[markokocic]

I don't understand what is the problem. I installed Ubuntu multiple times just to uninstall Gnome and install KDE as a first step after install. Never bothered to actually try KUbuntu.

Is this method of installing KDE still supported, or they are dropping support for KDE completely.

[kijin]

They're just making Kubuntu more like Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Edubuntu, etc. All those other derivatives have been doing OK without official support.

[sho_hn]

Add to that that Jonathan Riddell (the sole Kubuntu developer Canonical was funding, which they now cancelled, which is what this announcement is about) had been off the Kubuntu rotation for about one release cycle in the recent past already, working on Bzr instead. The Kubuntu folks still managed to make their release just fine.

[adimitrov]

They will probably not drop the KDE packages (that'd be idiotic, tons of people use, say Amarok or Kopete or whatnot) — but it won't be the streamlined experience that Unity is or Gnome was, Ubuntu icons everywhere and whatnot.

It'll just be closer, or even identical to upstream KDE (or rather, Debian's version of upstream KDE) with few modifications on Canonical's side.

[bad_user]

     it won't be the streamlined experience that
     Unity is or Gnome was

For some reason I find the experience more streamlined on Xubuntu than on Ubuntu 11.10

[Karunamon]

Canonical is not a stranger to idiotic business decisions.(See also Unity and their subsequent losing of ground to Mint)

That, combined with their utter inability to take community feedback into account, really makes me wonder whenever they do something like this. It's like traditional logic doesn't apply.

[reuser]

I'm not angry that Canonical has not dedicated a staff member to Lubuntu or Xubuntu, why should I rage over Canonical not having a staff member dedicated to Kubuntu? The community is doing a fine job.

I have no problem with Unity and if I did, I have no problem installing Xfce either.

[davidw]

> Canonical is not a stranger to idiotic business decisions.

Do they even make money? They provide a bunch of free stuff, so I'm not sure how the recoup it.

[Scaevolus]

They sell support contracts.

[davidw]

My impression, with no basis in actual facts, is that they spend more than they take in. How many zillions of users do they have, and how many of those actually need support from Canonical, especially when they can get varying degrees of support from anyone with Linux knowledge.

[cookiecaper]

Ubuntu Server is becoming more and more popular. While the Red Hat "wait five years between releases" model works for some applications, it is actually not very good for people developing new web-based programs. There is a lot of appreciation for a server-style OS that updates more frequently (semi-annually in Ubuntu's case), and Ubuntu offers contracts (supposedly) comparable to what you would get with RHEL so you can still keep the CYA business guys happy (and get support, I guess, if you need it).