Desktop Environments

[Qyöt27]

So in looking at Linux, there's a wide array of possible desktop environs. I've used both KDE and GNOME by way of live CDs, I know of fluxbox and Xfce and have seen screenshots for both, and recently stumbled upon XPde, which I think is somewhat interesting but I think I'd probably stick with something a little less Windows looking (my main concern in this area is, like several of the posts on Slashdot about this, that it would be confusing to know it's Linux but not necessarily carry the same functionality in areas that Windows does, since it looks very similar to the XP interface). I guess my questions regarding this is thus:

1) Specifically referring to Ubuntu, how many environments are actually included? I know that GNOME is the default (I'm referring to the standard Ubuntu distro, not Kubuntu or Xubuntu, obviously), but I remember reading that others are included. How would these be accessed (is it restricted to the command line or is there a place in the GUI to do it)?

2) How many different environments are there that have developed enough to the point of usability? And after KDE and GNOME, which ones are highly recommended?



And as a side question, which component in a Linux distro is it that has the support for specific video cards? Is it X itself or is it the desktop environment or possibly both (or neither, but based on included drivers)? The reason I ask is that the Knoppix and Slax Live CDs wouldn't display on my computer, and just spat out distorted static whenever KDE was loaded, which I'm assuming wasn't the distro's fault, but my video card's inability to display correctly (I was able to finagle Knoppix into displaying, but it was in like 8-bit color and 640x480 resolution, which I definitely don't want). Ubuntu 5.10's Live CD, on the other hand, worked just fine with my video card. Is it just the specific configuration that the distro team sets for their releases, or is it contained more specifically in the version of X or the desktop environment being used?

 

[CanisLupus]

So in looking at Linux, there's a wide array of possible desktop environs. I've used both KDE and GNOME by way of live CDs, I know of fluxbox and Xfce and have seen screenshots for both, and recently stumbled upon XPde, which I think is somewhat interesting but I think I'd probably stick with something a little less Windows looking (my main concern in this area is, like several of the posts on Slashdot about this, that it would be confusing to know it's Linux but not necessarily carry the same functionality in areas that Windows does, since it looks very similar to the XP interface). I guess my questions regarding this is thus:

1) Specifically referring to Ubuntu, how many environments are actually included? I know that GNOME is the default (I'm referring to the standard Ubuntu distro, not Kubuntu or Xubuntu, obviously), but I remember reading that others are included. How would these be accessed (is it restricted to the command line or is there a place in the GUI to do it)?

I think you may want to look on their website or go to a Ubuntu website. I know with the distros ive tried it is an easy option to select which one you want to use. If you use GDM (most likley) then you can click on "Sessions" (I think) and select the WM (Window Manager) you want to use.

2) How many different environments are there that have developed enough to the point of usability? And after KDE and GNOME, which ones are highly recommended?

I hear people really like Enlightenment, Blackbox and Flux box. You could try looking at ICEWM but that one looks more like Windows.

And as a side question, which component in a Linux distro is it that has the support for specific video cards? Is it X itself or is it the desktop environment or possibly both (or neither, but based on included drivers)? The reason I ask is that the Knoppix and Slax Live CDs wouldn't display on my computer, and just spat out distorted static whenever KDE was loaded, which I'm assuming wasn't the distro's fault, but my video card's inability to display correctly (I was able to finagle Knoppix into displaying, but it was in like 8-bit color and 640x480 resolution, which I definitely don't want). Ubuntu 5.10's Live CD, on the other hand, worked just fine with my video card. Is it just the specific configuration that the distro team sets for their releases, or is it contained more specifically in the version of X or the desktop environment being used?

I think it may be that different distros have different "base" drivers. You may need to boot into text mode and use Links or Lynx or wget or something to download an appropriate driver for your graphics card. Or download the linux driver for you graphics card on a CD or something. Than try installing that way.