I use a Linux distro with kde, so I have a lot of customization available. I like trying other distros in VMs, but stuff like windows (no need to copy really kde is similar by default) and Mac is a pain in the ass to use that way. so, I want to know what your os does that you think I should copy using kde’s customization. I’m looking for Mac in particular (bc I haven’t used it before) but any OS or desktop environment is fair game.
A simplified system settings?
I’m an older (in my 50s) macOS and Mint/Cinnamon user but I also know after testing it I would love to use KDE (it’s a great DE) if it was not for its billion of settings one needs to navigate through in order to turn off the many visual effects and whatever I don’t need that are activated by default, and the few things I need to activate that aren’t ;)
Not sure when you last tried KDE, but recently with the update to KDE 6 the settings got reorganised. It’s still not great, but a lot better than it was.
Also, iirc, a lot of the visual effects settings are in one panel, though I can’t remember what it’s called right now.
Minimalism.
kde kinda just comes like that, taskbar and important apps (system stuff, browser, etc.) only. I’ve added some stuff but only things I use or anticipate using.
I meant more like not taking up shit tons of hard drive space, memory, or CPU, not having a billion dependencies, starting instantaneously, low cognitive load, etc.
It was kindof a sarcastic dig at KDE. I deserve downvotes.
KDE Frameworks used to be a single package (I think with KDE 4?) that people complained about because it contained unnecessary features for the software they want to use. They split it into different packages because of that, so software could only depend on the part of Frameworks that it actually used. And now people complain that KDE software has “a billion dependencies”. Unbelievable.
I feel the sentiment though, my daily driver is built off of ubuntu-server headless. I find it’s just the right amount of “has searchable solutions for near everything” and “is properly minimal” to base my workstation off of. I run X11, pulse, awesomewm, firefox, lxterm… fairly standard stuff but without gdm, gnome/kde even installed it’s pretty lightweight. The entire os uses ~780mb of ram (+23gb for firefox tabs lmao). It gets the job done, keeps my skills relevant maintaining the automation that builds it, is dead simple to troubleshoot, and has very few black boxes.
in my experience plasma 6 and gnome (idk what the newest one is but I’ve tried the newest in the last couple days on a couple distros) both boot just as quick and use about the same amount of resources.
this kind of angst is valuable; I had considered looking into KDE until I read your comment and now I’ll pass on it
Uses flatpak
I never really looked into Linux or any alternate OSs before now. This thread is super interesting and a very fun read.
if you ever feel like trying it, Linux is easy to try in a virtual machine or on real hardware (do not install it to your main machine when you first try it except in a vm, which does not change your system). I’d recommend trying fedora workstation and fedora kde because they are decent examples of the best two desktop environments. mint exists as well, but I personally wouldn’t recommend it. btw, there is no “best” distro, just find one that works for you and ignore the tribalism.
download a virtual machine app (I’d recommend virtual box, boxes is great too but iirc its Linux only), download the .iso file (this is the installer) for the distro you want to try from the official website, in your app of choice create a virtual machine and select the file you downloaded. from there you just follow the installer. it may help to look up how to use the app you chose bc VMs can be a little iffy. if you’ve ever used an emulator, it’s a similar process but with ISOs instead of roms.
I use Easy Effects to normalise volume so that I don’t have to adjust the volume so often when watching YouTube videos and stuff. Just google for a preset.
Only downside is you’ll have to make exceptions for real time communication apps like Discord because they crackle. But everything else is perfect without any noticeable lag.
