Swap Out Your Desktop
Ubuntu is changing its default desktop, so why not try alternatives?
ONE OF LINUX’S STRENGTHS is its versatility, and unlike other OSes, that extends to your desktop. Each flavor of Linux ships with its own desktop environment, and while they share superficial similarities—specifically the pointand-click WIMP interface—there can be quite radical differences, in functionality, as well as look and feel.
Ubuntu 17.04 ships with two desktops: Ubuntu and Unity8. Ubuntu is the Unity7 desktop, which developer Canonical has announced will be dropped from Ubuntu 17.10. Unity8 is incomplete, full of bugs, and not suitable for day-to-day use, but is worth checking out to see what may have happened if Canonical continued development.
The good news is that you’re not restricted to either— Linux allows you to install multiple desktops, and switch between them, so you can compare different desktops side-by-side, or set up different ones for different uses. Choosing a Desktop Desktops are distributed as software packages. Once they have been installed, you switch between them from the login screen, by clicking the desktop icon that appears in the logon box next to your username. There are lots available, but many share similar traits. This is because these are all based on one desktop called GNOME ( www. gnome.org). GNOME will become the default Ubuntu desktop as of the next Ubuntu release—the box reveals how to install it, along with another GNOME variant, Cinnamon ( http://developer.linuxmint.com). One notable exception to the GNOME rule is KDE Plasma 5 ( www.kde. org), which offers a radically different desktop that will appeal more to advanced users.
Which desktop is best for you? Looks play a part, but there are questions surrounding configurability, userfriendliness, and performance. There’s also a question of performance and power consumption. Unity and KDE 5 are better suited to powerful desktops, while lightweight alternatives such as Xfce ( www.xfce.org) and LXDE ( www. lxde.org) are perfect for older PCs and laptops. Run a couple, and see how they perform—you should notice those with a smaller footprint are the most responsive. They also place fewer demands on power consumption, which should benefit those running on batteries.
Thanks to the fact you can easily switch desktops, you could run two or more for different purposes, such as a lightweight desktop for working on the go, while switching to GNOME or Unity when plugged into the mains. Working with Desktops Once you’ve installed a new desktop (or two), log out of your account. When you find yourself back at the login screen, you should see an icon next to your username. Click this, and you’ll see a list of available desktops appear—in some cases, you’ll see multiple options based on a single desktop (it’s basically the same desktop, but set up differently). Select one, then enter your password, and log in as normal to start using it.
When you log into a new desktop for the first time, it’s a blank canvas—none of your existing preferences come across from your old desktop environment (but don’t worry, they’re all still there, ready and waiting for you the next time you log back into your original desktop).
One of the benefits of having to make changes to your new desktop early on is that it forces you to explore it as you set it up, providing insight into how it works, and what tweaks you can perform. And if you don’t like this desktop? No problem, just switch back or try another.