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I am a Linux user since 1999. Plus, I'm an older guy (pushing 60)

I have discovered KDE since I learned that Gnome 3 was about to be rammed down my throat and Gnome 2 was not going to be maintained.

I gave Gnome 3 a genuine test-drive. And I did it with the publicaly released "stable" version, not some bug ridden alpha or beta. I really did check it out. For me, it breaks all known desktop interactions since the Windows 3.1 days. And for what I could figure out, it takes more mouse clicks to get done what I need.

I know some people will love the new interface. More power to them. And I know the developers spent a lot of time and effort on Gnome 3. My hat's off to them. I mean no disrespect to them nor their work. I just don't see a lot of folks like me personally interacting with a desktop that is more like a smartphone than a desktop as we know it. It's why I don't use Ubuntu's unity as well.

This is not about good vs evil, it is not about right nor wrong. Linux is all about choice. Personal choice. I personally choose not to have to learn a totally new desktop paradigm.

In other words, I view my discovery of KDE a good thing, a benefit.

With the abandonment of Gnome 2, and the shocking Gnome 3 paradigm change.....I see this as an opportunity for KDE to take in fellow Gnome refugees such as myself and gain users.

BUT.........There are so many more options, desktop tweaks, and features in KDE that it's daunting.

May I suggest that a KDE veteran (or a group of vets) who have been/are familiar with the Gnome 2 interface, create a wiki. A quick "how to " on moving to KDE?

Something like: "....in Gnome 2 you went to and did this or that. In KDE you can find that setting(s) by going to here and doing this or that ..."

I know that there will not be a tit for tat setting, as I've discovered that KDE is so much more tweakable.....And I felt lost in all the choices presented.

A "Gnome Refugee" wiki/guide would be helpful, and hopefully increase KDE's presence on the Linux desktop. Especially as Gnome 3 makes it into the distro pipeline and Gnome users begin to panic with the breakage of their desktop paradigms.

The KDE documentation is quite extensive, and at the same time intimidating. Terminology changes, program name changes, etc. A "quick" guide would be helpful. I'm talking about a 2-3 page wiki. Not re-writing the whole thing or covering every subject. Just the essentials.

A wiki would give fellow "refugees" a quick way to get back up and productive while we absorb/learn the rest of KDE's functionality.

And by all means, if a reader of this post knows such a guide that already exists...Please accept my apologies for this post, and please point me to it!





Sincerely and Respectfully,


Dave

A nice and visual overview can be found right here:
http://www.kde.org/announcements/4.2/guide.php

While what isadora posted is useful, I think that there still could be a comparison between Gnome2 (and 3) in UserBase. To show which apps are which, and how to set KDE compared to Gnome.
It could be useful for both KDE users trying Gnome out or Gnome users trying KDE out.

More generally, "KDE for Windows Users", "KDE for Mac Users", and "KDE for Gnome Users", articles that relate KDE programs, features, and terminology to programs, features, and terminology people are used to from those desktop environments is a good idea.

I like the idea that GNOME 2 users could easily switch to KDE SC and get in few hours things working mostly as they use to do.

The KDE SC needs some very basic teachings (what I have plan to do now over 4 years..... heh... how time fly) how to customize desktop.

Youtube videos, Wiki sites (kdebase is correct place), blog posts on planetkde and so on.

It actually needs few basic usually used applications conversation tutorials and then basic tweaking guide. Like how to add/remove buttons from toolbar. How to select theme, how to set wallpaper and others similars.

As old GNOME 2 users, they have habits what are hard to learn away. So buttons should be as much as possible at same places.

There is a problem with "KDE veterans familiar with Gnome 2". In order to be something like that, you'd need to use both a lot.

So, those are hard to find.

Maybe you could list your problems when you encounter them, so that those can serve up as a guide for the actual wiki pages?

..

p.s. If we are to add this for Gnome, we should add the others as well (as suggested by theblackcat) so that we don't appear politically incorrect

Though I think this would be very helpful, I might argue that there's an underlying problem with KDE in general... with Windows being the dominant OS, I have seen people have no issue switching to Mac OSX or even Gnome. I've noticed that the few Windows converts I've had have taken a liking to KDE at first, but end up a bit confused with menus and such a week or so in, something that doesn't happen with Gnome or even OSX. So I suppose what I would like to see is a bit more streamlined interface that doesn't require any tutorials, because when you are presented with an environment, it should just come naturally and work. A wiki would be more for advanced features that are currently scattered in with basic ones and can tend to make the KDE experience a bit unnerving. Note that I don't see it necessary to strip features from KDE, just make the basic ones more prominent and advanced ones tucked behind a little bit.

This is a bit off topic, but "something that doesn't happen with Gnome or even OSX" isn't really true, any more than for KDE. I've seen people refusing to use eeepcs with ubuntu because of the gnome2.

Fair point, though I'd see that as more because it's just not Windows in general. I suppose my point is simply that help pages shouldn't necessarily be needed, the layout should be intuitive to anyone just picking it up. Though now that you mention it, this was exactly the case for me going from Windows>Gnome; it was different, but it was easy to pick up on things like what "Applications, Places, and System" meant. Only reason I ended up switching is because KDE is quite a bit nicer looking and has the deeper menus better organized (unlike Compiz settings). So really, I suppose KDE just needs to keep going with the way it's refining menus and layouts to make it just click right off the bat.

we are starting to go off into ui design and usability

maybe another thread?

I would agree, though I don't know how much it would accomplish... I honestly think KDE is on the right track, just slow in getting there But in the meantime, a wiki would most likely be helpful for Gnome/Windows/OSX users.