I use Gnome and I downloaded envyng-qt to use envy

Only noobs use the package manager. True users compile everything from the scratch!

Doesn't the Gnome version have a gui version of apt-get?

 yeah... that makes it work better, but isn't practical for a user... for power users that's the way to go to get every inch of power you can out of the system

also I prefer the KDE client... also Windows 7 beta is comming out to... I have to many OSes I want to mess around with :(

The Synaptic Packet Manager.   Grabs the packet you want plus any dependancies.

Wrong!

True users use the package manager. Tweackers compile.

We're in 2009 guys, if you read something about linux and say you should compile something, just avoid it. I would lead to chaos in your system (unless you're a tweaker and know what you're doing), I can give reasons if needed. Today, EVERYTHING is pre-packaged so you don't have to bother compiling, don't do the work twice.

And I really know what I'm talking about, I've been playing with Linux for more than 11 years now. I used to tweak and compile. Now I gave up on this stuff a bit, but what I can tell you is that "If it's not to understand how it works, you shouldn't be compiling something by yourself".

Doesn't package manager take out all the fun from playing with linux? :( I would say that if you compile something, it will not cause chaos in your system unless you are a total noob. That would usually be those people who think using linux is a cool way to show your disrespect towards ms.

Compiling is only one aspect of enjoying Linux. If that's the way you want to go about adding apps, knock yourself out. Others just use command line and others use package managers. One style doesn't make you any more a "true Linux" user over the others.

The point of Linux isn't so much to learn how every detail works and grind out data as raw as possible but simply to work correctly, efficiently, safely and without restrictions of proprietary intrusions.

Well, yes... it's less fun, for sure... but at some point, you want your comp to work and nothing else. I've found fun elsewhere.

Of course, as I said, if you know what you're doing, compiling is fine. BUT! If you compile something instead of using the package manager, you will lose the benefits of auto updating and auto patching, and in case you compile a lib, you may go into an api breackage mess...

So, all in all, I would use the package manager for a "stable/reliable" comp, and compile on a playground comp.

Really, unless you know you can deal with a broken comp (libc symlinks fun time, etc...), use your package manager.
The benefits in performance or functionnality gained by compiling by yourself really aren't worth the effort.