People Behind KDE: Back With Matthias Ettrich

The People Behind KDE series is back from a long vacation thanks to overwhelming popular demand. In this first interview, KDE's ever so charming Tink gets back with Matthias Ettrich to see what has changed since the previous interview now more than three years ago.

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Comments

by Anonymous (not verified)

Is Konqui now going to repeat his interview with Tink too? :-)

by David (not verified)

Nice web site, and I like the graphics!

by Kraig (not verified)

Yes the web site is clean and professional looking. The only grip i have is he kept calling Linux gnu/linux. Its a minor annoyance. You could easily say kde/linux but luckly KDE is not so arrogant as to want its name in front of Linux. Xfree86/Linux could also be a new name. With out the X server there would be no desktop. How about we just call it Linux its clean and marketable and straight forward.

by Anonymous (not verified)

I like the "GUN/Linux" typo, perhaps such one was forcing him to write "GNU/Linux"? :-)

by AC (not verified)

No, GUN/Linux is Eric S Raymond's distribution.

by David (not verified)

GUN/Linux. That's great!

by Thomas (not verified)

LOL

by Z (not verified)

GNU/Linux isn't just a desktop operating system.
Not all Linux boxen have X11, let alone XFree86 or KDE.
I'll put money down that there are *no* Linux installations without any GNU tools.

by Roberto Alsina (not verified)

There are literally millions of them.

For example, any embedded Linux installation is going to have _at most_ glibc, and probably will use ulibc instead. It surely won't have any GNU utils, because they are too big, using Busybox instead.

by Kraig (not verified)

Being that KDE is the topic i think its reasonable to assume that we are talking about a Linux desktop system or sytems. I'm not sure that it would make a huge difference though. If we called a non-linux desktop system GNU/Linux by the same reasoning should we not refer to a Linux desktop system as KDE/Xfree86/GNU/Mozilla/OpenOffice/Linux? To include one important companent of the complete system and excluding the others is just unjustifiable. GNU programs are a important part of the desktop linux system but so are all the other critical components. I think the GNU title thing has less to do about code however and more to do with a certain someones ego.

by mark dufour (not verified)

you mean the person who created gcc, gdb, emacs, lex/yacc, and let's not forget the gpl license, which is not in the least part why linux is such a success story instead of, say bsd? as for your other 'critical components', aren't these usually compiled using gcc, debugged with gdb, edited in large part with emacs and don't they often carry the (l)gpl license? just think about it.

by Kraig (not verified)

How do you know the developer used gdb for debugging and edited with emacs? I think Kdevelop has become a major developer tool maybe we should change the name of Linux to kdevelop/KDE So what even if they did GNU has contributed some essential programs i'm not saying anything different. KDE is equally essential and no not all programs are gpl take Xfree86 an essential part of my desktop. Pointing out that GNU has contributrd some good programs and code does not elivate it to the point that it justifys a name change for Linux.

by Just Passing By (not verified)

Don't feed the troll.

This guys is a known troll. He has been laughed out of the Mandrake community. Everywhere he goes he is spiteful.

If you do not appreciate that the GNU is at the very core of free software, don't use free software.

Get a Mac, go back to Windows or your latest hobby, spouting about Lindows and polluting every other forum with your claims about it. Not because there is anything wrong with Lindows, just that you talk about it even when it's out of topic.

So either stop hating or leave. No one will miss you. Bye....Bye..

by Kraig (not verified)

Ok your being the troll and i've been using open source and linux for years and no i won't go use somthing else because i refuse to refer to linux as GNU/Linux just to please a guy with a ego problem. Just because it hurts his feelings everytime someone refers to Linus as the guy that started it all does not mean we change the name. Thank you for writing the gpl now get over yourself. I stopped using the mandrake system becuase i wanted a pure KDE deskop with out gnomes and the gtk config. Thanks my preference.

by David (not verified)

Yer well you calol it GNU/Linux then. Don't bitch when others call it Linux. That doesn't mean that people do not respect the GNU tools, or X, or anything else. It is just impossible to put everything in the god damn title.

by Debian User (not verified)

Hello,

so you are nobody and know better how to call GNU/Linux that one of the leading KDE/QT developers?

Next time when you compile KDE, if you can, think about why one this mysterious messages calls something "gcc", only for a starter. Could it be that without GNU you could not create Linux or KDE?

Yours, Kay

by Kraig (not verified)

So what? There are hundreds of libs and a very large amount is NOT gnu. GNU is a part of Linux but is not Linux. KDE, xfree86, mozilla and open office are just as critical to my desktop Linux box as the GNU components. Lets drop all the GNU silliness and just call Linux Linux. The general public has heard of Linux but knows nothing of GNU. Adding GNU in front of Linux is just to appease a small vocal part of the community is an insult to all the Open source nonGNU developers. I'm thankful for ALL parts of the community for one part to be so selfish and arrogant to demand that Linux change its name to recognise its contributions is just ridiculous. Thank you GNu but also thank you KDE, Xfree86, Mozilla, Open Office and all the other very important Open Source projects.

by Debian User (not verified)

Hi,

first reason is technical. How to you call Debian, a Linux? Even if it has all in it, except the Linux kernel? Debian GNU/KFreeBSD e.g. is absolutely free of Linux, but has the same software available.

second is that GNU is very old and has an altruistic track record that we can be proud of. It has a philosophy behind it and enabled much software.

Yours, Kay

by Kraig (not verified)

Then its freeBSd whats your point? We are talking about Linux and the age of GNU is important and so is there track record and so is all the other projects that have contributed to the open source community but they are no more important than KDE or Xfree86 for desktop Linux. When it comes down to it its about a certain persons ego and thats just unfortuate.

by Debian User (not verified)

Hi,

no, it's not FreeBSD, because that is a (very) different system and not a GNU system at all. GNU/KFreeBSD refers to GNU systems with the FreeBSD kernel. It is Debian building such systems.

It behaves like what you call "Linux" and what others call "GNU/Linux." Why? Because the GNU part is common.

True, FreeBSD is not a GNU. But Linux neither need not be GNU at all. Look at e.g. the many systems now based on the Linux kernel, with a completely different userland system than GNU.

You are technically incorrect to call something "Linux" just because it is GNU or just because it contains the Linux kernel.

Is that so hard to understand? This is nothing about ego of GNU, it is about identifying what you are talking about.

There are KDE systems which are based on Win32/GNU (cygwin), FreeBSD, Solaris, etc., many platforms, some of which are GNU, some of which are not. But if you think there would be a KDE without GNU, then better use CDE.

Yours, Kay

by Kraig (not verified)

The systems are not GNU they just have GNU componetnts in them. If a system has KDE installed does it a KDE/Linux system? Your logic makes not sense. You seem to value the GNU components over the KDE components. Is that the case?

by janne (not verified)

If he wants to call it GNU/Linux, who the hell are you telling him that he shouldn't do it? I for one call Linux just "Linux", but if someone calls it GNU/Linux, I don't get my panties in a bunch. If they start telling me to call it GNU/Linux, I might get annoyed. But then again, that is no way different if someone ordered others to call Linux some certain way (like you are doing just now)

by Kraig (not verified)

"(like you are doing just now)"

Well actually i didn't order anyone to call it anything. I just mentioned that it was annoying and why. Call it what you like I just don't like the Policical Correctness of the whole thing. Why should the GNU community be placed over the rest of the open source community including the vast KDE community? I have seen no logical reason why. Lame arguements like GNU has essential tools just don't cut it. As if KDE and X are not essential to my Desktop system.

by David (not verified)

How the hell did this turn from my comments on the nice website to a flamefest on GNU/Linux??!!!

by Aaron J. Seigo (not verified)

welcome to the web ...... crazy, ain't it? =)

by superstoned (not verified)

indeed...

but I do wonder what desktop he is using now (kraig, I mean) - which is fully KDE, no gnome/gtk 'shit'...

me is using mdk too, but I dont like all the mdk-only tools they have (like their menu editor, which blew my menu's a few times) - and indeed, they're gtk, which is silly for an KDE based distro.

by Kraig (not verified)

I'm using Lindows because i like KDE and they support KDE without gnome taking up space. They still have good gtk apps like gimp but not gnome.

by Alex (not verified)

I also hope Qt 4 will be great and maybe provide better integration with KDE.

by quarus (not verified)

I liked this pun :-) :

"Combined with the new freedesktop X-server we will be very well equipped to take any bull by its horns, no matter how long those might be."

by cm (not verified)

> - Which T.V. show world would you fit right into?
> World Idol. I can't sing, I can't dance and I'm German.
> I'm sure the judges would have enjoyed making nasty comments about me.

*LOL*

by steve (not verified)

Is there any info on what the major changes will
be for QT4, and what quarter we might expect it?

Is there any chance it will provide a C++ language
based alternative to SIGNAL/SLOT?

by Anonymous (not verified)

> Is there any info on what the major changes will be for QT4

http://dot.kde.org/1061880936/

> and what quarter we might expect it?

When it's ready.

> Is there any chance it will provide a C++ language based alternative to SIGNAL/SLOT?

No.

by Kevin Krammer (not verified)

> Is there any chance it will provide a C++ language based alternative to SIGNAL/SLOT?

Signal/Slots is C++ language based no other language requried.

Cheers,
Kevin

by Rayiner Hashem (not verified)

I don't know if that's a reference to Longhorn, but it would be entertaining if it was :)

by Gerd (not verified)

"Longhorn" is a phallus symbol.

Like in win XP x stands for sex. That's often used in Marketing and some Merkating ghuys believe inhtis technique.

by Thomas (not verified)

If you're right, MS marketing guys are strange and sad people. What makes the situation worse is their obvious success...

by Gerd (not verified)

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,4248,1332766,00.asp

Saturday, October 11, 2003
It's Official: No Longhorn Until 2006
By Mary Jo Foley
Microsoft execs at last have admitted publicly, at last, that Longhorn will not ship in 2005. Does it matter?

--->> So I guess Longhorn will have to compete with KDE 4!

by Datschge (not verified)

I think it might be a good idea to give some additional information to the possibly clueless readers. ;)

Julian Seward is the primary author of Valgrind (valgrind.kde.org) for which he received the Open Source Award in January and did an insightful interview at http://builder.com.com/5100-6375-5136747.html

by me (not verified)

Konqui the dragon once was a nice idea, but thats long ago. Today, it really breaks KDEs nicely polished UI whenever it shows up (for me, fortunately, only with the logout-screen). When you look at KDE-Desktops (i.e. at kde-look), most of them have blue colors. Just like the KDE website. Or the dot. But this helplessly-looking, disoriented dragon is red-green.

Whats the connection between KDE and Konqui? Gnome has its foot, which looks ok and KDE has the gears. They are great and symbolize precision and speed.

I have a question to anyone who has yet been at LinuxTag, LinuxExpo etc: Have people asked you about the dragon? What did you tell them? Where is Konqui from?

I know, this discussion comes up once in a while. But I won't rest before Konqui is moved to Attic/ :)

by Datschge (not verified)

Konqui is KDE's mascot. I guess you don't have any love for mascots anymore and would like to see the ones by Linux, FreeBSD etc. go as well?

by anon (not verified)

Wasn't konqui only introduced with KDE 2.0? I think it's fine, but perhaps the more long standing gears can replace it in things like the logout dialog and drkonqui (:))

by a.c. (not verified)

You know MS still has the flying window, and Apple has....
These are not just Mascot, but identify the item. I suspect that in time, konqi will be similar to Tux and the daemon.

by Dan Leinir Turt... (not verified)

I do so love that dragon, though I also agree with the above mentions that it looks out of place... And as to the argument that it's what defines KDE as a corporate id thing, I think you'll find the gears to that ;)

by Robert (not verified)

I think the dragon is cool.

by LMCBoy (not verified)

I would also like to express my fondness for the KDE mascot.

Thank you.

by Thomas (not verified)

me too. I don't give a ... if it looks not corporate enough or whatever. Still think, it could be solved by adding a "corporate-looking replacement" for konqui to the kpersonalizer wizard.

Do you want
o a nice dragon-supported logout dialog, or
o ditch konqui in favor of stupid corporate-desktop-looking-graphics in your logout-dialog

well, it's not impossible

by LMCBoy (not verified)

No need for that, really. It's easy enough to change the logout screen, so the corporate sysadmin can and should do so.

by Darkelve (not verified)

So how do I do it? I can't find it in KDE Control Centre anywhere.

I've got an aversion for too much branding on my desktop. I love SuSe as a distro, but the 'SuSe K-menu icon' is the first thing that has to go, as well as the window decoration (I don't want to have a lizard show up in every window I open!).

I agree, add something to Kpersonalizer or better yet, the K Control Center. And while I don't hold a personal grudge against the dragon, I would like to replace it as well. It kind of spoils my otherwise exactly-to-my-liking KDE desktop.

by Judd Baileys (not verified)

It might sound stupid, but I've never really understood the idea of having gears as the KDE Icon! I'm guessing it means that everything works together.
Just a side thought......ever wondered how a stuffed toy that looks like a cog would sell as a KDE mascot? Long Live Konqui :)

by Gerd (not verified)

Ich like the dragon. I would like to see more Konqui promotion, not less. It is a wonderful representative of KDE. Let's use him quite more often.