Keeping in mind, of course, that this is one persons opinions and observations.
I am, on the other hand, a big fan of Gnome. Contrary to what you say, I find it very easy to manage. In fact, I would say that it is KDE that is harder to manage, as there are just too many tweaks, buttons, switches, etc. Gnome is much simpler. As simple as it is though, it is still very customizable. I can transform it into something that resembles Windoze, or something more like a Mac.
KDE is slightly more popular, however I would say that is largely due to new Linux users wanting a GUI that more resembles something they are familiar with (ie: Windoze).
Keep in mind though, that most Linux distros are either based on Redhat (RPM), or Debian (DEB). Both Redhat and Debian use Gnome as the default desktop. I am sure it's not by accident.
Anyway, in the end, it all comes down to personal preference. To say one is faster or easier, is largely a subjective opinion. Gentoo running Gnome will blow the doors off of Redhat running KDE in a speed test any day of the week. See what I mean?
Cheers.
