Talk:Table of equivalent applications

Is it fair to list third-party Photoshop as Windows image editor, but use only KDE applications to fill the third column?

Why would it not be fair? This isn't a point-scoring exercise. If people are coming from the world of Windows they are being told what applications KDE can offer to fill the same need. Nothing more than that. I do consider it a very sensible page to add. --annew 19:06, 28 September 2008 (UTC)

I asked because of hesitation about adding non-KDE alternatives into the third column, e.g. I use Gimp and FF. At least, vlc and psi are both Qt based and look good in KDE out of the box.

Of course, since this is a KDE site, we are going to advocate and prioritize KDE applications as alternatives to Windows or OS X software. So putting the GIMP or Firefox, or even VLC and Psi even if they are Qt, is a bit inappropriate. We can leave it to distributions to indicate that. But this is KDE, so we will naturally cite KDE apps.

As for "third party" Windows apps, the thing is that in the Windows world, the distinction between "official" and "third party" apps are blurred. Either an app is a Windows app or it isn't, that is, either it's an app that runs or Windows or it isn't a Windows app. To summarize: KDE apps only in the KDE column (it is labeled "KDE" after all), and any Windows or OS X app in their appropriate columns. --Jucato

To be fair, I would add other Open Source applications(Qt or not) in their own column, but there isn't enough space to do that, 4 columns is the limit. This wiki eats way too much horizontal space. --ZeroUm 13:43, 6 October 2008 (UTC)

I totally agree. Just because you're using KDE does not mean you should only use KDE applications. And honestly, expecting KDE alone to be able to match every commercial application is a bit too ambitious. I really think there should be a column for "Other Free Software," and unfortunately the layout is a problem. -Alec 16:48, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

This isn't about "only using KDE applications" nor is it about "expecting KDE alone to be able to match every commercial application." This page is about KDE apps that serve the same purpose as Windows or OS X apps of the same category. It is about what KDE can offer for that particular type of job, not a "Free Software equivalent/replacement". Whether or not the particular KDE app can actually serve as a replacement is beyond the point. The point is that we're listing that it exists.

This is also about preventing "feature creep". This is a KDE wiki. Our primary focus is KDE. This is not a general "free software/open source software/Linux distribution" wiki. It is not about being antagonistic to or leaving out other toolkits or desktop environments. But there are already so many sources and documentation out there about that subject and so little about KDE, it wouldn't make sense to duplicate that in here. Linux distributions or Linux guides in general already have that sort of information. KDE really only has one such list, and it partly outdated. (See Applications for Migrates)

That said, if someone is willing to put another column without breaking the layout and without losing focus on the fact that this is a KDE page, I guess I'd be ok with that. But my opinion still remains that it shouldn't. --Jucato

Keep in mind, though, that nowadays, KDE runs on Windows and OSX, so leaving Linux out is unfair! :P On a more serious note, KDE4 is attracting some GNOME users' attention, who might be interested in the KDE alternatives to their GTK+ apps. -Alec 04:35, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Related thoughts: Some packages are known by a different name in their KDE4 guise. I hear people saying that if package xyz is not available they will not use KDE4, when it's entirely possible that a revamped xyz is now known as pqr. I feel that there's a need for a page dealing with this, but I am at a loss as to how to gather the info. --annew 20:18, 26 October 2008 (UTC)