Alongside the choice of desktop environment, the default application selection is the biggest distinguishing feature when comparing a set of Ubuntu flavours. Indeed, we hope for a good match between the applications and the desktop environment.
As Kubuntu is based upon KDE, it’s no surprise that many of the tools are connected with that environment. However, where sensible, generic apps have been favoured. The inclusion of web browser Firefox and office suite LibreOffice are examples of this. We’re always happy to see KDE’s file manager, Dolphin, as it’s one of the best. KDE apps such as text editor Kate, music collection manager Elise and media player Haruna round out the selection, so for most users, Kubuntu won’t need much adding to it to cover basic use. The use of bigger apps that aren’t part of KDE isn’t too jarring and fits quite well alongside the KDE apps.
Ubuntu Studio is based on KDE as well, and it comes with a full complement of standard applications such as Firefox. Part of the concept behind the distro is that it also comes with a complete set of installed and configured media applications, and the installed selection is huge.
Apart from the music applications such as Ardour, there is a full set of installed plugins that cover every area of music and audio production. There are also applications that cover other areas of media production, such as graphics editing, drawing and 3D graphics. Some duplication of features is unavoidable with such a comprehensive selection. For example, some people might not need GIMP if they have Krita installed. Furthermore, not every musician needs a 3D graphics application like Blender. In many cases, configuring media applications can be a hassle, so the fact that it’s already done is worth quite a lot, particularly for beginners.