Kubuntu Vs Ubuntu

If you are a recent convert to the open source cause, you are bound to be curious about Ubuntu, as well as Kubuntu which are two widely popularized Linux distributions that fall in the category of exclusively designed 'Linux For Humans' as against Linux for geeks. Linux distributions like Ubuntu and Kubuntu have become widely popular and are fast being adopted all over the world. In this article, you will find a Kubuntu Vs Ubuntu comparison, which identifies the major points of difference, between these two Linux versions.

Comparative Analysis of Ubuntu and Kubuntu

Kubuntu is actually a derivative of Ubuntu and is quite similar to it in many respects. It has the same underlying system or kernel as Ubuntu. It is a part of the Ubuntu development project. Released first in October 2004, Ubuntu itself is based on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. Kubuntu was first released in April 2008. The name Ubuntu, is based on a philosophy of living which means 'Humanity Towards Others' in the Bantu languages of Africa, while Kubuntu means 'Towards Humanity' in Bemba language. With that brief foray into the etymological origins of these two Linux version names, let us see how are these two computer operating systems differ from each other.

Kubuntu Vs Ubuntu: Graphic Environment & Applications
Kubuntu differs very slightly from the Ubuntu operating system and in fact it can be installed over an existing Ubuntu installation. Kubuntu even has the same repositories as Ubuntu and differs mainly in the use of graphic desktop environment. So Kubuntu is not a fork of Ubuntu distribution but one of the distributions available in the Ubuntu family.

Kubuntu varies from the main stream Ubuntu version as it uses the KDE graphical environment while Ubuntu has the GNOME environment. More precisely, Kubuntu has KDE desktop, KDE/Qt admin tools and the set of KDE/Qt application packages. The 'K' in Kubuntu stands for KDE. On the other hand Ubuntu has the GNOME desktop, set of GTK+ / GNOME application packages and GTK+ / GNOME based admin tools.

However, there is freedom for Kubuntu users to use any GNOME GTK+ based packages that are available in the default set of Ubuntu repositories provided with it. Ubuntu or Gnome users too can install any of the KDE/Qt based packages. One can even have a combination of GNOME and KDE environments by installing a metapackage of Kubuntu over an installed version of Ubuntu. Do this if you want a KDE environment on Ubuntu. The KDE desktop offers 3D effects and makes it easy for people who are making a transition from proprietary operating systems like Windows to the Linux platform. Current version of Kubuntu- 9.10 released in October 2009, (named Karmic Koala) has the latest KDE desktop built on the stable Ubuntu core. It serves all the requirements of an average home user.

Kubuntu Vs Ubuntu: Performance & System Requirements
A Kubuntu desktop installation functions well with 384 MB RAM, 8 GB of hard drive space based on a 700 MHz x 86 processor and video card with VGA support for 1024 x 768 resolution. On the other hand, Ubuntu desktop edition requires a 1 GHz x 86 processor, 512 MB RAM, 5 GB hard disk space and a VGA video card supported 1024 x 768 screen resolution. Kubuntu, as well as Ubuntu are available for the AMD64 processor platforms also.

Compared to Ubuntu, Kubuntu takes up lesser amount of RAM and is therefore the faster of the two. However, if you install KDE and GNOME simultaneously, the system may run slower. All in all, if you ask me, Kubuntu Vs Ubuntu - which is better, I would say Kubuntu if you like the KDE environment and Ubuntu if you are happy with GNOME.

Kubuntu installation CDs are available for free along with support and security updates for 8 months post release. Ubuntu versions are also freely available and it has slowly developed a user base of more than 10 million people around the world. Hope this Kubuntu vs Ubuntu comparison has satisfactorily revealed the main points of difference in the two Linux versions. Try out Kubuntu or Ubuntu to reap the benefits of open source movement.