I like Gnome because it is a clean desktop with a little amount of programs installed in the applications menu. KDE is a graphically rich desktop environment, that installs a lot of programs in the applications menu. My preferred desktop configuration starts with a clean Ubuntu installation straight from the CD. Then to install some desired programs and the KDE environment: sudo apt-get install kde-core This will install the minimal amount of files required to login to KDE from the GDM login screen. Then you’ll want: sudo apt-get install knetworkmanager This is the exact same thing as network-manager-gnome, but designed for KDE. It will boot automatically after installation. You’ll also want the battery monitor: sudo apt-get install kpowersave You can artifically launch the program by typing in a terminal “kpowersave”. With these couple of installation you will have a basic KDE desktop on top of a GDM system. Remember, since GDM is your default manager, you’ll need to use GDM themes for your login window. You also will now be able to specify different splashscreens for each Gnome and KDE. KDE has a preinstalled splashscreen manager. To configure splashscreens in Gnome install: sudo apt-get install gnome-splashscreen-manager The splashscreen is completely customizable by a graphical interface in both KDE and Gnome. You may also want to install ntfs-config, which comes in handy for USB flash/HDs: sudo apt-get install ntfs-config Ohh, and kmix, which is the KDE equivalent for the Gnome volume manager: sudo apt-get install kmix And the fundamental requirement to compile source code is: sudo apt-get install build-essential Build-essential is required to compile ndiswrapper, which is by far the best method to get Broadcom wireless chipsets to function properly. The KDE zip, tar, bz2 package manager is Ark; to install: sudo apt-get install ark Now just customize your toolbars, add your launchers, copy over your backed up scripts, install your background image, and BAM now you have Gnome and KDE. You can switch between them via the sessions option on the GDM login window.