If you are a Linux enthusiast, chances are good that you already know everything I am about to say. Chances are even better that you tried a variety of desktop environments before settling on one. If you are a newer Linux user though, say, from the Ubuntu or SuSE crowd, it may be that you don’t even know that other options are available. Some distros like SuSE do include more than one environment though, while Ubuntu (or Kubuntu) only include the one. Even with those feature packed distros like SuSE and Sabayon, have you ever tried the other desktops that are probably already there?

You may be asking yourself, “Why would I need a different desktop environment?”.

KDE (K Desktop Environment)

KDE has been around for quite a while and I believe it was the first environment I used back in 2000 using Caldera Linux. KDE is built on top of the Qt toolkit and runs on numerous platforms. It’s much more than just a desktop environment though. There are side projects such as KDevelop and KOffice that help to make it a great desktop for getting your work done out of the box. There are numerous other projects not officially part of the KDE team that specifically create apps for use under it, so you will have a huge selection of apps to choose from.

GNOME 2.16.2

GNOME and KDE share a few similar goals. It’s a desktop environment designed around the goal to provide an easy to use platform of high quality, with great free software. If you are familiar with GNU, you know that it’s a project designed around free software. GNOME just so happens to be part of this project, so that can tell you right there the goals.

Xfce 4

Xfce4 doesn’t get as much usage as the big boys do, but it’s a great environment that you shouldn’t overlook. It’s designed for productivity and to be easy enough for anyone to use. One goal is that it leaves a small memory footprint, so it’s ideal for older machines, or for those people who simply want a super fast environment and don’t require all the additional features that some of the other DE’s provide.

Fluxbox, E16, Enligtenment and FVWM-Crystal

Warning: Hardcore users only! Minimalistic environments are just that. They are designed for a variety of users. First, you may have a super old machine that you want to set up as a file server. Or, you may want the smallest environment possible for performance reasons, or enjoy having a lot more of your screen available for windows at any given time. Lastly, you may be one of those Lunix hax0rs that would feel more more leet by using a more hardcore environment.

Desktop Environments Review

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