Ubuntu to Kubuntu + Keeping the Menus Clean January 13, 2006
Posted by Carthik in guides, snippets, ubuntu.trackback
So you have Ubuntu installed and want to try out Kubuntu instead?
Easily Done!
Install the “kubuntu-desktop” meta-package, and you will have the option to log in to a KDE session the next time you boot up (Choose KDE from among the session options, before you enter the username and password in the graphical login screen)
You can install kubuntu-desktop by seraching for it in Synaptic, or simpler still, using the command:
$sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop
kubuntu-desktop is an architected collection of carefully selected KDE applications that creates a unique “desktop” experience, much like Ubuntu – it has one software utility for each function, again, like Ubuntu. So installing kubuntu-desktop will not give you all the KDE utilities, just like installing Ubuntu did not give you all the Gnome applications. There is another meta-package called “KDE” which, when installed will give you a different set of software. So if, after installing kubuntu-desktop, you find some of your favorite KDE apps missing, install the entire KDE suite, by installing the kde metapackage. I find this unneccassary, as kubuntu-desktop provides me with the minimal set of tools to get my work done. If I need something extra, like, kile, that very useful LaTeX editor, then I just install kile. Less baggage, better trip!
If you already knew all that was written above, and are beginning to think that it was a waste of time reading so far, fear not! I have a tip (not my original idea) that will make it worth your time.
The biggest annoyance for me, with having both gnome and KDE installed is that some KDE apps show up in the Gnome menus and some Gnome apps show up in the KDE menus. While this is not a “bad” thing, I would rather do without this.
To prevent KDE apps from showing up in Gnome menus and vice-versa, do the following before you install kubuntu-desktop :
(you can also create a small cleaner.sh script witht he following and run it as root)
$ sudo -s -H
#cd /usr/share/applications
#for i in *.desktop; do \
# if ! grep -q ^OnlyShowIn= $i; then \
# echo ‘OnlyShowIn=GNOME;’ >> $i \
# fi
#done
Now, after installing kubuntu-desktop do:
$cd /usr/share/applications/kde
$sudo -s -H
#for i in *.desktop; do
# if ! grep -q ^OnlyShowIn= $i; then
# echo ‘OnlyShowIn=KDE;’ >> $i
# fi
#done
What we did above was to tell the Gnome apps to only show in the gnome menus, and later, the KDE apps to only show in KDE menus.
Ubuntu Blog 
Ubuntu to Kubuntu
Although I prefer Gnome over KDE, some people may like to try KDE just to see how it compares.In this…
I think you have to try KDE, I also was using Gnome for the las 5 years, but KDE seems to be better (althou I have to get use to it…)
I am seriously thinking of changing to KDE, as it offers better applications, better GUI. But GNOME has that thing I am looking for, I don’t know what it is, maybe is just so much different from Redmond XP than KDE.
I don’t know “which is better,” but I’m a KDE user (non-evangelical strain), and I’m plenty happy with it. There are lots of Gnome apps that I really, really like. There are still a few Gnome apps for which there is no KDE analog, and many Gnome apps that I prefer over the KDE alternative. I never have understood the “non-overlapping magisteria” (NOMA? heh!) approach to segregating KDE from Gnome. On my desktop, it’s a total non issue. I’m going to use the best tool for the job on the desktop I happen to be comfortable with.
It does chap me some times that I install a Gnome app, then have to manually track it down and add it to my menus.
I have yet to decide which environment to stick with. While gnome is a bit faster and more stable, KDE looks great when themed, and has a great selection of Kapps Kavailable Kfor Kit.
Kicker is awesome… it may be the reason i switch.
thanks for this explanation. I’ve installed Ubuntu and I really like it a lot. I wanted to try out Kubuntu to see what it’s like as well.
hehe, KDE and GNome are seem too large for me so I choose WindowMaker 🙂
You should try out Xfce. It is awesome in its simplicity and lower memory foot print and at the same time gives the Gnomes and Kdes out there a run for their money.
[…] If you have Ubuntu on your system but want to try Kubuntu, then this site gives instructions on how to do so and end up with a clean computer. […]
Instead of creating a .sh script you can just install kmenugnome for KDE (http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=31025).
It will create a submenu for the GNOME applications – really nice and useful.
[…] Če uporabljate Ubuntu, a vas zanima Kubuntu, so tukaj navodila za namestitev in “recept”, kako se rešiti nepreglednih menijev. […]
I use ubuntu for some time. After the latest format I wanted to have a ‘clean & fast’ system with X-windows. The last time I had done that, I had used the virtual package X-windows-system. The problem is that in Ubuntu 5.10 there is no such package. Installing packages one by one created a broken system. I believe that such a package is a *must*. I hope next version will have it.
awesome. I dont use KDE, but I have seen this problem on peoples systems. Kudos for the script m8!
I use KDE. This works perfect for me! Thanks alot
[…] Vía: [Este artículo es una traducción de Ubuntu Blog] […]
What can I say. Love them both
As a WIndows user, I must say I was a bit underwhelmed by my first foray in Linux. I installed Kubuntu because I had alraedy tried Gnome/Kde before wituh friends and wanted to stick to something closer to what I was used to.
Great easy install to dual boot with my XP. Then I notice that none of the software I wanted like Firefox was installed and taht I couldnt play any Mp3’s or other multimedia files because..well, you know, …I dont care.
I just wanted to see if I could get it to work ‘out of the box’ because I have no time to waste diddling with it. Might have been something I did but its Almost there in my opinion until installing packages is made simple for Windows power users such as myself who want to switch but are afraid they cant troubleshoot.
Sorry, but NOT having Flash installed and finding out at the macromedia site that I would have to run a command line reminded me of the days of DOS. Im not a geek who likes to play around with the OS, I want something that works out of the box and that makes changes as painless as possible.
Almost there.
zeke: did you try Automatix? http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=66563
It downloads and installs Firefox, Flash, etc etc. You can choose from lots of useful apps.
So OnlyShowin in the .desktop file governs what menus the app showes up in? nice. However, what I want is a whole KDE submenue in Gnome and a Gnome sub-menue in KDE.
How could I do this? anyone know?
Another thing.
When I run the command above I get:
$ sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree… Done
E: Couldn’t find package kubuntu-desktop
$
any ideas?
Do you have the ubuntu-repositories in your sources.list? If yes, maybe you forgot to “sudo apt-get update”?
same thing happens to me as happened to Jan–I get “couldn’t find package kubuntu-desktop” when I try apt-get. I also can’t find it using Synaptic. I did “sudo apt-get update.”
Any help is appreciated–I like gnome, but I’d like to have the kde option!
Definatly have the ubuntu-repositories in the source.list. A guy at work e-mailed me his, and they look identical. I did the update. That was step one in troubleshooting. I still get the same results.
I would really appreciate help.
Fixed it. here is what I did.
Open: System -> Administration -> Add Applications
Select: Settings -> Repositories
Select and Remove all Software Sources – Select ok
Then reopen repositories and add the standard sources
Now open: Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal
At the prompt type: sudo apt-get update
Then type: sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop
I suspect that I got confused about my sources.list file and when I did the update. That, along with expecting Add Applications to update for me.
Works now.
BAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This Sucks!
so the ~apt-get~ woked, but now when I try to select KDE at login I get row after row of errors.
Doesn’t give one a very warm feeling. Not only that but once I come back to GNOME files are missing.
ARGGGGGGGGGG!
What about safely removing after I see what I wanted to see, and I don’t like it:)
I installed the kubuntu-desktop. Now I want to remove it comepletely. I like Gnome.
Can I completely remove the kubuntu-desktop from my computer like it has never been there?
Proleter, use deborphan, which should be the easiet ways.
I wrote about it here:
https://ubuntu.wordpress.com/2005/09/30/better-management-of-packages-while-uninstalling/
Someone else wrote a how to use deborphan here:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=24403
How about if one had Kubuntu installed and wanted Gnome there too, does that script work vice versa, so you run the other section first (before Gnome) and after installing Gnome the other?
After installing the kubuntu-desktop package, my system boots and shuts down with the kubuntu look. Is there a way to switch this back to the classic ubuntu style?
[…] read more | digg story […]
I tried this with Kubuntu first…
ran the second script then did sudo aptitude install ubuntu-desktop. then did the first script.
It didnt work 😦 Now i have a big mess of menus in BOTH environments.
Anyone know the problem? I feel tempted to aptitude remove ubuntu-desktop now
I dont like gnome that much anyway…just wanted to check it out. Thing is, it took absolutely AGES to install ubuntu-desktop so i feel wasteful if i remove it now…
I’d be happy if I could jsut fix the menu thing 😦
I’m guessing you’d have to modify the scripts a bit, not just swap them around.
The scripts (appears to) take all of your existing applications, and instructs the system to only show them in GNOME, then after the install, takes all of the new KDE applications and tells the system to only show them in KDE. What you’ve likely done is told the system to display your current apps in KDE, then tried to tell it to show all apps only in GNOME…
Run the first script telling it to only show in KDE instead of GNOME, then install, find the GNOME equivalent, and run the second script modified to suit.
I realise this comes a little late, but if you’re still looking to try it out, you may still have all the GNOME packages cached…I think it only clears if you tell it to. Installation time should be much quicker 🙂
to uninstall did you try going to the add/remove programs and simply removing the kde apps?
I dunno…
I’m getting “command not found” for “$ sudo -s -H”. Why might this be? I have a separate /home partition, would that be it, and can I get around it?
I have recently decieded to switch to linux and i am very confused to either use ubuntu or kubuntu as i am a electronic engineeering and do not care about developing software and i am using window for about 10 years.
Please help me to decided which version should i use and one thing also it should have a good user interface.
ohh thnxx
wow nice
Anyone know how to do this with SuperOS?
have yet to decide which environment to stick with. While gnome is a bit faster and more stable, KDE looks great when themed, and has a great selection of Kapps Kavailable Kfor Kit.
I have yet to decide which environment to stick with. While gnome is a bit faster and more stable, KDE looks great when themed, and has a great selection of Kapps Kavailable Kfor Kit.