Kubuntu: replacing Knetworkmanager with Wicd

I really learned to love Wicd while using Zenwalk. It's not DE dependent. It's fast, and reliable, and much easier to switch networks (wireless) in my experience. I wrote up a little on it here.

Hope it works for you too.

 

I've heard about wicd but i'm a little weary of using it instead of nm-applet(using gnome) or maybe even knetwork manager. Could you go more in depth about your finding while using it than the short post you gave it on your blog?

 

Wicd doesn't install a bunch of dependencies with Kubuntu. Only it's own package, and Synaptic informed me it must remove two files - "network-manager" and "network-manager-KDE". Then it replaces itself and you get back online with Wicd (very fast and easily). You need to add the .deb repository to your /etc/apt/sources.list prior to running synaptic package manager.

I like Wicd because the interface seems fast and reliable, whereas sometimes moving to a new wireless network Knetworkmanager would not see the clouds for a while, or take forever to connect. Not the case with Wicd. All my lan controls and settings are still in Kcontrol Center...it just replaced the go between if I'm explaining it correctly. Very easy to reverse if you wanted to go back to the default manager, but I personally don't want to. That's my take on it....you can read about it on Mad Penguin also as being a great wireless tool.

 

Hmm, how is it?
I might try it.

 

Zenwalk uses it as their default wireless manager. That's when I first got enamoured with it. It's not gnome or KDE dependent, but it does need gtk to run. It's python. Actually, I think many Xfce distro's use it as default.

 

Hmm, python.
Can you give me a link to there site?

 

http://wicd.sourceforge.net/ I got the bright idea of replacing Kmanager with it after reading about some guys doing it in Kubuntu on a forum. Actually, surprised the Mint people haven't done this yet....that's basically what they do, replace programs with better ones +++

Madpenguin take on the program http://www.madpenguin.org/cms/?m=show&id=8124

 

Did you notice it affect the speed of your wireless or anything? Drops? The other bad stuff?

 

I've only noticed good things, like quickness and stability. seriously.

 

Looks cool, I may try it.

 

Aren't you putting together a distro? If you use KDE, follow the link on their site ref sys trays icon.....like mine to the left of the battery in pic:

 

Is that kde4?

 

KDE 3.5.9 I just stole the platinum kicker panel from 4

 

LOL, I might actually mod the source code of Wicd a bit, just to see.

 

I see, i'm about to try out Kubuntu kde4 64bit myself to see if i like it even though i hate kde, LinuxMint doesn't have 64bit yet. =\

 

I used to hate KDE until I saw the light....=) I'm waiting on KDE4.1 All the DE's have their merits.

 

What showed you the light? I currently hate kde too.

 

The first thing I do is replace the Kmenu, which I don't particularly like....then I retheme/icon everything....you can change just about everything is some way. Gnome is very configurable, but KDE is even more so. It's improved as of late too.

 

I don't like too much configuration, i like gnome because its easy to use and fast, so it gets the job done. Kde on the other hand i find very distasteful (i hate the apps) and way too much memory for effects i don't need.

 

KDE is fast on my machine, faster than gnome, and the apps are top notch like Amarok, K3b, Ktorrent, Kaffeine, Akgregator....of course those can be run in gnome also. I'd pick Xfce over gnome though if I were to leave KDE because it really _is_ faster.

 

We all have out preferences, which is good. I'm sure you understood i wasn't bashing kde, but naming my gripes about it.

 

Not at all....you can find posts around here about me making fun of Konqui and the Gears, now look at me....who wudda thunk?

 

Lawl, that's the power of <del>pinesol</del> linux. :tongue:

 

just to follow up....after several days of using Wicd in Kubuntu, I can say it's an excellent upgrade, much better than network manager especially switching wireless clouds is much much faster.