Dolphin was intended to replace Konqueror as the default file manager in KDE 4. The scope of Dolphin was to only provide a compact and easy-to-use file manager, without all the features and uses Konqueror has. And (I think) it succeeded. In the beginning most of the users were reticent regarding this idea, since Konqueror provided anything one could possibly ask from a file manager.

Windows has Explorer. Mac OS has Finder. GNOME has Nautilus. And KDE had, up to a number of months ago, Konqueror. Now, together with the up-and-coming KDE 4, a simple file manager named Dolphin takes on file management. So how does Dolphin stack up?

If you are familar with KDE you know Konqueror. Konqueror used to be one of the finest file managers on the PC desktop – period. But now KDE has migrated toward a simpler, more user-friendly file manager (Dolphin) and pushed Konqueror to serve as a web-browser only. That does not mean Konqueror can not be used as a file manager. It can. In fact, Konqueror can do many things.

As most of you already know, Dolphin is the new KDE 4 default file manager. The KDE 3 version introduced a new way for file management on KDE. It introduced, for the first time in KDE world, a simple KDE file manager, easy to follow and use. Let's see how Dolphin looks, and how it's an improvement of file management.

KDE users have for a long time had the jack-of-all-trades, all-singing-all-dancing Konqueror for file management. In KDE 4 we’ll be joined by the new Dolphin which will be the default file manager.

Those of you who are using Kubuntu are already familiar with Dolphin, the default file manager shipped in most KDE distributions. There are several very good file managers for KDE, and I must include here Konqueror or Krusader, however Dolphin’s goal is to offer as much as possible functionality while also keeping lightweight and fast.

I’ve been using Dolphin for my file manager, rather than Konqueror, for about a week now. These are just some random things I’ve thought about while adjusting my behavior and work process.

when the KDE team decided to replace Konqueror with Dolphin everything changed. Because, at least for now, Dolphin is a lot like Nautilus and has little to do with what KDE users were accustomed to.

I don't like KDE4. I don't like the Dolphin file manager either. There, I said it. I;m not trying to start a flame war. Really. But those dislikes are proportional to my concern about the future of Konqueror.