Quote Originally Posted by davros4269
I never can understand this - why?

KDE is not so much different from xp or macosX for that matter. What "learning curve"? The curve has nothing to do with gui. The curve has to do with installing software, filesystem layout, configs, security, etc.

Anyone that comes and uses my KDE machine has zero problem loading up a web browser or doing basic file manipulations...

Besides, KDE already has options to make mouse clicks and window behaviour act like xp. What more do you want? Why not just use XP if you want XP? (I recently setup a KDE/linux/knoppix box for a great-grandma who is 86 - she's been using win98 for years. After spending a few minutes in the K settings panel, I was able to emulate everything from a single desktop, to double clicking to open something, as in her previous setup - she has no problems getting online, checking email, playing card games and writing and printing letters). Hell, there is even a "Redmond" settings option - as if that isn't a HINT-HINT.

Further, don't judge linux by it's ability to emulate windows. I prefer the KDE gui, multiple desktops and the like _over_ the xp interface.
Exactly! I like filet mignon, and I like cake, but this idea is like spreading cake icing on a filet mignon to make it look less "threatening" to cake eaters.

Linux can be incredibly difficult and intimidating for Windows users, but it's not because of d*mb*ss things like there being a K instead of the word Start - it's because setup, configuration, and anything other than user-level operation requires using BASH. If Linux ever gets to the point that a newbie can run the same applications that he could in Windows with a simple click of the mouse, and there is never any need to use the shell (or at least no more need to use the shell than the Windows Registry), the Windows folks will come. It will happen, but it won't happen soon.

Let's face it, if someone's computer skills are so lame that a different GUI is going to make them throw up their hands in frustration, then Linux definitely is not for them.