KDE, the KDE Software Compilation, is a contemporary desktop environment for UNIX, Linux and BSD workstations. KDE seeks to fulfill the need for an easy to use desktop for, similar to those found on Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating systems.
When it comes to stability, scalability and openness the UNIX platform has no competition. In fact UNIX has been the undisputed choice of information technology professionals for many years. The lack of an easy to use contemporary desktop environment, however, has prevented UNIX from finding its way onto desktops of typical computer users in offices and homes.
UNIX today dominates the server market and is the preferred computing platform for computing professionals and scientists alike. Average computer users still expect it to be difficult to use and often stay away. This is unfortunate since a number of implementations of UNIX, all of which are of exceptional quality and stability (Debian GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD etc.) are freely available off the Internet.
KDE provides an easy to use contemporary desktop environment for UNIX and compatible systems. Together with a free implementation of UNIX such as GNU/Linux, KDE constitutes a completely free and open computing platform available to anyone. Source code is available for anyone to look at, learn from, modify and improve.
KDE delivers a viable, feature-packed alternative to the more commonly found operating systems/desktops combinations available. It is the hope that KDE will bring open, reliable, stable and monopoly-free computing enjoyed by scientists and computing professionals world-wide to the everyday user.