this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2024
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Certainly Plasma if you're coming from Windows, unless we're considering pre-customized GNOME variants like for example Ubuntu uses.
Sure, KDE can be more complex in terms of configuration and customizability, but the default configuration is already good for most users.
Beginners using vanilla GNOME will quickly miss features like a minimize button and certainly tray icons.
Beginners will never really be in a position where they'll be using vanilla gnome, so that argument is kinda moot. And even if they did, those features are literally one extension away...
Tray icons don't exist in gnome's ecosystem, it only becomes problematic once you get third party applications. The real problems are the minimize/maximize, desktop icons, and panel on top when coming from windows. Although these days with the ever increasing phone use people might just be more at ease with gnome's workflow anyways.
Okay but the comparison was about GNOME vs KDE, not "GNOME modified with 5 extensions and tweaks that may or may not break with the next major update".
Also, most users will want to install third party applications. Your average gamer will likely install Discord and Steam, both of them use a tray icon. And no, most gamers aren't very technical when it comes to their OS.
Yeah each distribution has their own patch set. If you really want to compare you need to start with the most popular, ubuntu and fedora.
The two examples you gave are definitely not most users. I'd be surprised if it were even 20%. And the tray icon isn't necessary for either of them to work correctly. Most people use the computer to open the browser.
Fedora is pretty much vanilla GNOME. And yes, pretty much all users install third party apps. Not everybody installs Steam of course, but let it be Teams or Zoom for meetings for example. I don't know anyone just using stock apps on their computer (or phone for that matter).
They have minimize and maximize buttons ootb iirc. And probably a bunch of other stuff I can't cite off the top of my head. Arch is the one that has vanilla gnome.
I think you have a biased view of an average user. Anyways we're getting off topic. The original argument being that tray icons are not relevant for most users. You have yet to cite a good example where the tray icon is necessary for the app to properly function.
No, Fedora Workstation 40 does not have minimize and maximize buttons by default/ootb.
Or course my view is somewhat biased, but so is yours. I just know people who are absolutely clueless when it comes to computers and yet they have to for example use Zoom for the odd meeting or Teams.
Most apps using a tray icon don't necessarily require interacting with it for the app to function (and I never stated that was the case), but beginners coming from Windows (which will be where most users are coming from, if at all - at least that's my "biased view") will absolutely be used to tray icons being there and might have used them to access app functionality or at least just to see that the app is still running if it has no windows open.
For more detail check my comments in reply to GravitySpoiled, not gonna repeat everything.