On Thursday 12 February 2004 16:57, Ben Francis wrote:
KDE is customized to look very much like that Redmond based Operating System with a start menu called the "launch" menu. If you choose the relevent theming, some effort has gone into making a Windows user feel at home. For example, Konquerer is made to look very much like Explorer right down the exact colour of gradient on the left hand side and My Music and My Pictures folders.
Thank's for the replies I was just checking really.
As to Xandros and the MS look and feel, how do the group feel about this. I for one think it is not the way forward.
1. In my opinion the user interface in MS Windows (particularly more recent versions) is quite broken, the only reason people fine it useable is that it is reasonably familiar. The trouble is that familiarity is not reason enough to emulate. What next a: c: and d: in Linux ?
2. By emulating the MS look and feel and being free, Linux ends up looking like a cheap Windows Clone. Madness I know but I have heard this from people when first exposed to Linux.
3. Just because they have the biggest market share, does not mean that MS have designed the optimum user interface. I can't think of anything worse than comming home from swearing at Windows machines all day to be faced with something that looks and works exactly the same.
4. No matter how hard you try you are never going to be able to completely emulate the Windows experience (Jokes about BSOD screensavers to be pasted in here) There will always be something that is different, because the underlying technology is quite different. If you can't make it "exactly" the same why not concentrate on making it better ?
Does it sound a bit like I have got it in for Xandros today, honestly I haven't, This applies to more distro's than just Xandros.