[plug] Gnome + Enlightenment + X Windows

[Christian]

Phillip Summers wrote:
> 
> I was wondering what people thought about Gnome.
> 
> I can see that Linux has many advantages over Windows but its weakest point
> seems to be the GUI. In particular the fact that you need three layers of
> software to run a GUI i.e. Gnome + Enlightenment + X Server. This seems to
> place a huge load on the host machine. In comparison, Windows 3.1 had a full
> integrated GUI and used far less resources. I would even say that W98 was
> more resource friendly than this combo.
> The way I see it, before linux become viable for desktop use, someone will
> have to combine these three technologies into a single compact efficient
> package.

In addition to what's already been said, firstly I agree the GUI is
something of a weakness as you say - but not necessarily for the reasons
you describe.  Sure, Linux has more separate components than Windows -
but three separate components do not necessarily mean three times the
resources - especially since each component is smaller, compact and more
efficient than the Windows equivalents (which are all stuck together in
one huge, unnmanageable/unconfigurable mass).  The overhead in having
additional components has very little serious influence on today's
powerful desktop machines and the fact that they are running on top of a
fast, efficient, stable operating system core further reduces the
impact.  Certainly on my home machine, I find Windows frustratingly slow
compared with Linux - no matter how many layers or tasks I throw at it.

Regards,

Christian.

-- 
========================================================================
I'm not trying to give users what they want, I'm trying to give them
freedom, which they can then accept or reject. If people don't want
freedom, they may be out of luck with me, but I won't allow them to 
define for me what is right, what is worth spending my life for.
                                                    - Richard Stallman