Yikes, longer than what KDE takes! I do disable java when compiling gcc as well, I like the official Sun tools better than the GNU ones. I guess I'll stick with abiword!

My record with KDE: Installed 3.2.1 on Slack 9.1, had issues with konsole, like wierd fonts and the prompt was screwed up.

Installed 3.2.2 on Slack 9.1, had to upgrade X as Slack packages not compiled for XFree86 4.3 (Again, would have been solved by compiling myself). The arrows on the "K" menu did not render, annoying, and submenus did not appear next to the parent menu item, also annoying. The problem was even in the known issues part of the KDE site, so I switched to Gnome while waiting for 3.2.3.

Installed 3.2.3 on Slack 10, went okay. Found out that the CVS functionality in Konqueror did not work right (minor bugs here and there). Decided that I like Gnome much better and that I was tired of waiting on KDE.

I don't like the KDE interface much, either. Too much fluff. I got my Gnome desktop themed to look like a Mac box (really like the Mac interface), and it is working great. Things I don't like are 2.6.*'s tendancy to open a new Nautilus window when navigating folders, but apparently the developers wanted that to happen, and don't let you turn it off, and the lack of a good menu editor interface (I end up screwing up my menus more often than not, and have to edit some config files to get it back working again), but at least it works like it was intended to.

I've tried fluxbox, but I didn't like the lack of a desktop. I looked into Rox and IDesk, but decided it was too much trouble when Gnome is working fine for me.