I'm guessing here, 15 years.

The KDE4 desktop works with a mouse the same way that XP, VISTA and Win7 work with a mouse. Point and click. If you don't like a single click it can be changed to a double click, as can most any other setting. You are very comfortable with Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer, with Office and its components, perhaps. You know exactly where to find them in the menu tree if you don't have their icon on the desktop of panel. Dolphin and FireFox (or Konqueror, if you prefer it) are under K-->System and K-->Internet, respectively. Your biggest problem is probably learning how to adjust the KDE4 desktop and how to do those things with FireFox, OpenOffice, etc., that you have been doing naturally with their Windows counterparts for many years. Here is a Kubuntu Karmic Documentation/How To website which should help you considerably. http://kubuntuguide.org/Karmic

And then, there is this forum which, for the first time, you've asked for help after courageously trying for 5 months.

Stick in there, you'll pick it up! My best friends are nearly ten years older than me, they have much more advanced cases of "sometimers" than my old 68 year old brain has, and they have reached Linux Nirvana. So can you!

[Ole Juul]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

Wow, what a lot of good advise offered above!

I didn't come from the Windows world, but it still took me a few years to get comfortable with Linux. One thing that was probably the most helpful, was trying different distributions. They are all very similar, but it's funny how the different look and feel can make you feel at home - or not. You can play with different ones on their live CDs these days, so it's actually pretty easy. Everybody, of course, has their favourites. I would try Linux Mint and Vectro Linux just to see a different, but completely compatible, approach. Mint is based on Ubuntu so it's the same underneath. Vector is based on Slackware so it is a bit different underneath, but is very similar to MS-Windows in look and feel. After trying something different, you'll boot Kubuntu and it'll feel like home. hehe

My situation is (was) a little similar to yours, only I came from DOS. I can't imagine the nightmare of trying to learn such a complicated and idiosyncratic OS as MS-Windows. I've gotten used to Linux, and Kubuntu is just what I consider the best choice at the moment. Funnily enough, I recently started using FreeBSD and to me that is exceptionally intuitive compared to Linux. Personal comfort has a lot to do with personal ideas and past history. That history changes with time. Hang in there!

[The Liquidator]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

Yep, our weather isn't too good at the mo..... ideal weather for learning linux

When I first started out with Linux, it helped me greatly to reflect on how much effort and time it took to get in any way proficient with windows and its applications. Like most people I suspect, I still have not scratched the surface - with either OS.

For a great introduction, download this

http://tuxradar.com/linuxstarterpack

What can be very important at this stage is for you to establish some sort of breakthrough, however minor that may be - it can be frustrating if you feel you are floundering. If you can give an example of something you are trying to do, I'm sure someone here can walk you through it. You might be surprised how easy some things can be after you have had a couple of relevant tips.

Ian

[sithlord48]

Re: Is Linux OS/Kubuntu/KDE desktop too complicated for me??

When I first started out with Linux, it helped me greatly to reflect on how much effort and time it took to get in any way proficient with windows and its applications. Like most people I suspect, I still have not scratched the surface - with either OS.

yes lots of time to get proficient with windows and its apps, years of practice, but i always found mac os ("classic") to be more inviting to new users its gui was done well , prolly why almost every distro's default DE is gnome its very similar to the "classic" version of mac os in look and feel.(as well as other reasons)

You might be surprised how easy some things can be after you have had a couple of relevant tips.

you have got that right!. i remember trying to get seamingly simple things to work back when i first started and with out a good source of help it was almost imposible and very fustrating...