Pinderkent

As most Ubuntu users know, GNOME is the default desktop you'll get once your installation has finished. For many people that is fine and dandy, but there are others, myself included, who prefer other desktops over GNOME. I have a preference towards KDE, so the Kubuntu distribution appealed to me. Others prefer XFCE, and so a distribution like Xubuntu may be what they're looking for.

Kubuntu and Xubuntu both build upon the great foundation that Ubuntu provides. While KDE and XFCE can be quite easily installed on a typical Ubuntu installation, Kubuntu and Xubuntu have put forth effort to better integrate their chosen desktop environments. In spirit, I think this is a great idea. A better-integrated desktop environment does often lead to a better user experience. But like this article about the growing bloat of Xubuntu points out, things aren't perfect.

I think part of the problem is that distributions like Kubuntu and Xubuntu may not have enough to keep the bloat from expanding at an ever-growing rate. There is an incentive to further add well-integrated applications, from a usability standpoint. But likewise, for each default application added, that's additional space taken up on the installation CD or DVD, as well as additional space consumed on the hard drive of the computer it is being installed on.

Now, this often isn't a problem when we come to today's fast systems with ample storage. But it can still be said that a lean, effective operating system is a goal we should aim for. I think that unless one is really willing to put a foot down and say "No more default applications!" bloat will continue to be an issue. It's just a typical slippery slope situation: people will insist that adding just one more package won't hurt anyone. But soon enough things have gone out of control, and what was once a lean distribution has become rather heavyweight.

I like the stance taken by the FreeBSD and NetBSD projects. A minimal system is provided, but it is very easy to install packages after that. The FreeBSD ports system is quite remarkable, as is NetBSD's pkgsrc.

A typical FreeBSD or NetBSD installation will be quite bare. This is a good thing, as it encourages bloat to be minimized. But it is also quite easy to install packages from source or via binaries. So with minimal effort, one is able to create a customized system that only has the software they need. This has allowed me to easily install a FreeBSD setup that perfectly meets my needs, while being only slightly more time-consuming to install than a typical Kubuntu installation. And best of all, the bloat has been minimized. So while I can see why Kubuntu would be appealing, I have to say that I much prefer just using FreeBSD.