Speaking of QT...I've wanted to switch to a QT-based DE for a while but I don't like lxqt or Plasma. It would be really cool if there was another option.
I have never needed a KDE app since I've used Linux. So the idea of running a DE that has developed a million apps I don't need instead of putting that dev time in the DE itself has always been a put-off for me.
Crucify me for this if you want, but I just want a GNOME clone built in QT. Or a XFCE clone built in QT that isn't ugly as sin like LXQT.
You could try liquidshell as a plasmashell replacement, but I didn't like it (can't right-click to customize the panel, no Windows 7 style taskbar-dock IIRC).
There's Deepin too, but that's developed in China (which might be fine) and comes with a suite of applications (you probably won't like it either). I don't understand why you're fine with GNOME or XFCE though, since they also come with a suite of applications (GNOME has a file manager, text editor, terminal, IDE, browser, and VM GUI, and XFCE has a file manager, text editor, and terminal).
There are a number of packets that depend on this, so you can't just remove it. Although you can recompile it to disable data collection, it's not something everyone just does.
* Opt-in.
* Has several different levels of sharing and pretty clear about what is being shared.
* Even at the most relaxed level, it's fully anonymized.
The only criticism I've heard about it a long time ago was that even if you turn it off, it still will collect the data, locally on your machine. Which was a technical matter at the time and may have already changed.
KDE people are among the most privacy respecting bunch. Grandparent is spreading FUD (or has been misinformed as result of FUD). In a world that people are comfortable with Facebook and Google I find it funny that people would have privacy complaints about KDE.
Disclaimer: Used to be a minor kde contributor.
I will give it some more time to develop though. I love the direction they are going in.