14 DAY TRIAL // Kubuntu is a Linux distribution for both i686 and amd64 platforms, derived from Ubuntu but based on the KDE desktop environment. You can get exactly the same effect by installing Ubuntu and adding the KDE packages from the Ubuntu archives. Kubuntu is not a fork of Ubuntu, but an official project, sharing the same package archive and infrastructure.
KDE's default settings have been tweaked to Ubuntu standards while remaining true to KDE. Changes include sudo support, an uncluttered desktop and a tidied K-Menu for applications. Kubuntu developers come from the KDE and Debian communities and improvements are sent back to the original projects.
As an Ubuntu user you should already know that Ubuntu is based on the Debian distribution and ships, by default, with the GNOME desktop. Therefore, when you tell people your distro of choice is Ubuntu, they will naturally assume you run a GNOME desktop.
What software is included?
I have tested both i686 and amd64 versions, and the software included is the same, but there are issues when you want to install additional software from repositories, because the amd64 version has problems with some software that is only for 32-bit platforms. Let's have a look now at some of the pre-installed software:
? KDE 3.5.2 ? Adept ? Gwenview ? Kooka ? Krita ? Konversation ? Kopete ? KTorrent ? amaroK ? K3b ? Kaffeine ? KAudioCreator ? OpenOffice.org Suite ? Kontact ? Keep ? QTParted ? Katapult ? SpeedCrunch
Kubuntu can be easily installed to a hard drive, in about 5-6 minutes on an AMD Athlon 64 3000+ machine.
Here is the screenshot tour for Kubuntu:
Download Kubuntu now from Softpedia.