> KDE on the other hand, for some reason feels to me like going back to windows 98.
...which tbh is a good thing, because the Windows desktop of that time was pretty much the peak of the desktop UI paradigm, with actual research going into the UX instead of 'whims and vibes' like today (I would pick Win2k though since it had a much more solid technological foundation than Win95/98).
KDE has found its own way since it was a mere Windows desktop copy though (e.g. it's much better now - even more visually consistent - than both modern Windows and macOS). But unlike GNOME, KDE never abandondend what made it great.
...which tbh is a good thing, because the Windows desktop of that time was pretty much the peak of the desktop UI paradigm, with actual research going into the UX instead of 'whims and vibes' like today (I would pick Win2k though since it had a much more solid technological foundation than Win95/98).
KDE has found its own way since it was a mere Windows desktop copy though (e.g. it's much better now - even more visually consistent - than both modern Windows and macOS). But unlike GNOME, KDE never abandondend what made it great.