[Nottingham] Desktop Upgrade

[Jason Irwin]

As you can probably tell, I'm in full-on tinker mode.

Once the server is done and this desktop backed-up, it's time to splat
it.  I'm currently on Ubuntu 10.10, quite like Gnome2 and find I get on
well with synaptic/aptitude.  I like the simplicity of Gnome2 (yes, I
did just say that), I like knowing that Thunderbird will /always/ open
on Workspace 2 and irc /always/ on Workspace 4 (done via Compiz).  I
like some folders/docs on my desktop by times.

The machine mostly gets used for email, web, bit of VM, XBMC and light
gaming (love me some Saurbraten and Super Tux kart).  Core II Duo with a
1GB GT240, so not exactly low-spec, but not a 1337 gaming rig either.

I've been trying Unity on-and-off in a VM and am very leery of switching
to it as it just seems to want to make life difficult.

So what suggestion do folks have?  The two top-candidates I have in mind
are Kubuntu and Fedora (Linux Mint KDE is running a strong third).
Only thing I have against Fedora is people keep telling me horror
stories aboout rpm/yum hell.
I've tried KDE in the past, but the new Plasma/Activities thing seems
closest to my current workflow.
Fedora is Gnome Shell and whilst that seems to have some of Unity's
faults (let me select what app launches to what workspace, dammit) I've
been hearing good things about its improving configurablity.
One reason for staying with ?buntu is PPAs - I make rather heavy use of
those for a variety of things.  Does Fedora have something similar (or
even better?)
And if I am going to have a desktop, I may as well have a *DESKTOP* y'know?

Hmm...I have a sneaking suspicion this may start a DE/distro holy-war.
Oh well, so be it.

-- 
Jason Irwin