This confuses me!
If you install Ubuntu first and then add KDE by entering code:
"sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop"
is the final result about the same as it would be after installing Kunbuntu first and then adding Gnome later? Or is it notably different, and how? Is the outcome simply equal to Ubuntu plus Kubuntu?
Could you switch between Gnome and KDE on a login - by - login basis?
What if you installed Edubuntu and added KDE, would the same apply too, (except of course for those excellent Edu-apps)?

Cheers,
Helmut

Kubuntu and Ubuntu share the same base system. They simply have 1) different desktop environments as you already noticed, and 2) different sets of applications to do different tasks (i.e. Kate on KDE, Gedit on Gnome). I'm not sure if installing kubuntu-desktop on top of Ubuntu removes anything, but if it doesn't, you just have a base system plus two sets of apps. So as far as I understand, it's all the same -- you should remember anyway that installing both kubuntu- and ubuntu-desktop, you get both desktops' apps to your menus, a load of icons on your desktop that you might not want to etc...

Thanks, bouncer.
So regardless of distro-differences, Ubuntu + KDE would be more or less the same as having Fedora and running it with KDE, or running Mandriva with both Gnome and KDE installed?
Helmut

I'm not sure I'd go that far. The actual OS Graphical Interface would be similar, but "under the hood" so to speak, there would be important differences.

Installers- Ubuntu uses .deb files Mandriva/Fedora uses .RPMs
Root Access- Ubuntu uses 'sudo' for root access. Mandriva/Fedora both have Root "accounts"
"Package Manager"(basically scripts that will download/install programs and all its dependencies)- Ubuntu uses Synaptic Package Mgr, Fedora use Yum, I think Mandriva does also.

I'm sure there's other differences, but those are the 3 that pop out immediately in my head. Like I said, the interface would be very similar(maybe not identical, but close enough), but they would operate quite differently.

edit- One other important difference between the 3... Ubuntu and Fedora don't suck..

IGF

I started with Ubuntu and the Gnome interface, I added Xubuntu and KDE desktop using synaptic. Neither added any icons to my desktop, just to my menus. The Icons I have on my desktop under Ubuntu, are the same icons on my desktop when I switch to Kubuntu/Xubuntu.

Nothing was added removed when I installed the other two desktops.

IGF

I use Ubuntu but installed the kde-desktop and everything seems to be working fine. Just the GUI is different and I get to switch back and forth between them. Kind of nice. My shortcuts on the desktop are all there.

When Gnome and KDE are both installed their supporting applications aren't mutualy exclusive. You can for example use Kate and Konqueror in a Gnome environment. The desktop in that case would still be Nautilus.

If you want to switch desktops in Ubuntu, first install the new desktop using whatever method, then log out. At the log in screen go to options and pick your session - kubuntu, xubuntu... whatever. When you give it your password it will ask if you want to make the default session. Play with it, I do, I haven't broken anything this time yet. (but I stayed away from Automatix, too)

This answers your question:
http://www.kubuntu.org/faq.php#whatiskubuntu

One difference I know of is Ubuntu used Synaptic and Kubuntu uses Aptitude. Besides, I don't think there's any real difference between the two. Maybe just some minor differences here nad there.

Thank you all! I'm a bit wiser now.
Helmut

You can install synaptic through aptitude and run it instead... You can also install automatix (to get the "forbidden" stuff) and run that instead... or just use one now the othetr later... Thing is you can't have more than one apt process running at the same time.

Yeah you can always have apps of Ubuntu on Kubuntu and vice versa, of course.
Anyways, apt-get rocks. And with nice set of repos who needs automatix.
They come in handy for newbies, no doubt. But I am happy with apt-get.

The question is FINDING the Repos... You always have to hunt for that stuff... It's like being on a freakin' scavenger hunt just to watch MPEGs or AVIs... or watch a store-bought DVD... No thanks. Automatix is much easier a fix for that stuff.

Anyway, Yes, you can have Gnome, KDE, XFCE an all... happily co-existing on your machine, complete with alternate Beryl startup options in your KDM or GDM login manager...Pretty nice, and with Beryl,... very pretty too. Gotta love switching virtual desktops by rotating a cube, or watching your closed windows go "poof" in colorful fire and smoke, or seeing glxgears spinning through the transparent terminal program... It actually lowers the load on your CPU too, as it's using the 3D card for desktop acceleration.

Have you looked at the guide that ubuntu has for installing support for all you mention? I'd guess that you haven't. I don't use Automatix, or EasyUbuntu, mostly because I don't want to mess my system up, which both of those applications can do. The Ubuntu guide for installing Restricted Formats is all you need, gives you all the repositories you need and you will end up with a cleaner and less problematic system. Ubuntu recommends *against* using either of those scripts, so if you decide to use them and you get a messed up system, you have only yourself to blame.