I was impressed with Gwenview, which is part of KDE.

I currently use Linux Mint 17.3 Cinnamon. Would it be worth changing to Linux Mint KDE, or are all the KDE software packages available to install individually in Mint Cinnamon if and when I want to use them?

Similarly is it possible to easily install them individually in Ubuntu, which I am thinking of installing if I can resolve a graphics issue?

I do not understand what the KDE desktop environment is or why it is any better or different from any other desktop, I am just interested in the individual KDE software if they are as well-made as Gwenview.

Thanks

You can probably install Gwenview in Linux Mint or Ubuntu, but you need also the package 'kinfocenter' and - for plugins - 'kipi-plugins' for it to work properly. Thus 'sudo apt-get install kinfocenter' etc.
In my opinion there is no reason to shift to Ubuntu if you run Linux Mint, but it's a matter of taste.

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If you want an application, just install it and the installer will take care of dependencies. This applies to KDE applications when you're not using KDE but bear in mind that the applications won't necessarily keep to the "look and feel" of your desktop environment and there may be a fair few KDE dependencies installed on your hard drive (this only really matters if your hard drive space is limited).
You can also install the full KDE desktop environment in Mint or Ubuntu and choose between desktop environments at login. So, why not install KDE and take a look?

The downsides to installing KDE alongside another desktop are (1) you end up with two of everything in the menu (editor, file manager, terminal...) which gets confusing and (2) the latest KDE is a bit rough round the edges. Reactions have been mixed
http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?is...150525#kubuntu
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/kubuntu-vivid.html

KDE is not needed to use Gwenview. I just installed Gwenview from elementary OS's software center without any problem. But for Mint or Ubuntu it may be that the kinfocenter package must be added.

Well, Gwenview needs "supporting" files from KDE-4.14.3. I just launched Gwenview from Xfce, viewed a picture, and then launched the Xfce4-taskmanager to see Gwenview had opened 8 KDE related files using 230 megs of memory, not counting the 136 megs used by Gwenview.
Then I switched over to Fluxbox and tried the same thing with the same results.
KDE-4.14.3 is very stable, but KDE-5 is not quite ready for prime time.

It is possible that someone at Ubuntu or Mint separated the kipi-plugins from digiKam, but last I heard the developers had purposely moved the plugins into digiKam so one is forced to install digiKam just to get access to the plugins.
BTW, if one is a photographer and/or has a large collection of photographs, digiKam is one of the better programs of its type.

I tend to prefer KDE applications to Gnome and Gnome-like programs, so I just installed KDE to my Mint MATE install. A few extra libraries are no big deal with today's hard drives.

Menu confusion is not an issue As I commonly use Fluxbox, I just tailor my own menu. In Enlightenment, I just put the applications I prefer in the "Favorites" menu item.

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