bluewolf wroteI didnt like GNOME3 so i uninstalled it and installed Ubuntu 10.10
fixed the problem
you do not need to install another distro to change your x-windows desktop framework!
i happened to reinstall my private laptop, an old dell inspiron 1501 which works great with suse 11.4. so far, the most annoying thing has been the alt-tab. unlike the way it has worked in the past, with kde4, it just screens the next window and i really can not tell where to am i about to land. i have to check whether there is a tweak/option to rid that totally hideous implemenation.
both gnome and kde have miserably failed with the current releases (gnome3 and kde4). the great thing is what history has tought us is that when people start to whine, things start to change. so the next update or version should fix up a lot of things.
i still consider that there are one too many major brands (gnome/kde). one should be terminated and resources should be concentrated into one. in regards to both, both are just approaching the tip of the iceberg towards what a totally functional desktop requires. that is why i favor opensuse as a desktop because it is (to my experience) the only distro closest fits a single user desktop environment, is opensuse 11.4. not the best but sure does beat the rest.
just as was pointed, there are more users than developers, so in that sence, a lighter release does great. it is sad to see how many undermine and question the sort of fluxbox/blackbox/xfce since they do really work!
when i think of my linux desktop usage, it mostly combines 90% terminal windows, 5% notepad and 5% web/file browser. based on this, it really doesnt matter what desktop i use since they all function. the most common issue is the cut and paste. its funny how we have come so far but yet simple cut/paste can be a challenge.
most of what i do is command line based, i have no patience nor interest in applying the same work thru gui.
especially noting that some fine tuning just require more parameters which are easier to supply on a command line than to click next-next-next-wait for the wizard-next-next-next. the gui does not server any automation features or functions where ase with a shell, i can script and forloop stuff. i do not even want to dive into macro-commanding a gui desktop on a linux, it is anything work efficient. some things are just not meant to be done via the gui so whatever bells and whistles are added, they only become a nussance, just as happened with gnome3 and kde4.