KDE 4.6.1 & Windows 7 Desktops

It is not really fair to compare the two desktops in the same way as the MS desktop is embedded into the OS, where as KDE runs as a program on top of the OS. But then saying that the end user only can see a functional desktop whichever they use. For years the basic desktop has run the same, a background with icons and a task bar. This has not really changed. KDE did start the KDE 4 project without a task bar, which could be broken down into many parts and placed on the screen anywhere. I don't believe this was to successful as the default desktop starts with a task bar again. Here is a quick run through the desktop and how similar they are becoming.

I have used the same wallpaper on these shots just so it makes it easier to see the differences. Both desktops have Gadgets/Plasmoids, both have similar icons and both have a task bar with the new look white icons in the system tray (see below).

One small difference I can tell you about is that MS defaults with a single desktop in which you can run multiple programs. On a KDE desktop it will run multiple desktops in which multiple programs can be run in each. Then it also has the ability to run multiple environments in the same login at the same time, which will also run multiple desktops etc.

Here are a few screen shots of both Windows 7 and KDE 4.6 running with the same programs on the screen.

Both desktops support all the fancy effects you come to expect from a modern system and at the end of the day it is down to the user which they prefer. This is slightly biased by larger companies only writing software for Windows and not always supporting other OS's such as Linux.

Colin H