No, we don't have to reinvent the complete car. But if we want something new, or want some drastic changes, we need to redesign many parts in the car. Since KDE4 a major version upgrade it has some drastic changes. If there wouldn't be any, it wouldn't be a major version uprgade but only a minor one (for example KDE 3.6). Each new and redesigned part must be tested and optimized before we consider the product "final". Nobody told anybody that KDE 4 is final. In the same time it is not beta, since it is considered to be stable. It means that it won't crash in every minute, and not that it's finished, and won't be developed any more. Stable and final are not the same.
It is not created from the base, but the code had to be rewritten to be able to use qt4. Many changes were made, new ideas were put into KDE 4, and I think I don't need to explain that new ideas are created from the base. It is inevitable.
The main problem is that many KDE users want KDE 3 with a new look, but no major changes. Instead they get a KDE with major changes and new look and they are not happy with it. Why would anybody call a KDE without major changes KDE 4? Because it would still be KDE 3.
Because KDE 3.0 was released when it wasn't complete (it wasn't right away KDE 3.5.9), because every software is released when it's not complete. If you wouldn't release a software until it's not complete, you wouldn't release it ever.
People! just be patient. Maybe KDE 4 is not what you want to have now, but it will be. Wait another 1 or 2 years and you will have what you need. We were patient until KDE 4 appeared. Let's have the same patience we had back in 2005 (when there were rumors that KDE 4 is being developed, and we knew that we gonna have a new KDE).

Well I'd like KDE 3, It's work Great.
But KDE 4 : I try on two distro ( I don't compile it ) Some crash and bugs.
But realy nice look and an Professional Idea.
Beside Look | Stability | and so on.. there's just one problem.
Dual Licence annoy me. I'm programming in GCC C++ and really I need a F/OSS GUI Library. QT4 is very great, but you must pay for it.
It's not a big problem, but on the other hand what a bout F/OSS, FSF, GNU and so on. A non-practical method : Write F/OSS with QT4, and bussiness with GTK.. really not practical.. engaging with to set of Libs.

I even don't know how to add application shortcut icon on panel menu. drag'n drop wont work :>
I have use it only for 5 min so i can't say much about functionality, but design is bad.

This thread reminds me of the transition from GNOME 1.4 to GNOME 2.x. Similar sentiments were expressed, but look at where GNOME is now (its not my favourite DE, but it works). From what I understand, KDE 4.0.x was supposed to be mainly for developers (to enable porting of applications to the new API), so I personally don't have any sympathy for those who are complaining about instability and missing features. KDE 4.1 seems to include a lot of the missing features and functionality, so patience is a virtue.

kde4?! should i (/we) wait -2 years?
 

ok
if we accept kde4 is a demo version for new generation of kde, it's ok!
a demo that users work with it and find bugs to make it better in 1 or 2 years latter.
for a semi-demo version it's really great.
but a demo version is not suitable for help me in managing my computer.
maybe i'm wrong!

For that reason they didn't delete kde3 from their servers and continue working on it.....

No, you're not wrong. That's why KDE 3 is still in repos as crashmeiser said. You still can use KDE 3 until KDE 4 gets to the point when you'll like it.

To reach that point faster, maybe you and everybody else should start playing with 4.1 when it's released. I don't say it needs to be used as the main DE. It can be installed as a secondary DE on your linux, and when you have some free time, you (and others) just switch to 4.1 and start exploring it and playing with it.
This way everybody will get acquainted with KDE 4, and in the same time KDE 3 will still be reachable in a minute if some real work needs to be done. For those who do like above is written, the transition from KDE 3 to KDE 4 will be extremely easy when time comes.
In the same time you can tell to others in the future (1 or 2 years later) that "I was using KDE 4 from the beginning, and with the help of my and others feedbacks KDE 4 became the best DE ever". :D In addition to these you even will be able to say that "It wasn't that painful to help KDE 4, since for work I still had what I needed in the form of KDE 3"

I never liked KDE 3.x. However, when I first used KDE4 I changed my mind. Obviously it's not as stable as it's supposed to be, but as many have said: it's not the final product yet. The only thing I don't like about it is the new menu style (with favourites, applications, etc) I believe the standard old menu was much more usable (but then again, it can be changed)

The problem are distros like fedora that stuff kde4 down the throat of their users w/o still providing kde3.
Now that I would complain about to fedora if I would use it.

I have something for those who are still not sure that KDE 4 will be really good:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...ed-a-fork.html
If still not convinced, also check out the KDE feature plan lists:
http://techbase.kde.org/Schedules/KDE4/4.1_Feature_Plan
http://techbase.kde.org/Schedules/KDE4/4.2_Feature_Plan
You will see that plenty of work was already done and even more will be done in the near future. If we wait another year, I'm sure KDE 4 will be much more superior than KDE 3.

Maybe I am just a old grumpy man .
Do not like KDE
Do not Like GNome
Use it the way when I start using LInux , just the command line and the MIDNIGHT CAMMANDER

regards

ron lau

Still too buggy for daily usage, I noticed that KDE4 was way slower if compared with KDE3...

Let's hope this improves.

Actually if you read the QT4 code used in KDE4 it's using a GPL'd version that the KDE team can claim as their
own should Troltech go under.

This is what the KDE people have to say about it:

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?s...80710131440951

Thanks for the great article. I definitely will post this to others who are still complaining about KDE 4.