Are KDE/Gnome apps desktop independent?
 

I am a noob using Fluxbox as my window manager (I'm using Feather Linux on an old box btw, if that matters). No KDE or Gnome here. What I'd like to know is what would happen if I try to install and use a gnome or KDE app? Will it work at all? Will I just lose some minor functionality(ies)? Will it automatically crash?

Thanks all

You'll have to install the kde and gnome libraries necessary for those apps to run but once you do you should have no problem. You may have them already installed. I can't imagine a linux distro with no kde or gnome apps in the default installation.

It will work normally. You can call any KDE or gnome application from, for example, a terminal and Fluxbox will open it. What can happen is, in the case you want to install an application, some files on your system might be missing, like kde-base or qt or gtk or whatever. Well, if it ever happens, just install the missing package(not the desktop) :). I use some gnome applications on my Blackbox, as gnome-run without having gnome installed. So yeah, it works ;).

ahh, thanks, meg and kil. that makes me feel better. i was looking to try mrproject but there was some stuff about it being meant for gnome. so next question is how do i know if i'm missing libraries (and which ones)? is there some kind of detailed error msg that would tell me?

on a more general note, whut's the big advantage then in going with these desktops? easier cut and paste ability from one app to the next??

thanks again!