Desktops: Pick the perfect DE
Nick Peers takes seven desktop environments for a test run to reveal which one is the perfect environment for your needs.
The desktop environment is a critical aspect of your Linux user experience, providing you with a more user-friendly way to interact with your PC. Unlike Windows or Mac, Linux doesn’t tie you to just one, and as we discovered last month, switching desktops is incredibly straightforward. If you’re struggling with your distro’s default desktop, then it’s time to make a change. But rather than simply experiment with different desktops until you find the one you’re looking for, it pays to form an idea of what you specifically want from a desktop, then narrow down your choices to two or three alternatives before trying them all and finally settling on one (or even two) you prefer.
We’ve rounded up seven of the most popular desktops in for this tutorial, highlighting the good, bad and ugly about each. But before you dive in, what exactly should you be looking for when evaluating desktops? There’s the first impression of course: does it look attractive (or at least not off-putting)? Remember, most desktops can be tweaked and skinned to look radically different, so if you like your current desktop’s look, but not much else, you can probably customise (or even source a special version) of another desktop to keep the familiar look and feel.
Functionality is obviously a key criteria too: what features does it offer, both in terms of the desktop itself and any core apps it bundles, such as file manager or text editor? Userfriendliness is another – how easy is the desktop to use? Are items laid out logically to your liking? Do you find yourself having to perform more clicks to access the key parts of the system? It’s also important to think about how flexible the desktop is – what aspects can be customised to your tastes, and how easy is it to do so? Last, but not least, there’s a question of performance. How responsive and quick will a replacement desktop be with your setup?
We’ve asked ourselves all these questions – and more – while evaluating these desktops, but ultimately it’s down to what your tastes are and what suit your needs.