GUI, is simpler better?

In the last month since I last posted here, I have been trying out various Linux desktop environments. Since Gnome 3 and KDE 4 have shifted their desktop paridigm away from the "traditional" and more to the "modern", I have been pondering which to switch to! I have also been experimenting with Xfce, Lxde, and various X11 window managers. There are many things I like about the KDE Desktop Environment, and there are many things I like about the Gnome Desktop Environment. But what I long for is a single default desktop across all distros. You could always install a different one from the repos if you wanted!


One of the downsides of most all desktop environments is it is bloated and overcomplicated! After using KDE 4.7 and Gnome 3.2, I have come to the conclusion that it is less simple and functional than it needs to be! Both KDE and Gnome look good, better than good they are awesome in the visual department! But in my opinion you are forced to sacrifice functionality and simplicity for cosmetics. Thus I am forced to ask the question, "is simpler better".

Introducing Haiku's GUI, it is simple, funtional and yet elegant!

Notice how Haiku's UI is simple and elegant. The user is as unfettered by constant mouseclicks and dialog boxes as possible! Even when the desktop is cluttered with open windows, it is still a pleasant "out of your way" UI. Even while it is an awesome UI, there is still room for improvments! Haiku's UI should be able to use different themes and skins if the user wants a different look! Perhaps drop shadows could be used under and to the right of windows and menus per the Haiku icon standard. Also some event sounds would be appreciated when an application crashes, minimized etc. Having an event sound would alert the user when the networking is down, or is running low on resources, stuff like that.

In my opinion, the simpler the UI the better, as long as functionality is not deminished! As my readers will already know by now, "Simplicity, Functionality, and Elegance" are the hallmarks of a great OS and UI in my opinion! While we all may agree Haiku is not quite there yet, it is well on it's way to meeting those requirements of a great OS. As Haiku matures and enters Beta stage and beyond, it will continue to "smooth out the rough edges". As it does so, it will take it's place as one of the most pleasant Operating System to work with! Now that I think about it, who needs Linux?